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NOTE: This feature is available in the Professional and Enterprise versions of both Spectra and Stratus Desktop.

Use Client Status Triggers to have Spectra/Stratus Desktop automatically
create tasks or initiate a variety of communications based on the client
status due date, as well as on the client’s (or family member’s) birthday or anniversary date. See also: Client Statuses

Setting up Client Status Triggers #

1. Go to Maintenance
   > Client > Client Status Triggers. This opens your list of client triggers, organized by status.
   
   

2. Select a Status from the drop-down list
   and then click New on the
   ribbon to create a new trigger for that status.

   

3. Type in a Description
   for the trigger.

4. Select the Trigger
   Type from the drop-down list. The following choices are available:

• Call
  – Create a call record for
  each client that meets the criteria at the time the trigger is
  processed.

• Email
  – Send an email to each client
  that meets the criteria at the time the trigger is processed.

• Letter
  – Generate a printed letter
  for each client that meets the criteria at the time the trigger
  is processed.

• Email/Call
  – Send an email to each client
  that meets the criteria. If a client doesn’t have an email address
  on file, a call record will be generated instead.

• Email/Letter
  – Send an email to each client
  that meets the criteria. If a client doesn’t have an email address
  on file, a printed letter will be generated instead.

• SMS – Send an SMS text message to each
  client that meets the criteria at the time the trigger is processed.

• SMS/Call
  – Send an SMS text message
  to each client that meets the criteria. If the client doesn’t
  have a phone number that is SMS-enabled, a call record will be
  generated instead.

• SMS/Email – Send and SMS text message to each client that meets the criteria. If the client doesn’t have a phone number that is SMS-enabled, an email will be sent instead.

• Task
  – Generate a task
  for each client that meets the criteria at the time the trigger
  is processed.

• Web Form – (available in Stratus ) Create a web form for each client that meets the criteria at the time the trigger is processed. See also: Web Forms

5. Check Automatically Process via the Control Center if the trigger has been tested and is ready for automatic processing. We recommend processing your triggers manually for several weeks to check for errors before automating them. You can also specify processing times to prevent the Control Center from sending emails and text messages in the middle of the night.  See also: Control Center

6. Choose your Trigger
   Date option:

• Status Due
  Date – With this option, the trigger can be based on the
  date a client is changed to this status, or a date that is “x”
  number of days before or after the status due date.

• Birthday
  Date – With this option, the trigger is based on the birthday of the client or their family members. Select On Birthday
  Date or enter the number of days before or after the birthday
  date.

• Anniversary
  Date – With this option, the trigger is based on the client’s
  anniversary date. Select On Anniversary
  Date or enter the number of days before or after the anniversary
  date.

7. Choose any of the following Trigger Exclusions: 

• Triggered Date is Past – With this option, the software will not try to run this trigger if the trigger date (the one you chose in step 6 above) is in the past. For example, if the trigger date is set to On the Status Due Date, it will try to run the trigger once it reaches the Status Due Date. But if the trigger fails to run for whatever reason, once it passes the Status Due Date, it won’t try to run anymore. This is important if you want to send out a reminder email with words like “Your Christmas Coupon Expires TODAY!”

• Do Not Market Clients – Exclude clients marked as “Do not Market.”

• Do Not Call Clients – Exclude clients marked as “Do not Call.”

8. Enter and/or select the appropriate Trigger
   Behavior. These options will vary based on the trigger type (i.e., call, email, SMS, task, etc.) you’ve selected. Options may include a form letter, attachments, assigned user/department, web form, and more.

9. Click OK
   to save the trigger.

10. The software will set up the trigger for processing
    by filtering through your database and excluding records that may
    have fit the criteria in the past. This prepares the trigger for use
    going forward. Note: This initial processing DOES NOT actually create any communications or tasks. Triggers must be processed manually with the Process Triggers tool or automated with the Control Center. See also: Control Center

    

11. Regularly process the trigger by going to
    Tools > Process Triggers.

For more information on using triggers throughout Spectra and Stratus Desktop, please see
the What are Triggers?
topic.