Listeners and Time Triggers

Overview

Listeners and time triggers are two ways to automatically run actions in response to events. Listeners react to things happening in the system (like content being created or updated). Time triggers run actions on a recurring schedule.

Listeners (Event-Based Triggers)

Listeners watch for specific system events and trigger actions when those events occur. They're the 'when X happens, do Y' of the platform.

Creating a Listener

1. Navigate to Developer in the sidebar
2. Click New Listener
3. Give it a title
4. Select the system events to listen for (e.g. content created, content updated, content deleted)
5. Select the action(s) to run when the event fires
6. Activate the listener

System Events

Listeners can respond to events such as:

• Content created — When any item of a specific type is created
• Content updated — When an item is modified
• Content deleted — When an item is removed

When the event fires, the listener passes the event details (including the affected content item) to the configured action(s).

Activating and Deactivating

Listeners have an activated toggle. Deactivate a listener to temporarily stop it from firing without deleting it. This is useful for debugging or temporarily pausing automations.

Time Triggers (Scheduled Tasks)

Time triggers run actions on a recurring schedule — every N minutes, hours, or days.

Creating a Time Trigger

1. Navigate to Developer in the sidebar
2. Click New Time Trigger
3. Give it a title
4. Set the frequency (number) and unit (minutes, hours, or days)
5. Select the action(s) to run each time
6. Save the trigger

Frequency Limits

The minimum interval between trigger executions is 15 minutes. This prevents excessive server load. For most automation tasks, hourly or daily triggers are sufficient.

How It Works

The system tracks a next run date for each time trigger. When the current time passes the next run date, the configured actions are executed and the next run date is updated based on the frequency. The trigger continues running indefinitely until deactivated or deleted.

Use Cases

• Daily report generation — Run an action every morning that compiles and sends a summary email
• Data cleanup — Periodically archive old records or clean up incomplete data
• External sync — Push or pull data from external systems on a schedule
• Reminder emails — Check for upcoming deadlines and send reminders
• Auto-notifications — When a profile is created, automatically send a welcome message

Best Practices

• Test actions first — Make sure your action works correctly before connecting it to a listener or trigger
• Use descriptive names — Name listeners and triggers clearly so their purpose is obvious
• Deactivate instead of deleting — If you need to temporarily stop a trigger, deactivate it rather than deleting it
• Monitor execution — Check system logs periodically to ensure your automations are running as expected

FAQs