Create a Scheduled Automation

Send a one-off scheduled or contact-date message, or build a multi-step drip sequence, to a chosen audience.

Last updated September 11, 2026

Overview

A scheduled automation sends an approved message template automatically — either on a recurring schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) or on a per-contact date event like a birthday or anniversary — to an audience you define. This is distinct from an Automation Flow, which reacts to a keyword a customer sends rather than running on a schedule.

Before you begin

You need at least one approved WhatsApp template.
Decide who the audience should be — all contacts, or specific statuses/groups.

Open Automation → Name it and choose the trigger → Set the audience → Pick a template and budget.

Open Automation

Open the Schedule tab and start

From the left sidebar, click Automation, then the Schedule tab, then Create Automation. Choose the Scheduled Automation tab (not Drip Sequence).

Name it and choose the trigger

Name it, then set when it fires

Give it a Name and an optional Description. Then, under Trigger Type, choose Schedule Based (daily, weekly, monthly, or a specific date) or Event Based (birthday, anniversary, or a custom date field), and set the frequency, time of day, and timezone.

Set the audience

Choose who receives it

Under Audience, pick any number of statuses and groups to include or exclude — leave everything empty to target all contacts. Each contact is enrolled once per run.

Pick a template and budget

Select a template and set spend limits

Under Message Template, pick an approved template and fill in any variables it requires. Optionally cap spend per day, week, or month under Budget Control — once the limit is reached, remaining recipients pause and auto-resume next cycle.

Save

Save as Draft or Save & Activate

Save as Draft keeps it inactive until you're ready. Save & Activate turns it on immediately.

Save & Activate has a real, immediate effect

Once activated, a scheduled automation sends real WhatsApp messages to real contacts on its trigger and spends real wallet balance. Review the audience and budget carefully before activating — Save as Draft is the safer choice while you're still testing the setup.

Field reference

Field	Description
Name	Internal label for this automation.
Trigger Type	Schedule Based (recurring) or Event Based (per-contact date, like a birthday).
Audience	Include/exclude by contact status or group; empty means all contacts.
Message Template	The approved template to send, with its variables filled in.
Budget Control	Optional spend cap per day, week, or month.

Expected result

A saved draft appears in the Schedule tab's list with status inactive. An activated automation shows Active and starts running on its configured trigger, with Wallet Spent updating as it sends.