Time Triggers in BoldDesk automatically evaluate eligible tickets once every hour and perform predefined actions when the tickets meet specified conditions. You can use these triggers to send reminders, assign tickets, update ticket properties, add tags or watchers, send notifications, add replies or private notes, and standardize time-based ticket processes.

This article explains how to create a Time Trigger, configure condition logic, select actions, and manage existing rules.

Prerequisite

Before creating a Time Trigger, ensure that your assigned role includes access to the BoldDesk Admin module with permission to Manage time triggers.

Create a Time Trigger

To create a Time Trigger:

1. Go to Admin.

2. Under Ticket Automation, select Time Triggers.

3. Click Add Rule.

   

4. In Rule Name, enter a descriptive name that identifies the rule’s purpose.

5. In Description, enter optional information about the rule.

   
   
   

6. In Business Hours, select the schedule that should apply to the Time Trigger.

   Select the schedule according to how elapsed time should be calculated:

   • Select Calendar Hours (24 hrs x 7 days) to calculate elapsed time continuously.
   • Select the applicable organizational Business Hours to calculate elapsed time according to the configured working schedule.

7. Configure the required ticket conditions:

   • Under Apply this rule to the tickets that meet All of these conditions, add the conditions that every ticket must satisfy.

     
     
     

   • Under Apply this rule to the tickets that meet Any of these conditions, add alternative conditions when a ticket needs to satisfy only one of them.

     
     
     

   For each condition:

   • Click Select a Field.
   • Select the required field.
   • Select an operator.
   • Select or enter a value.
   • Click Add new condition to add another condition.

8. Review the configured conditions.

9. Click Next.

10. In the Set Action step, select the required action.

11. Configure the values required by the selected action.

12. Add other actions when the rule must perform multiple operations.

13. Review the configured actions.

14. Click Add to save the rule.

    
    
    

Manage Time Triggers

You can search for, review, edit, activate, deactivate, delete, export, and reorder Time Triggers from the Time Triggers page.

To open the page:

1. Go to Admin.

2. Under Ticket Automation, select Time Triggers.

3. Open the Active or Inactive tab based on the rule you want to manage.

   
   
   

Find and Review Triggers

Use the search and summary options to locate a Time Trigger and review its configuration before making changes. The Active and Inactive tabs organize rules by status, while View Summary displays the selected rule’s Business Hours, conditions, and actions without opening it for editing.

Search for a Time Trigger

To locate a Time Trigger:

1. Open the Active or Inactive tab.
2. Enter the rule name in Search.
3. Select the required rule from the filtered results.

If the rule does not appear, clear the search value and review the other status tab.

View a Time Trigger Summary

Use View Summary to review the conditions and actions configured in a Time Trigger without opening the rule for editing.

To view a rule summary:

1. Open the Active or Inactive tab.

2. Locate the required Time Trigger.

3. Click More options.

4. Select View Summary.

5. Review the configured:

   • All conditions
   • Any conditions
   • Time-based conditions
   • Actions

6. Close the summary after completing the review.

   
   
   

Modify Triggers

Modify a Time Trigger when its configuration or activation status no longer meets your automation requirements. Use Edit to update the rule, Deactivate to pause hourly evaluations while retaining the configuration, or Activate to resume processing eligible tickets. Review and test the rule after making changes.

Edit a Time Trigger

To edit a Time Trigger:

1. Open the Active or Inactive tab.

2. Locate the required rule.

3. Click the Edit icon beside the rule.

   
   
   

4. Update the rule name, description, or Business Hours configuration as required.

5. Review and update the conditions.

6. Confirm that the configured time-based conditions identify the intended tickets.

7. Click Next.

8. Review and update the configured actions.

9. Save the changes.

Deactivate a Time Trigger

Deactivate a Time Trigger when the automation must stop temporarily but its configuration might be required again.

To deactivate a rule:

1. Open the Active tab.

2. Locate the required Time Trigger.

3. Click More options.

4. Select Deactivate.

5. In the Deactivate Rule confirmation dialog, review the rule name.

6. Click Yes, Deactivate. Click Cancel or the Close icon to exit the dialog without deactivating the rule.

7. Open the Inactive tab.

8. Confirm that the Time Trigger appears in the list.

   
   
   

The rule stops evaluating tickets while it remains inactive.

