Automations are workflows that trigger actions on your Zeus AI conversations when specific conditions are met. They help you handle recurring conversation workflows automatically without manual intervention.

Every automation combines a trigger, optional filters, and one or more actions. You can configure these settings to control exactly when an automation runs and what Zeus AI does when a conversation matches the configured conditions.

Key features

Conversation-based triggers: Start an automation when a customer sends the latest message, when Zeus AI sends the latest message, or when a conversation is created.
Delayed execution: Use "Has delay" to wait for a specific number of days, hours, or minutes before the automation runs.
Flexible conditions: Use filters based on conversation status, AI resolution state, channel, integration, or customer fields to control which conversations qualify.
Multiple actions: Run one or more actions when a conversation matches the configured conditions, such as sending a follow-up message, changing the conversation status, or making an external tool call.
AI message control: When "Last AI message" is selected as the trigger, use "Exclude automation messages" to prevent messages sent by automations from being treated as the latest Zeus AI message.
Flexible filter logic: Use "Matches all conditions" when every filter must be met, or "Matches any conditions" when at least one filter must be met.

How to add an automation for Zeus AI

Follow these steps to create an automation.

Go to " Zeus AI > Automations " and click "Add automation".
Enter a descriptive "Name" that identifies what the automation does.
Set the automation's status to "Active", "Inactive", or "Paused". The status determines whether the automation can run after it is saved.

Trigger

The trigger determines when Zeus AI evaluates the automation.

Select a trigger:

"Customer last message": The automation is evaluated when the customer's message is the latest message in the conversation.
"Last AI message": The automation is evaluated when Zeus AI's message is the latest message in the conversation. Enable "Exclude automation messages" to ignore messages sent by other automations, preventing them from retriggering this automation.
"Conversation created": The automation is evaluated when a new conversation is created.

Has delay

Use this when the automation should run after a specific amount of time instead of immediately after the trigger occurs.

Enable the "Has delay" toggle and set the required "Days", "Hours", and "Minutes". Leave "Has delay" disabled when the automation should run without a delay after its trigger occurs.

For example: if "Customer last message" is selected and "Has delay" is set to 2 hours, the automation waits for the configured delay before executing, provided the conversation still meets the configured filters.

Filters

Filters determine which conversations qualify for the automation.

Select "Matches all conditions" or "Matches any conditions".

"Matches all conditions": Every configured filter must be met before the automation can run.
"Matches any conditions": At least one configured filter must be met before the automation can run.

Click "+ Add filter" to add a condition. Configure each filter using these three components:

Field: Select the conversation or customer data you want to evaluate. Available fields include:

"Conversation status": "Open", "Closed", "Escalated".
"AI Resolution state": "In Progress", "Completed", "Escalated".
"Channel": "Chat", "Email", "SMS", "WhatsApp", "Slack Connect", "Discord".
"Integration": Select from the integrations available in your environment.
Customer fields: Select or enter the value supported by the selected customer field.

Operator: Select how the field should be evaluated. The available operators depend on the field type:

Text, dropdown, "Conversation status", "AI Resolution state", "Channel", and "Integration": "is", "is one of", "is not", "contains", "does not contain".
Dates: "on", "before", "after", "in last", "before last".
Numeric values: "==" (equal to), ">" (greater than), "<" (less than), ">=" (greater than or equal to), "<=" (less than or equal to).

Value: Enter or select the value that completes the condition.

Click "+ Add filter" again if you need additional conditions.

💡

Important: Filters are evaluated together with the selected trigger and any configured delay. An action is executed only when the automation reaches its execution point and the conversation matches the configured conditions.

Actions

Actions define what Zeus AI does after a conversation meets the trigger and configured filters.

Click the "+ Add action" dropdown, select the action you want to execute and complete any additional fields required by the selected action.

Available actions include:

Action	Description	Additional fields
"Send a follow up message"	Zeus AI automatically sends a follow-up message to the conversation.	"Message Type": Determines how the follow-up response content is generated and delivered: - "Agent-based": Delegates response generation to Zeus AI agent; evaluates the context of the interaction or ticket dynamically and constructs a tailored reply based on configured guidelines or instructions. - "Static message": Sends a fixed, predefined text block (or a standardized template using variables like {{ticket_id}} or {{customer_name}}) whenever the trigger fires. The system sends exact text without dynamic Zeus AI interpretation. "Visibility":Determines who can see the generated output: - "External": Sends a customer-facing message that is published directly into the ticket conversation visible to end-users. - "Internal Note": Posts the generated content as a private note inside the ticket interface. It is strictly restricted to internal team members (admins, support leads, agents) without notifying the customer. "Message": In this text editor, compose the message that will be delivered.
"Change ticket status to closed"	Changes the conversation status to closed.	No additional fields
"Change ticket status to escalated"	Changes the conversation status to escalated.	No additional fields
"Make external tool call"	Executes a selected external tool. For this, select the tool you want the automation to execute from the "Tool" field.	"Tool": Select a configured tool. Only published tools can be selected here.

