Overview
An Action Type is a group of pre-set options that configure an Action Edition according to a specific pattern. There are three categories of Action Types based on their complexity:
- Simple step Action Types are one-step actions consisting of the first Action Steps and a Thank You Page
- Multi-step Action Types are multiple step actions consisting of a first Action Steps, as many Action Steps as you wish and a final Thank You Page
- Smart-step Action Types are multiple step actions with conditional Field Blocks or HTML Blocks consisting of a first Action Steps, as many Action Stepss as you wish and a final Thank You Page
Once an Action Type is applied, its options may be edited freely.
| Important: | When the Action Type is changed, all existing Action Steps and their content is deleted and re-created using the different configuration. |
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Simple Steps
The Simple-Step Action Types supplied with the eCampaigning Tool are:
| ePetition: | An [Action Edition]? with a single Action Steps that has an unmodifiable message and no email sent to the target on completion. After submitting the Action Steps a participant is displayed with a Thank You Page. |
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| eLetter: | An [Action Edition]? with a single Action Steps that has a modifiable message and an email sent to the target on completion. After submitting the Action Steps a participant is displayed with a Thank You Page. |
| Email Subscription: | |
| An [Action Edition]? with a single Action Steps requiring only an Email address that sends a Thank You Email to a subscriber. The message is not displayed and the Thank You Email does not contain the message. After submitting the Action Steps a participant is displayed with a Thank You Page. | |
Multi-Steps
| ePetition > Address: | |
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An [Action Edition]? like a Simple ePetition except with two Action Steps and:
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| eLetter > Address: | |
An [Action Edition]? like a Simple eLetter except with two Action Steps and:
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| Email Subscription > Personal Details: | |
An [Action Edition]? like a Simple Email Subscription with two Action Steps and:
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Smart-Steps
| ePetition Optin/Address: | |
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An [Action Edition]? like a Multi-Step ePetition and:
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| eLetter Optin/Address: | |
An [Action Edition]? like a Multi-Step eLetter and:
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In Depth
In practice, each of these types is exactly the same but is just configured differently. the differentiation between simple, multi and smart steps is just a naming convention to differentiate different basic, intermediate and advanced configurations. An Action Type configuration can specify the following settings:
- Action Edition: message modifiability and inclusion of message in the Thank You Email
- Action Step:
- Number of action steps
- Titles
- Layout
- Validators
- Tasks
- Submit button label
- Custom validator
- Custom task
- Layout Element:
- Field Blocks and HTML Blocks each Layout Element contains
- Order these Field Blocks and HTML Blocks occur in
- Data source field or Custom data accessor a Field Block refers to
- Contents of an HTML Block
- Display Condition of each Field Block and HTML Block
The naming convention is that:
- Action Types with one Action Steps (plus a Thank You Page) are 'Simple' and don't require an Editor going into the Action Steps to set-up an action
- Action Types with more than one Action Steps but without Conditional Blocks are 'Multi-Step' and require an Editor going into the Action Steps to configure an action
- Action Types with more than one Action Steps and with Conditional Blocks are 'Smart-Step' and require an Editor going into the Action Steps to configure an action, including for the different conditions in each Action Step
Furthermore, each additional [Action Step]? an Action Type has is named after an '>' symbol to indicate the process. For conditions, the different conditions are split with a '/' with the conditions to the left the higher priority one (e.g. Optin/Address means prompt for an opt-in if it isn't supplied otherwise ask for the Address if it is supplied)
Adding your own Action Types
Coming soon....
