Create a Advanced Flow

Step 1: Navigate to Flow Automation

First, navigate to the Configuration section from the main menu on the left. From the sub-menu, click on Flow Automation.

Step 2: Create a New Advanced Flow

In the "Existing Flows" dashboard, click the + Create a Flow button.

A pop-up will ask you to choose the type. Select Advanced.

Step 3: Select Your Trigger

You will now see the blank canvas. Your first step is to choose the event that will start this flow.

1. On the "Nodes" panel (left), make sure you are on the Triggers tab.

2. Drag your desired trigger onto the canvas. This will be step0.

Available Triggers:

• Loyalty Enrolment: Starts when a customer first signs up for the loyalty program.

• Loyalty Issuance: Triggers when points are awarded, typically after a purchase.

• Loyalty Redemption: Triggers when a customer spends points to claim a reward.

• Gift Issuance: Starts when a gift card is purchased and issued.

• Reward Issuance: Triggers when a non-point reward (like a coupon) is given.

• Gift Redemption: Triggers when a customer uses a gift card for payment.

• Loyalty Bonus: Starts when a customer receives bonus points (e.g., a birthday bonus).

• Tier Upgrade: Triggers the moment a customer moves to a higher loyalty tier.

• On Purchase: Starts whenever any customer completes a purchase transaction.

• Loyalty Adjustment: Triggers when a staff member manually adds or removes points.

• Referral Program: Starts when a customer successfully refers a signed-up friend.

• Webhook: An advanced trigger that starts a flow via an external system signal.

• Webform: Triggers when a customer submits an OptCulture-hosted webform.

• Contact Added: A general trigger that starts when any new contact enters the database.

Step 4: Add and Connect Action Nodes

Next, you will build the journey using "Action" nodes. Click the required Action on the left panel.

Action Sidebar Definitions:

• Communication Channels
  • SMS: Sends a text message to the customer.

  • WhatsApp: Sends a text message directly to the customer’s mobile number.

  • Email: Sends a formatted email (usually for receipts, newsletters, or notifications).

  • Apple Wallet: Likely triggers a push notification or an update to a digital pass/card stored in the customer's Apple Wallet.

• Logic & Flow Control

  • Stop: Ends the specific workflow branch for that customer.

  • Defer: A "Wait" timer. It pauses the workflow for a specific duration (e.g., 2 days) or until a specific date/time before moving to the next step.

  • Condition: The Condition node acts as a decision engine using If/Then logic to personalize the customer journey. It checks if a customer meets specific criteria, they follow the Yes Branch; if not, they follow the No Branch. 

    These properties are categorized into:

    • Identity Data: Email, Phone, First Name.

    • Transaction Data: Receipt Number, Receipt Amount, Store Number, Transaction Date, Quantity.

    • Loyalty Data:  Earned Type/Value: How they earned points.

      • Currency/Point Balance: How many points they currently have.

      • Tier Name: Their current status level.

      • LifeTime Metrics: Total points or purchase value over the history of their account.

     

• Loyalty & Reward Management

  • Add Points: Increases the customer’s loyalty point balance by a defined amount.
  • Assign Tier: Manually moves a customer to a specific membership level (e.g., "Gold" or "VIP").
  • Issue Coupon: Generates and assigns a unique discount code or voucher to the customer's account.
  • Load Loyalty: Retrieves the customer's current loyalty data (balance, tier, etc.) to be used in subsequent steps or messages. 
•  Data & Integration
  • Load Contact: Fetches specific profile details for the user (like name or phone number) from the database.
  • Webhook Action: Sends data to an external third-party system (like your own website or a different CRM) via an API call.

Step 5: Configure Your Nodes 

This is the most important step. You must click on each node you add to open the Configuration Panel on the right and set it up.

Example A: Configuring a 'Condition' (Branching) Node

This is the most powerful node. It creates a "Yes" / "No" branch.

1. Drag the Condition node onto your canvas and connect it.

2. Click the Condition node. The "Edit - Condition" panel will open.

3. Field: Click the search box to select the property you want to check.

• Email: The customer's email address, used for identification and email communications.

• Phone: The customer's mobile phone number, used for identification and SMS communications.

• Card Number: The unique identification number for the customer's loyalty or membership card.

• First Name: The customer's first name, used for personalization.

• Receipt Number: The unique identifier for a specific sales transaction receipt.

• Receipt Amount: The total monetary value of a customer's transaction (purchase).

• Store Number: The unique ID for the store location where a transaction or event occurred.

• Earned Type: The category of points or currency earned (e.g., "Purchase," "Bonus").

• Earned Value: The specific number of points or currency earned in a single transaction.

• Currency Balance: The total amount of spendable, non-point currency (like a gift card balance) a customer has.

• Point Balance: The total number of spendable loyalty points a customer currently has.

• Tier Name: The name of the customer's current loyalty tier (e.g., "Silver," "Gold," "Platinum").

• Transaction Date: The date (and time) a specific purchase or event occurred.

• LifeTime Points: The cumulative total of all points a customer has ever earned.

• LifeTime Purchase Value: The cumulative total monetary value of all purchases a customer has ever made.

• Quantity: The number of items or units involved in a transaction.

4. Operator: Select how to compare the field (e.g., greater than, equals, less than).

5. Value: Enter the value to check against (e.g., 500).

Example B: Configuring a 'Defer' (Wait) Node

This node pauses the flow for a set time.

1. Drag the Defer node onto your canvas and connect it.

2. Click the Defer node. The "Edit - Defer" panel will open.

3. Set the Delay Type (e.g., Minutes, Hours, Days) and Delay Value (e.g., 2).

Example C: Configuring an 'Email' Node

1. Drag the Email node onto your canvas and connect it.

2. Click the Email node. The "Edit - Email" panel will open.

3. Enter the Template Id for the email you want to send and fill in other required fields.

Example C: Configuring a 'Condition' (Branching) Node

This is the most powerful node. It creates a "Yes" / "No" branch.

1. Drag the Condition node onto your canvas and connect it.

2. Click the Condition node. The "Edit - Condition" panel will open.

3. Field: Click the search box to select the property you want to check.
   

4. Operator: Select how to compare the field (e.g., greater than, equals, less than).
5. Value: Enter the value to check against (e.g., 500).

Step 6: Build Your Logic (Yes/No Branches)

The Condition node will now show a green "Yes" branch and a red "No" branch. You must add actions to both paths, even if it's just a Stop node.

See the example flow below:

• Trigger: Loyalty Issuance (a purchase is made).

• Step 1 (Condition): Is Receipt Amount greater than 500?

• Yes Branch (step2): Send SMS (e.g., a "high-value customer" thank you).

• No Branch (step3): Check another Condition. for greater than 1000

Step 7: Save and Activate Your Flow

Your flow is not "live" until you activate it.

1. Click the Save button in the top-left corner.

2. Click the Status toggle to switch it from inactive to Active.

Your flow is now running and will process all new customers who meet the trigger.