Activate an Inactive Time Trigger

Activate an inactive Time Trigger when the automation should begin evaluating eligible tickets again.

To activate an inactive rule:

1. Open the Inactive tab.

2. Locate the required Time Trigger.

3. Click More options.

4. Select Activate.

5. In the Activate Rule confirmation dialog, review the rule name.

6. Click Yes, Activate. Click Cancel or the Close icon to exit the dialog without activating the rule.

7. Open the Active tab.

8. Confirm that the Time Trigger appears in the list.

9. Wait for a subsequent hourly evaluation.

10. Confirm that the rule processes eligible tickets that satisfy its conditions.

    
    
    

Remove and Export Triggers

Use Delete to permanently remove an unnecessary Time Trigger, or Export to download its information for authorized review, backup, auditing, or documentation. Deactivate the rule instead of deleting it if the automation might be required again.

Delete a Time Trigger

Delete a Time Trigger only when its configuration is no longer required.

To delete a rule:

1. Open the Active or Inactive tab.

2. Locate the required Time Trigger.

3. Click More options.

4. Select Delete.

5. In the Delete Rule confirmation dialog, review the rule name and permanent-deletion message.

6. Click Yes, Delete. Click Cancel or the Close icon to exit the dialog without deleting the rule.

   
   
   

The Time Trigger is permanently removed from the list.

Export Time Trigger Information

You can export the configured Time Trigger information for authorized review, auditing, or documentation.

To export the rule information:

1. Open the Active or Inactive tab based on the information you want to export.

2. Click Export.

3. Wait for the file to download.

4. Open the downloaded file.

5. Review the exported Time Trigger information.

   
   
   

Organize Triggers

Organize active Time Triggers to control their hourly execution order and monitor the available rule limit. Place specific rules before broader rules to reduce conflicting actions, and review the rule order whenever a trigger is added, modified, activated, or moved.

Reorder Time Triggers

Time Trigger rules run from top to bottom in the order displayed in the active rules list.

Use the drag handle beside a rule to change its execution order.

To reorder Time Triggers:

1. Open the Active tab.

2. Locate the rule you want to move.

3. Select and hold the drag handle beside the rule.

4. Move the rule to the required position.

5. Release the drag handle.

6. Review the updated rule order.

7. Monitor the affected rules during the next hourly evaluation.

   
   
   

Place specific rules before broader rules when multiple Time Triggers can process the same ticket.

Review the Time Trigger Limit

The rule counter at the top of the page displays the number of configured Time Triggers against the available account limit.

Troubleshooting

The Rule Runs Repeatedly

Confirm that:

• The rule conditions become false after the action runs.
• The rule adds a processed tag or updates a condition field.
• Another automation does not return the ticket to a matching state.
• The rule does not use an open-ended time condition without an exclusion condition.

Deactivate the rule if repeated processing causes unintended notifications or ticket updates. Refine the conditions before reactivating it.

The Rule Processes More Tickets Than Expected

Confirm that:

• Mandatory conditions are under All of these conditions.
• Alternative conditions are under Any of these conditions.
• The time-based condition uses the intended operator and value.
• The selected Business Hours configuration is correct.
• Another Time Trigger does not perform the same action.

An Unexpected Time Trigger Processes a Ticket First

Review the execution order of active Time Triggers.

Place specific rules before broader rules, remove conflicting actions, and test the affected rules after changing their order.

A Time Trigger Was Deleted Accidentally

A deleted Time Trigger cannot be restored from the Active or Inactive tabs.

Create a new rule using the required conditions and actions. Use exported or documented configuration information when available.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Time Trigger in BoldDesk?
   A Time Trigger is an automation rule that evaluates eligible tickets once every hour and performs configured actions when the tickets satisfy specified conditions.

2. What is the difference between a Time Trigger and an Update Ticket Trigger?
   A Time Trigger evaluates eligible tickets on an hourly schedule. An Update Ticket Trigger evaluates a ticket after a supported ticket update occurs.

3. Can a Time Trigger process the same ticket more than once?
   Yes. A ticket can be processed again when it remains eligible and continues to satisfy the rule conditions.

4. Are spam tickets evaluated by Time Triggers?
   No. Tickets marked as spam are excluded.

Related Articles

1. Automation Rules and Triggers in BoldDesk
2. How to Run an Automation at Scheduled Intervals
3. How to Use a Time Trigger to Automatically Solve a Ticket