You can temporarily pause a running automation to edit it. While an automation is paused, you can add, edit, and delete steps. You can also reassign tasks and rename the automation. You can also pause an automation if you want it to temporarily stop running, but you don’t want to archive it.
You can pause automations indefinitely. Paused automations stop running and don't start again unless you republish.
While an automation is paused:
Additional constituents don’t enter the automation as new participants.
Constituents who would have entered the automation while it was running aren’t queued to enter the automation. If you republish the automation, those constituents are skipped and don’t enter the automation.
Constituents already within the automation remain in the automation unless something causes them to exit, such as a refund. The Exited metric continues to update while the automation is paused.
Constituents already within the automation remain where they are in the automation and do not move to the next step.
If you republish the automation, constituents can continue to move forward in the automation.
Tip: If you’re done with an automation or won’t need it for a long time, you can archive it instead of pausing it.
Pause Automations
Important: Constituents don’t enter an automation while it’s paused and don’t queue for entry later. For example, you pause a First Ever Donation automation. Chris makes a first-ever donation while the automation is paused, but doesn’t enter the automation because it’s paused. You later republish the automation. Chris still doesn’t enter the First Ever Donation automation. However, if you edit any fields in Chris’ first-ever donation transaction, Chris does enter the First Ever Donation automation.
To pause an automation:
Click Communications.
Click Journey Automation.
In the automations list, click the automation.
Tip: If you have many automations, click Running to see only published automations.Click Pause.
To confirm, click Pause again. The automation appears in the list with the Paused label.
You can now edit the automation.
Edit Paused Automations
You can edit steps in a paused automation. A step includes either an action or a time delay. You can’t edit the entry source.
To edit automation steps:
Click Communications.
Click Journey Automation.
In the list of automations, click the paused automation.
Tip: If you have many automations, click the Paused filter to see only paused automations.To rename the automation, click the pencil icon.
To edit a step, click the three vertical dots and select Edit.
Follow these instructions:
If you edit and save an automation step, this label appears on the step: Modified on [date] by [Bloomerang user]
Edit Automation Emails
You can edit unsent automation emails. You can view and replace sent automation emails, but you can’t edit them.
To edit an unsent automation email:
In the email action, click the three vertical dots and select Edit.
Click Edit Email.
Edit the email.
Click Save As.
Select Go to Automation Journey.
Make other changes to the automation or republish it now if you’re ready.
Replace Automation Emails
You can replace sent or unsent automation emails. When you replace an email, you must select what to do with the original email.
To replace an email:
In the email action, click the three vertical dots and select Edit.
Click Replace Email.
Select what to do with the original email:
Keep in Emails — Email remains active and appears in the email list at Communications > Emails.
Deactivate Email — Email is marked as inactive but remains in the email list at Communications > Emails.
Delete Email — Email is deleted and removed from the email list at Communications > Emails. This option appears only if the email is unsent.
Click Next.
On the Bloomerang Templates or Saved Templates tab, select a template.
Enter an email name.
Click Next.
Customize the email.
Click Save And and select Go to Journey Automation. The new email appears in the email action.
Make other changes to the automation or republish it now if you’re ready.
Edit Tasks
To edit a task action:
In the task action, click the three vertical dots and select Edit.
In the task details, edit any of the following:
Subject
Channel
Purpose
Assign To
Notes
Complete Within Duration (number of days)
Click Save.
Make other changes to the automation or republish it now if you’re ready.
Edit Relationship Manager Actions
To edit a relationship manager action:
In the relationship manager action, click the three vertical dots and select Edit.
Select a different relationship manager.
Click Save.
Make other changes to the automation or republish it now if you’re ready.
Edit Time Delays
If you pause an automation that has a time delay, participants within that time delay remain there and don’t move forward while it’s paused.
To edit a time delay:
In the task details, do one of the following:
Select Wait For and enter the number of days.
Select Specific Date and select a date.
Click Save.
Make other changes to the automation or republish it now if you’re ready.
If you republish, participants can now move forward in the automation:
Time delays with a Wait For duration – After you republish the automation, participants move forward according to how many days they waited in the paused automation.
For example, the Wait For duration is 7 days, and you pause the automation for 4 days. Participants who already spent 2 days waiting before you paused the automation have been waiting for 6 days total. These participants move forward in the automation 1 day after you republish it.Time delays with a Specific Date – After you republish the automation, participants move forward after the date specified in the time delay. If that date is in the past, the participant immediately continues on in the automation.
Delete Automation Steps
You can delete steps in a paused automation. Keep in mind the following:
If you delete a step that participants were within, and then you republish the automation, participants continue from the step completed before the deleted step.
If you delete a time delay and republish the automation, participants who were within the time delay immediately proceed to the next step.
Automations can’t have consecutive time delays.
To delete automation steps:
Click Communications.
Click Journey Automation.
In the list of automations, click the paused automation.
Tip: If you have many automations, click the Paused filter to see only paused automations.To delete a time delay, task action, or relationship manager action:
Click the three vertical dots in that step and then select Delete.
Click Delete again to confirm.
To delete an email action:
Click the three vertical dots in that step and then select Delete.
Select what to do with the email: Keep in Emails, Deactivate Email, or Delete Email. The delete option appears only for unsent emails.
Click Confirm and Delete Action.
Republish Paused Automations
After you republish an automation, new participants can enter the automation.
If you have multiple donation event automations:
In the Automations list, click Edit Priority to make sure automations are in the order that you intend.
If needed, edit the priority before or right after you publish to avoid unintended participants from entering.
To republish an automation:
Click Publish.
To confirm, click Publish again. The automation status label changes from Paused to Running.