Understanding Smart Rule variables
Edited

Overview

Smart Rule is a type of rule that adapts intelligently to the different messages and workflows of your team to automatically run actions that save you countless hours. What makes a Smart Rule smart and able to decipher the information that would otherwise require a human to analyze? The answer is dynamic variables, which are options you can build within the Smart Rule that adapt to the different traits of the conversations and actions in Front. This way, one rule is able to replace multiple static, hardcoded rules.


Variable types

The various Smart Rule variable options are categorized into different types, and the type will determine what type of rule action you can ultimately run with the variable. Here are the different variable types:

  • Text

  • Email

  • URL

  • Number

  • Teammate

  • Inbox

  • Tag

  • Boolean (true/false)

  • Date

  • Lists (see next section)


Variable lists

When you are using a certain variable type and want multiple options within that type, such as multiple teammates or inboxes to choose from, then the variable type turns into a List. For instance, you could have a Teammate List or Inbox List.

Within the dynamic variable, here are the actions you can take on lists:

  • Select an element in the list (1st, last or Nth). Using First element is the go-to method to transform an X list variable into Type X.

  • Sort the list based on fields of list elements

  • Filter the list to keep only element matching a filter. This returns a smaller list. Example: You can filter a teammate list to keep only the available ones.

  • Find in elements to keep the first element of the list matching a condition. For an X list this returns a variable of type X.

  • Map the list to create another corresponding list. Example: From a teammate list, you can create the list of emails of those teammates.


Rule conditions for each type

In your Smart Rule, the specific If filters and Then actions in the rule are compatible with specific variable types you create. Below is a chart of some examples of which rule conditions work with which variables, and also whether the action is compatible with the List version of the variable.

Action/filter

Variable

List

Add links

URL

Yes

Notify

Teammate

Yes

Move to inbox

Inbox

No

Assign

Teammate

Yes

Most text-based conditions

Text, URL, email

Yes


Related guides

  1. Smart Rules: Get an introductory orientation on Smart Rules and the related resources.

  2. Smart Rules use cases: Gain inspiration from common ways to leverage Smart Rules to supercharge your workflows.

  3. How to build a Smart Rule: Learn how to build a Smart Rule with step-by-step instructions and screenshots.

  4. Guide to Smart Rule variables: Check out the glossary of all the different steps and options you can have in the dynamic variable of a Smart Rule.


Pricing

This feature is available on the Scale plan or above.