Email Manager Rule Setup

Advanced User Feature
Setting up Email Trigger Rules is an advanced feature and should only be configured by users who understand the Email Manager and message template system.
The [ Email Manager | Rule Setup ] screen is used to create automated email rules within Khaos Control. These rules allow the system to automatically generate emails and, if required, send them without user intervention.
Examples include:
  • Sending a Purchase Order to a supplier when it is created.
  • Emailing customers when their order moves to a shipping stage.
  • Sending branded order confirmation emails.
  • Sending different emails based on Sales Order type.
  • Automatically sending return acknowledgements.
For guidance on creating trigger rules, see How To: Setup Email Trigger Rules.
Important: Every active condition within a rule must be true at the same time before the email is triggered.
For examples, see Trigger Rule Examples.
For information about the Other Actions menu, press F9 or see Email Manager Other Actions Menu.

What Can Email Trigger Rules Do?

Email Trigger Rules can automate many common communication tasks.

Example 1: Automatically Email Purchase Orders

When a Purchase Order is saved, Khaos Control can:
  • Create an email.
  • Attach the Purchase Order as a PDF.
  • Send it directly to the supplier.

Example 2: Notify Customers When Orders Are Shipped

When a Sales Invoice moves from one stage to another in the Sales Invoice Manager, the system can automatically send a shipping notification email.
See:

Example 3: Trigger Emails by Sales Order Type

Different email templates can be sent based on whether the document is:
  • Sales Order
  • Quotation
  • Proforma Order
  • Return Credit
  • Return Exchange
See:

Example 4: Send Brand-Specific Order Emails

When a Sales Order for a specific brand enters the correct processing stage, Khaos Control can automatically send a branded confirmation email.
See:

Screen Layout

The [ Email Manager | Rule Setup ] screen is divided into four sections:
  1. Setup
  2. Help
  3. Available Conditions
  4. Active Conditions

Setup Section

Rule Code

A unique code used to identify the trigger rule.

Rule Description

A description explaining the purpose of the rule.

Trigger Type

Defines what activity in Khaos Control will activate the rule.
Available trigger types include:

Trigger TypePurpose
BACK ORDERTriggered by Purchase Order line status changes.
CAT REQUESTCatalogue request processing emails.
COMPANY EMAILCustomer marketing and communication emails.
INV PRIORITYTriggered by Invoice Priority changes.
INVOICETriggered by Invoice Manager activity.
MANUALManual email generation using templates.
PURCHASE ORDERPurchase ordering emails.
REPORT EMAILManual report emailing.
REFUNDRefund-related emails.
RETURNReturn processing emails.
SO ACKNOWLEDGESales Order acknowledgement emails.
VOUCHERS REMINDVoucher expiry reminders.

Additional Information

BACK ORDER

Configured separately.
See:

Message Template

Select the email template that the trigger rule will use.
See:

Subscribers Only

If enabled, emails are only sent to customers who have: E-Mailing List Subscriber
enabled on their [ Customer | Detail | Address ] record.

Attach PDF

Attaches a PDF version of the relevant document to the email.

Attach CRM Documents

Includes documents linked to the customer's CRM record and associated sales order.

Send Email Immediately

When enabled:
  • The email is sent immediately.
  • The email is not held in Pending Emails.

Active

Controls whether the trigger rule is enabled.

Help Section

The Help section explains the comparison operators used when configuring conditions.

ComparisonMeaning
<Less than
<=Less than or equal to
=Equal to
>Greater than
>=Greater than or equal to
<>Not equal to
inOne or more selected options apply
!inNone of the selected options apply
Contains UDAAny item contains the specified Text UDA
All Contain UDAAll items contain the specified Text UDA
Does Not Contain UDANo items contain the specified Text UDA

Conditions are added using the Add button and removed using the Remove button.

Available Conditions

Available conditions vary depending on the selected Trigger Type.

CAT REQUEST

Available conditions:
  • OLD STATUS
  • NEW STATUS
Possible values:
  • New Request
  • To Be Printed
  • Issue
  • Archived

INVOICE and SO ACKNOWLEDGE

Available conditions include:
  • COMPANY CLASS
  • CONSIGNMENT REF
  • COURIER
  • CUSTOMER COUNTRY
  • CUSTOMER OPTIONS
  • FIRST INVOICE
  • INVOICE PRIORITY
  • SALE SOURCE
  • SORDER BRAND
  • SORDER TYPE
  • UDA_COMPANY
  • UDA_STOCK
  • OLD INVOICE STATUS
  • NEW INVOICE STATUS

FIRST INVOICE

Used with:

Comparison = Equal

Value = Yes

This ensures the rule only triggers the first time a Sales Order is saved or invoiced.

CUSTOMER OPTIONS


Available options:
  1. Statement by Email
  2. Force Terms Hold
  3. Free Delivery

SORDER TYPE


Available options:
  1. Credit Note
  2. Proforma Order
  3. Quotation
  4. Sales Order

SORDER BRAND

Allows brand-specific email templates.
The rule will only trigger if the Sales Order brand matches the brand specified in the rule.
The brand is taken from the:
screen.

PURCHASE ORDER

Available condition:
  • UPDATE STATUS
Available values:
  • None
  • New
  • Updated

RETURN

Available conditions:
  • MULTIPLE REASONS
  • RETURN BRAND
  • RETURN REASON
  • SALES SOURCE

Active Conditions

Active Conditions determine when the email is created and optionally sent.
A condition becomes active when it is added from the Available Conditions list.
The Active Conditions grid contains:

ColumnDescription
DescCondition description
ComparisonComparison operator
Lookup ValueValue used when evaluating the condition

Lookup Value

Press Ctrl+F8 to select a lookup value where available.
The available values depend on the selected condition and trigger type.

Tips

  • Start with simple rules and add additional conditions only when necessary.
  • Remember that all Active Conditions must be true simultaneously.
  • Use brand-specific conditions when managing multiple brands from a single database.
  • Use the FIRST INVOICE condition when you want a customer to receive only one email during the lifetime of an order.
  • Test new rules before enabling automatic sending.
  • Keep email templates up to date to ensure automated communications remain accurate and professional.

Did you find this article helpful?