10. Click "Save".

💡

Important: The automation is saved immediately with the selected status: "Active", "Inactive", or "Paused". Only an "Active" automation can execute when its trigger and configured conditions are met. A conversation that does not meet the configured conditions will not receive any of the automation's actions. If an automation has multiple actions, the configured actions are executed when the conversation qualifies for the automation.

Automation setup example

The following example creates an automation that sends a follow-up message when a Zeus AI conversation has been left without a customer response for 2 hours after the latest Zeus AI message.

The automation is configured to run only when the conversation is open and the latest message is from Zeus AI.

Configuration settings

Setting	Value
Name	Zeus AI No-Response Follow-Up
Status	"Active"
Trigger	"Last AI message"
Exclude automation messages	"Enabled"
Has delay	"Enabled"
Delay	2 hours
Filters	"Conversation status" "is" "Open"
Action	"Send a follow up message" "Message Type": Select the appropriate message type. "Visibility": Select the appropriate visibility. "Message": Enter the follow-up message Zeus AI should send.

What happens when the automation runs?

Suppose a conversation has these characteristics:

The conversation status is "Open".
Zeus AI sent the latest message.
"Exclude automation messages" is enabled, so messages previously sent by automations are ignored when checking the latest AI message.
The customer does not send another message during the configured 2-hour delay.
The conversation still matches the configured filter when the delay ends.

💡

The conversation meets the automation's conditions, so the automation runs and sends the configured follow-up message. If the customer sends a new message before the automation reaches its execution point, the conversation no longer has the same message state that triggered the automation. Depending on the configured trigger and filters, the automation may therefore not execute.

How to activate, deactivate, or pause an automation

You can change an automation's status without deleting it.

Go to " Zeus AI > Automations ".
Locate the automation you want to change.
Click the row or the ellipsis icon and select "Edit".
Change the automation status to "Active", "Inactive", or "Paused".
Click "Save".

💡

Use "Active" when the automation should run. Use "Inactive" or "Paused" when you do not want the automation to execute.

How to edit an automation

Go to " Zeus AI > Automations ".
Locate the automation you want to modify.
Click the row or the ellipsis icon and select "Edit".
Update the "Name", status, trigger, delay, filters, or actions as needed.
Click "Save".

💡

Important: The automation is updated immediately with the new configuration. Previous configurations are not automatically restored when you make changes.

How to delete an automation

To permanently remove an automation:

Go to " Zeus AI > Automations ".
Locate the automation you want to remove.
Click the ellipsis icon.
Select "Delete".
Click "OK" to confirm.

💡

Important: Deleted automations are permanently removed and cannot be restored. If you may need the automation again later, change its status to "Inactive" or "Paused" instead of deleting it.

FAQs & Troubleshooting

Why didn't my automation run?

An automation runs only when its status is "Active" and its trigger, delay, and configured filters allow the conversation to qualify. Check that the selected trigger occurred, the conversation still matches the filters when the automation is evaluated, and that the automation is not set to "Inactive" or "Paused".

Why did my automation run immediately when I expected a delay?

Check the "Has delay" setting. The toggle must be enabled and the required "Days", "Hours", and "Minutes" must be configured. If "Has delay" is disabled, the automation can run as soon as its trigger and filters are satisfied.

Why hasn't my delayed automation run yet?

Check the configured delay and make sure the conversation still meets the filters when the delay period ends. For example, if the automation uses "Last AI message" and the customer sends a new message during the delay, the conversation's message state may no longer match the trigger.

Why is my "Last AI message" automation triggering when an automation sent the message?

If you do not want automation-generated messages to count as the latest AI message, enable "Exclude automation messages" in the "Last AI message" trigger. This prevents automation messages from being considered when checking for the latest Zeus AI message.

Why isn't my "Last AI message" automation running?

