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Send Schedulers

Jomar
Updated

Introduction

Send Schedulers are AskNicely’s powerful “set it and forget it” tool for automatically sending surveys at the right time to the right Contacts. Whether you want to survey your entire database, or target specific segments at different times, Send Schedulers give you full control over your survey cadence and targeting.

Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Instructions

✅ Anatomy of a Scheduler

  1. Navigate to the Send page (📨 paper airplane icon).

  2. Click Add to create a new Send Scheduler.

  3. Name your Scheduler clearly—use the pencil icon to edit later if needed.

⚡ New Schedulers are set to “On” by default, but changes (including activation) only take effect at midnight local time.

Key Setup Fields:

  • Max Surveys for This Scheduler: Set the maximum number of surveys to send per day.

  • Days and Time to Send: Choose specific days and times for surveys to dispatch.

  • Scheduler Status: Keep it Off until you’re ready—schedulers won't activate until the next midnight.

🔎 Send Scheduler Rules

Rules determine who the Scheduler will target.

To create Rules:

  1. Choose a Data Field (standard or custom)

  2. Set an Operation Rule:

    • “is” (exact match)

    • “is not”

    • “contains” (broader match, catches typos/casing differences)

  3. Enter the Data Point Value to match against

  4. You can add multiple values. This acts as an OR operator within a single Rule line. 

Logical Statements:

  • Use +And to make multiple conditions required.

  • Use +Or to allow either condition to qualify.

📚 Example 1: Simple Audience 

IF
Segment is online

AND 
Product is shoes
OR
Product is socks

Meaning:

"Survey anyone in the 'online' Segment who purchased either shoes or socks."

📚 Example 2: Separate Groups 

IF
Segment is online
AND
Product is shoes

OR

Segment is 
AND
Product is socks

Meaning:

"Survey users who bought shoes online OR users who bought socks in-store."

⚙️ Additional Settings

Custom Template Dropdown

  • Default ("No custom template"): Sends the contact’s assigned Survey Template.

  • Specific Template: Override and send a particular template to all matching Contacts.

Custom Contact Rules

Override Global Contact Rules for specific schedulers:

  • Set different wait times between sends.

  • Choose whether to base delays on:

    • The last time any template was sent

    • The last time this same template was sent

🧠 Ideal for differentiating between relational and transactional surveys.

Going Live with Your Send Scheduler

  • OFF: No surveys are sent.

  • ON: Surveys start after midnight the night you activate it.

  • Pre-Queueing: Eligible Contacts move to the Queue 1–2 hours before the send time.

NOTE: Contacts you want to schedule have to be in your Contact list before midnight local time. If added after midnight, the Scheduler will not pick them up until midnight the following day. 

 

Hot Tips for Success

Tip Why It Helps
Keep Schedulers simple (under 4 if possible) Easier management and troubleshooting
Use “contains” in rules if data may be messy Captures more Contacts
Always double-check “Max Surveys” daily limits Prevents overloading Contacts
Group similar contacts using +Or logic Fewer schedulers needed

❗ If you feel like your Scheduler setup is getting complicated, reach out to our Support Team. We can help you streamline!

FAQs & Common Issues

  • Q: Can I have multiple Schedulers running at once?
    A: Yes, each Scheduler can run independently.

  • Q: What happens if a Contact qualifies for multiple Schedulers?
    A: The system applies your Scheduler logic independently—Contacts may receive multiple surveys if rules allow.

  • Q: Do Global Contact Rules still apply if I use Custom Contact Rules?
    A: No. If you enable Custom Rules, they override Global Contact Rules for that specific Scheduler.

  • Q: When exactly does a Scheduler send surveys?
    A: At the time configured on the individual Scheduler.

NOTE: Contacts you want to schedule have to be in your Contact list before midnight local time. If added after midnight, the Scheduler will not pick them up until midnight the following day. 

 

Next Steps & Related Articles

Video Tutorial

🎥 

Need Help?

Building your first automated send flow? Stuck on complex logic? Contact our Support Team via the chat icon or email support@asknice.ly. We’re happy to help you fine-tune your Scheduler setup!

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