# Steps

## Available steps

Steps are the building blocks of Automation workflows. They define the actions that will be executed when the Automation runs.

Learn more about each available step in its dedicated guide:

- [Trigger](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-trigger)
- [Condition](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-condition)
- [Delay](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-delay)
- [Wait for Event](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-wait-for-event)
- [Send Email](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-send-email)
- [Add to Segment](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-add-to-segment)
- [Contact Update](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-contact-update)
- [Contact Delete](/guides/learn-dashboard-automations-contact-delete)

## Step properties

Every step in an automation has common base properties: `key`, `type`, and a `config` object whose shape depends on the type of the step.

### `key`

- `key` (string, required) — A unique identifier for the step. Used in connection definitions to connect steps.

### `type`

- `type` (string, required) — The type of step. Possible values:

* `trigger`
* `condition`
* `delay`
* `wait_for_event`
* `send_email`
* `add_to_segment`
* `contact_update`
* `contact_delete`

### `config`

- `config` (object, required) — The configuration object for the step. The shape depends on the step `type`.

See the configuration for each step `type`:

- [`trigger`](#trigger)
- [`condition`](#condition)
- [`delay`](#delay)
- [`wait_for_event`](#wait_for_event)
- [`send_email`](#send_email)
- [`add_to_segment`](#add_to_segment)
- [`contact_update`](#contact_update)
- [`contact_delete`](#contact_delete)

## Step configuration

Below is a list of all the possible step types and their configurations.

### `trigger`

The trigger step starts the automation when a matching event is received.

- `config.event_name` (string, required) — The name of the event that triggers the automation.

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "start",
  "type": "trigger",
  "config": {
    "event_name": "user.created"
  }
}
```

### `condition`

Branches the workflow based on rules. Condition configs can be a single rule or a logical group (`and`/`or`) of rules.

- `config.type` (string, required) — The type of condition node. Possible values:

* `rule`
* `and`
* `or`

For `rule` type:

- `config.field` (string, required) — The field to evaluate. Must use the `event.` or `contact.` namespace prefix (e.g., `event.amount`, `contact.email`).

- `config.operator` (string, required) — The comparison operator. Possible values:

* `eq`: equals
* `neq`: not equals
* `gt`: greater than
* `gte`: greater than or equal to
* `lt`: less than
* `lte`: less than or equal to
* `contains`: contains a given value
* `starts_with`: starts with a given value
* `ends_with`: ends with a given value
* `exists`: field exists
* `is_empty`: field is empty

- `config.value` (string | number | boolean | null) — The value to compare against. Not required for `exists` and `is_empty` operators.

For `and` / `or` types:

- `config.rules` (object\[], required) — An array of nested condition config objects. Must contain at least one item.

Single rule example:

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "check_plan",
  "type": "condition",
  "config": {
    "type": "rule",
    "field": "event.plan",
    "operator": "eq",
    "value": "pro"
  }
}
```

Use `and` or `or` to combine multiple rules into a single branch:

```json {5-19} theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "check_plan_and_amount",
  "type": "condition",
  "config": {
    "type": "and",
    "rules": [
      {
        "type": "rule",
        "field": "event.plan",
        "operator": "eq",
        "value": "pro"
      },
      {
        "type": "rule",
        "field": "event.amount",
        "operator": "gte",
        "value": 100
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

### `delay`

Pauses execution for a specified duration.

- `config.duration` (string, required) — The delay duration in natural language (e.g. `"1 hour"`, `"3 days"`). Maximum: 30 days.

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "wait_1_hour",
  "type": "delay",
  "config": {
    "duration": "1 hour"
  }
}
```

### `wait_for_event`

Pauses execution until a specific event is received or a timeout is reached.

- `config.event_name` (string, required) — The name of the event to wait for.

- `config.timeout` (string) — The maximum time to wait before timing out (e.g. `"3 days"`, `"1 hour"`). Maximum: 30 days.

- `config.filter_rule` (object) — An optional rule object to filter incoming events.

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "wait_for_purchase",
  "type": "wait_for_event",
  "config": {
    "event_name": "purchase.completed",
    "timeout": "3 days"
  }
}
```

### `send_email`

Sends an email using a template.

- `config.template` (object, required) — The published template to send. Provide `id` and optionally `variables`.

:::accordion{title="properties"}
* `config.template.id` (string, required) — The ID or alias of the template to send.

* `config.template.variables` (object) — A key-value map of template variables. Each value can be a static string or a variable reference object (`{ "var": "event.fieldName" }`) that resolves dynamically from the `event.*`, `contact.*`, or `wait_events.*` namespaces.
:::

- `config.from` (string) — The sender email address.

If provided, this value will override the template's default value.

- `config.subject` (string) — The email subject line.

If provided, this value will override the template's default value.

- `config.reply_to` (string) — Reply-to email address.

If provided, this value will override the template's default value.

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "welcome",
  "type": "send_email",
  "config": {
    "template": {
      "id": "062f8ef4-fbfa-44f1-b5e0-ff8e1e8ffa96",
      "variables": {
        "name": { "var": "event.firstName" }
      }
    },
    "from": "hello@example.com",
    "subject": "Welcome!",
    "reply_to": "support@example.com"
  }
}
```

### `add_to_segment`

Adds the contact to a segment.

- `config.segment_id` (string, required) — The ID of the segment to add the contact to.

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "add_to_vip",
  "type": "add_to_segment",
  "config": {
    "segment_id": "83a1e324-26dc-47eb-9b28-ba8b6d1fe808"
  }
}
```

### `contact_update`

Updates a contact's fields. Each field value can be either a hardcoded value or a dynamic variable reference using the `{ var: '...' }` syntax.

Variable references use dot-notation with one of these scopes:

- `event.*`: references a field from the triggering event payload (e.g., `event.firstName`).
- `contact.*`: references a field from the current contact (e.g., `contact.last_name`, `contact.properties.company`).

* `config.first_name` (string | object) — The contact's first name. Accepts a hardcoded string or a variable reference.

* `config.last_name` (string | object) — The contact's last name. Accepts a hardcoded string or a variable reference.

* `config.unsubscribed` (boolean | object) — The contact's unsubscribed status. Accepts a boolean or a variable reference.

* `config.properties` (object) — A map of custom contact properties to update. Keys correspond to your [Contact Custom Properties](/guides/learn-dashboard-audiences-properties). Each value can be a hardcoded value (string, number, boolean) or a variable reference.

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "update_contact",
  "type": "contact_update",
  "config": {
    "properties": {
      "company": { "var": "event.company" },
      "vip": true
    }
  }
}
```

### `contact_delete`

Deletes the contact from the audience. This step does not require any configuration fields. Pass an empty object `{}` as the config.

```json Example theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}}
{
  "key": "remove_contact",
  "type": "contact_delete",
  "config": {}
}
```

## Related pages

- [Trigger](./learn-dashboard-automations-trigger.md)
- [Condition](./learn-dashboard-automations-condition.md)
- [Delay](./learn-dashboard-automations-delay.md)
- [Wait for Event](./learn-dashboard-automations-wait-for-event.md)
- [Send Email](./learn-dashboard-automations-send-email.md)
- [Add to Segment](./learn-dashboard-automations-add-to-segment.md)
- [Contact Update](./learn-dashboard-automations-contact-update.md)
- [Contact Delete](./learn-dashboard-automations-contact-delete.md)

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