Confirm that Zeus AI sent the latest message and that "Exclude automation messages" is not excluding the message you expect the trigger to detect. Also check that the conversation meets all configured filters and that any configured delay has elapsed.

Why isn't my "Conversation created" automation running?

Make sure the automation was "Active" when the conversation was created and that the new conversation meets the configured filters. If a filter excludes the conversation, the actions will not run.

Why did my automation not run when only some filters matched?

Check whether the automation uses "Matches all conditions" or "Matches any conditions". With "Matches all conditions", every filter must be satisfied. With "Matches any conditions", at least one filter must be satisfied.

Why isn't my filter matching the value I selected?

Check the selected "Field", "Operator", and "Value". Operators behave differently depending on the field type. For example, "contains" checks whether text contains a value, while "is" checks for an exact value. For dropdown fields such as "Conversation status" or "Channel", make sure the selected value exactly matches the conversation's current value.

Why isn't my customer field filter working?

Check that the selected customer field contains a value for the customer and that the operator matches the type of data stored in that field. For example, a filter using Customer.City may not match a conversation if the customer's city is empty or has a different value than the one configured in the automation.

Why did my action not execute?

First confirm that the automation reached its execution point and that the conversation matched the trigger and filters. Then check the selected action and any required fields. If the automation does not qualify, none of its configured actions are applied.

Why didn't "Send a follow up message" send a message?

Check that the automation reached the action stage and that "Message Type", "Visibility", and "Message" are configured correctly. Also verify that the conversation still meets the automation's conditions when the action is executed.

Why didn't "Change ticket status to closed" or "Change ticket status to escalated" update the conversation?

These actions only execute after the automation successfully qualifies. Check the automation status, trigger, delay, and filters. Also confirm that the conversation has not changed in a way that causes it to stop matching the configured conditions.

Why didn't my "Make external tool call" action work?

Check that a valid "Tool" is selected and that the selected tool is available in your environment. If the conversation qualifies but the tool call does not complete successfully, verify the tool's configuration and availability separately from the automation conditions.

Can I use multiple filters in one automation?

Yes. Click "+ Add filter" to add additional conditions. Use "Matches all conditions" when every condition must be true, or "Matches any conditions" when the automation should run when at least one condition is true.

Can I add multiple actions to one automation?

Yes. You can add multiple actions using "+ Add action". When the conversation qualifies for the automation, the configured actions are executed as part of that automation.

Does changing an automation affect conversations that already exist?

An automation evaluates conversations based on its current configuration when its trigger and conditions are evaluated. Changing the configuration does not automatically mean that existing conversations will be processed retroactively. A conversation must meet the automation's trigger and conditions for the automation to execute.

Can I temporarily stop an automation without deleting it?

Yes. Edit the automation and change its status to "Inactive" or "Paused". This keeps the automation configuration available while preventing it from running until you set it back to "Active".

What is the difference between "Inactive" and "Paused"?

Both statuses prevent the automation from running. Use the status that matches your workflow and operational needs. When you want the automation to run again, edit it and set the status to "Active".

Can I restore a deleted automation?

No. Deleted automations cannot be restored. If you may need an automation again, use "Inactive" or "Paused" instead of deleting it.

Can I restore a previous automation configuration?

Previous configurations are not automatically restored after an automation is edited and saved. Before making significant changes, keep a record of the existing configuration if you may need to recreate it later.

What should I check first when an automation is not working?

Start with the automation status. Make sure it is "Active". Then check the selected trigger, "Has delay" settings, filter logic, filter values, and configured actions. Finally, review the conversation itself to confirm that its current state matches what the automation expects.

Why is my automation running more than once?

Check whether the automation can continue to meet its trigger and filters after it runs. In particular, review "Last AI message" automations and whether "Exclude automation messages" should be enabled. If an automation sends a message that becomes the latest AI message and automation messages are not excluded, the same automation may become eligible again depending on its configuration.

Why is my automation not running after I changed it?

Make sure the changes were saved and that the automation status is "Active". Then test the updated trigger and filters against a conversation that should qualify. Remember that changing an automation does not automatically force it to run; its configured trigger must occur and its conditions must be satisfied.

Can an automation run if the conversation does not match its filters?

No. A conversation must satisfy the configured filter logic when the automation is evaluated. With "Matches all conditions", all filters must match. With "Matches any conditions", at least one filter must match.

Was this article helpful?

Table of contents

Related articles

How to manage Zeus AI Automations

Overview