Trigger schedule determines when eligible communications are actually processed and sent. After a trigger becomes eligible, Administrate sends it according to the system run that applies to that trigger type.
How trigger schedule works
Not all triggers send on the same schedule. Some are processed on a priority run shortly after the triggering action happens, while others are processed on the regular scheduled run.
The two main schedules you may see are:
- Next Priority Run
- Next Full Run
Next Priority Run
Next Priority Run applies to On Registration triggers. These are designed to send quickly after a learner or recipient becomes eligible.
- Priority runs happen every 5 minutes.
- Typical run times are on the hour at intervals such as 12:05, 12:10, 12:15, and so on.
- Use this timing for communications that should go out soon after registration, such as confirmations or welcome messages.
Next Full Run
Next Full Run applies to triggers that are not set to On Registration, including date-based triggers such as Days Before and Days After.
- Full runs happen once each hour.
- These generally run on the 37th minute of the hour, such as 12:37, 13:37, and 14:37.
- Use this timing for reminders and follow-up communications that are tied to an event date or other scheduled milestone.
Where you might see these times
You may see Next Priority Run and Next Full Run displayed in areas where communication timing is shown, such as event communication views and other trigger-related screens. These values help explain when the next send cycle will occur.
How eligibility and schedule work together
A trigger must first become eligible based on its type and criteria. Once it is eligible, it is sent during the appropriate run.
- On Registration triggers become eligible when registration happens and are then picked up on the next priority run.
- Days Before and Days After triggers become eligible according to their date offset and are then picked up on the next full run.
This means a communication may not send the exact second it becomes eligible. Instead, it sends when the next applicable processing run occurs.
Example: registration vs scheduled timing
A learner registers for an event at 12:03:
- If the trigger is On Registration, it would normally be picked up on the next priority run, such as 12:05.
- If the trigger is based on a scheduled offset like Days Before or Days After, it would be picked up on the next full run once its date conditions are met.
What to check if timing seems wrong
If a trigger does not appear to send when expected, check the following:
- The trigger type is correct for the behavior you want.
- The event date or milestone used by the trigger is correct.
- The trigger is active and configured as expected.
- The communication has already reached eligibility and is waiting for the next applicable run.
- Recipient and template requirements are valid so the send can complete successfully.
For delivery outcomes and error review, use the trigger logs.