This article walks through creating an automation from start to finish, including every trigger and action setting. If you're new to Automations, start with the Automations Overview.
Start a new automation
Go to Admin > Automations and click New automation.
Pick a template to start from, such as Starter Guest Passes, or choose Start from scratch.
Form or Canvas
At the top right of the editor, switch between Form and Canvas. Both save the same automation, so use whichever you prefer and switch at any time.
Form: each setting in its own section (Trigger, Applies to, and Action). Best for quick setup.
Canvas: a visual flow showing Trigger, then Applies to, then Action. Click any step to change it.
Step 1: Name and describe it
In Automation Properties:
Name (required): name it by what it does, like "5 credits when dues are paid," so your whole board understands it at a glance.
Description (optional): a short, plain language summary so your team knows what the automation does.
To change the name or description later, click the pencil icon next to the name at the top of the editor.
Coming soon: Build with AI. You'll be able to type or speak what you want in the Description box, like "Every day at midnight, set guest credits to 4 for all paid accounts," and Member Splash will fill in the trigger, Applies to, and action for you to review.
Step 2: Choose a trigger
The trigger is what starts the automation. Choose one in the Choose a trigger window by searching or browsing by category. To switch later, click Change trigger.
Schedule
Scheduled: runs daily, weekly, monthly, or once a year. Choose the Frequency and Time, such as Daily at 12:00 AM.
Membership
Member joined: runs when a new account finishes signing up online. Accounts added by staff in the admin, or by an import, don't start it.
Billing
Payment received: runs once for every payment recorded on an account, however it was paid, including online, check, cash, ACH, Point of Sale, and reservation payments. It runs only after the payment is saved. No charge entries and reversed payments don't trigger it.
Payment failed: runs when a card or ACH payment is declined at the moment it's made, during online checkout, Point of Sale, or reservations. It runs no more than once per account every 10 minutes.
Front Desk
Member checked in: runs when a member checks in at the front desk.
When a trigger is about one account, such as a payment, a check in, or a new member, the automation acts on that one account only. Triggers marked Coming soon appear in the list but can't be selected yet.
Schedule timing
Scheduled automations run within about 30 minutes after the time you choose, not to the exact minute.
Monthly and yearly schedules set for the 29th, 30th, or 31st run on the last day of shorter months.
Times use your club's time zone. Double check AM and PM, since a midnight reset needs 12:00 AM.
Step 3: Choose who it applies to
Click Add a filter to narrow the automation so it only touches the accounts you mean. You can combine filters:
Account type: for example, only Family or only Single account types
Account tag: only accounts with a tag you use, like Board or Swim Team
Payment status: Paid, Unpaid, or Pending
With no filters, the automation applies to every account. The count below the filters shows how many accounts match right now.
💡TIP: Start narrow. Test a new automation on one account type or one tag before opening it up to everyone, and check the match count before you activate it.
Step 4: Choose the action
Under Do this, choose what should happen and fill in its settings.
Add Guest Credits
Enter the number of guest credits to add to each matching account. Credits members already have, including ones they bought, are kept. Best for "give 5 credits when dues are paid" or "3 credits for new members."
Set Guest Credits
In Guest passes per account, enter the exact number each matching account should have. This works as use it or lose it: any unused credits are replaced at the next run. Use it for daily or weekly resets.
IMPORTANT: Set Guest Credits erases existing guest credits. Each account's balance is replaced with the number you choose, including credits members bought. The editor shows this same warning when you choose Set Guest Credits. To add to the existing balance instead, use Add Guest Credits.
Every guest credit change an automation makes is recorded in the account's history, with the balance before and after.
Send Email
IMPORTANT: Only email campaign templates can be used with Send Email. A regular email campaign won't appear in the list, so save your email as a template in Member Mail before you set up the automation.
Email template: choose one of your Member Mail email campaign templates.
Subject (optional): enter a subject, or leave it blank to use the template's subject.
Click Preview to see the email, and switch between desktop and mobile views.
Click Send test to me to receive a copy in your own inbox.
The email goes to the billing member on each matching account, and only if they're subscribed to club emails. Each email is sent at most once per event, so members never get duplicates. These merge tags are filled in for each member:
{{first_name}}{{last_name}}{{acct_id}}{{payment_status}}{{login}}
IMPORTANT: Any other merge tags in the template are left out of the email. Scheduled runs are sent as a campaign, so you'll also see them in Member Mail.
Add Account Tag or Remove Account Tag
Choose the tag to add or remove. Tag changes sync to Mailchimp just like tags updated by staff.
Step 5: Save
Click Save at the bottom of the editor, or Save as draft to keep your work and finish later. Click Cancel to leave without saving. If you leave the editor with unsaved changes, Member Splash asks whether to save them.
Step 6: Activate it
Saved automations start as Inactive, so nothing happens until you're ready. To turn one on, switch on the Active toggle next to the automation's name at the top of the editor. Member Splash checks that everything is filled in first.
Scheduled automations run at their next scheduled time. To run one right away, click Run now at the bottom of the editor and confirm. Results show as Matched (accounts that fit the rules) and Changed (accounts the action actually updated). For example, accounts that already had the right number of guest credits are matched but not changed.
Event automations start listening right away and run on their own when the payment, check in, or signup happens.
TIP: Check the Activity tab after an automation's first run to confirm it did what you expected. To edit, deactivate, export, or delete automations, see Manage Automations and View Activity.