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Order, switch off, duplicate and delete rules

Manage your rules list. Change the run order by dragging, switch rules on and off, duplicate a rule to try a variation and delete rules you no longer need.

Last updated 2 min read

On this page

As your workspace grows, so does your list of rules. The Rules page shows them in run order with a summary of each, so you can keep them tidy, in the right order and switched on only when needed.

Before you start

  • Who can do this: owners and admins.
  • Plan: all plans.

Step by step

  1. Open Workflows > Rules ("Automate what agents do by hand. Rules run top to bottom; each one sees what the ones above it changed.").
  2. Search with Search rules… to find a rule by name.
  3. Reorder: drag a rule by Drag to reorder, or open its options (Options for …) and choose Move up or Move down.
  4. Switch on or off: use the switch on each row.
  5. Duplicate: choose Duplicate in the options. A message says Duplicated (off until you turn it on).
  6. Edit: choose Edit (or open the rule), change it, check the test panel and press Save rule.
  7. Delete: choose Delete and confirm with Delete rule.

What happens next

Every change applies to the next event and is recorded in the audit log. A rule with a problem shows Needs attention: and the reason on its row; it cannot be switched on until it is fixed.

When you switch a rule off, the dialog explains: "The rule stops running. Tickets it already changed stay as they are."

A sensible order

  1. Clean-up rules (auto-merge, spam).
  2. Tagging rules (keywords, intents).
  3. Priority rules (urgent words).
  4. Routing rules (team, queue, round robin).
  5. Reply rules (send a macro).

Before a busy period

Ahead of a sale or the holidays, review the list from top to bottom. Switch off rules you do not need, check that urgent-word rules still use the right words, and make sure an assignment rule is on, so the extra volume is shared fairly from the first hour.

Tips

  • Name rules by what they do: "Tag refund requests", not "Rule 7".
  • Switch rules off during big changes, such as a new returns policy, then back on.
  • Review the list monthly and delete rules nobody needs.

Troubleshooting

"Fix this rule before turning it on"

The rule refers to something that no longer exists, or a part could not be read. Open it, fix it and save.

"Invalid order"

The new order did not save. Refresh and drag again.

"Rule not found"

Someone else deleted it. Refresh the list.

"Only admins can change workflows"

Ask an owner or admin.

Frequently asked questions

Does the order of rules matter?

Yes. Rules run from the top of the list to the bottom, and each rule sees what the rules above it changed. Put rules that tag tickets above rules that route or assign by tag, so the routing rule can see the tag that was just added.

How do I change the order of rules?

Drag a rule by its handle, labelled Drag to reorder, to a new place in the list, or use Move up and Move down in the rule's options menu. The new order is saved straight away and applies to the next ticket that triggers your rules.

What happens when I switch a rule off?

It stops running from the next event. Tickets it already changed stay as they are, so tags, assignments and statuses it set are not undone. Switch it back on at any time; it continues from then on without catching up on what it missed.

Why is a duplicated rule switched off?

So the copy and the original do not both act on the same tickets. Hushdesk names it as a copy and leaves it off until you have edited it and turned it on. That makes duplicating a safe way to try a variation of a working rule.

Can I recover a deleted rule?

No. Deleting a rule removes it permanently, although tickets it already changed keep those changes and the deletion is recorded in the audit log. If you might need it again, switch the rule off instead of deleting it.

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