Xero Automation rules

In this article, you'll learn how to customise your Xero Automation rules so that your invitations are sent the way you'd like them

If you are on a betterbunch Pro plan and you have automation connected to send your invitations for you, there are several settings available to customise the way your invites are sent.

Promotor Retargeting

Sending delay

Keyword settings

Trigger settings

Sending times

Blocking invitations

Cool off period

Promotor Retargeting 

If a customer interacts with your follow-up invitation by clicking thumbs up to show they were happy, betterbunch identifies them as a promoter. 
If 24 hours go by and they haven't proceeded to Google or your chosen review site, promotor retargeting will send them a cheeky reminder email with the intention of catching your customer at a better time. This is a great way to help increase conversion rates and grow your great online reputation. 

Check out this step-by-step guide to learn how to turn on promotor retargeting for Xero Automation. 

Sending delay 

Adding a sending delay into your Xero Automation settings will defer your invitations to send at a later date. This means when the trigger settings are met, your invitations will be sent 1, 2 or even 10 days later, so your customers aren't contacted about invoices and feedback all at once. 
The power is in your hands. 

Follow the steps below to see how to set your sending delay. 

1. Login to your betterbunch account

2. Head to the Settings page on the bottom left of your dashboard

3. From there, navigate to the Rules tab 

4. Add the number of days you'd like to defer your message into the Sending Delay box.
   We recommend your sending delay is set to 1 or 2 days
5. Click Save. It's that easy!

Keyword settings 

Your keyword settings will scan your invoices for keywords. You have the ability to only send invitations if the invoice contains a keyword or block invitations from being sent if an invoice contains a keyword.

For example, you may decide you do not want to send feedback invitations to customers when they pay a deposit before work has begun. In this instance, you would update your keyword settings to 'don't send invites' if the Xero invoice contains the keyword 'deposit'.

Another example of the keyword setting in action would be the decision to only send feedback invitations to customers who have had work done by the maintenance team. In this instance, your keyword settings would be 'send invites' if the Xero invoice contains the keyword 'maintenance'. 

Remember, 'ignore' means you do not want betterbunch to scan for keywords. 'Send invites' means that betterbunch will only send invites if the invoice contains one or more of the keywords or phrases, and 'don't send invites' means that any invoice containing one or more of the keywords or phrases will not trigger an invitation to be sent to that customer. 

Just a quick reminder, the betterbunch keyword filters search the Xero invoice description, Xero Invoice reference, and Xero invoice Account code. This means that the keyword needs to be included in one of these three areas of the invoice. 

Read on to learn how to add keyword settings to your betterbunch account. 

1. Login to your betterbunch account

2. Head to the Settings page on the bottom left of your dashboard

3. From there, navigate to the Rules tab 

4. From the drop-down, select 'ignore' 'send invites' or 'don't send invites'
   Remember, this means 'send invites if the Xero invoice contains one of the keywords below'
5. Add your keywords to the box below  
6. Click Save. It's that easy!
7. We always recommend keeping an eye on your invitations for the following few days to make sure you have added the right mix of words. If you are finding that no invites are being sent, reach out to us here so we can help you get the formula right. 

Trigger settings 

Xero Automation trigger settings direct betterbunch to send follow-up invitations after an invoice has been approved or after the payment has been completed within Xero.
We recommend sending follow-up invitations when the invoice has been approved because your great service will be front of your client's mind, but the ball is in your court. 

A quick reminder that credit notes will impact these settings. If your settings are saved to send an invitation when an invoice is marked as complete, the application of a full credit note will NOT trigger an invitation to send. If you apply a partial payment and a partial credit note to the invoice, then an invitation will be triggered to send. 

Follow the steps below to change your trigger settings. 

1. Login to your betterbunch account

2. Head to the Automation page on the left menu 

3. Click Edit the Xero settings 
4. Select whether you want your betterbunch invitations to be sent when the invoice is marked as Invoice approved or Payment complete within Xero
5. Don't forget to hit Save 

Sending times 

Blocking invitations 

If you have customers you'd prefer didn't receive follow-up invitations, you can add them to your blocklist, which will block all invites to them.

For example, you may add the email addresses of the accounts department or the cellphone number of a customer who has already given their feedback in a grumpy email (hopefully not). 

Check out this article for instructions on how to add customers to your blocklist. 

Cool off period 

Setting a cool off period will block invitations to your repeat customers (the best customers) within your chosen timeframe. For example, if you're an electrician, you may do regular work for a real estate agency. It might seem clingy to ask them for feedback after every job, but it's really important to check in with them periodically to ensure they're still raving about your services.

We recommend setting your cool off period between 90 and 180 days - you choose. 

Learn how to set your cool off period here. 

Learn more about our awesome Automation feature, or check out this step-by-step guide on how to connect Xero Automation.