# Steps

> Steps and their properties in automation workflows.

## How it works

Steps are the building blocks of automation workflows. They define the actions that will be executed when the automation runs.

The following steps are available:

- [Trigger](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/trigger)
- [Condition](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/condition)
- [Delay](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/delay)
- [Wait for Event](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/wait-for-event)
- [Send Email](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/send-email)
- [Add to Segment](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/add-to-segment)
- [Contact Update](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/contact-update)
- [Contact Delete](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/contact-delete)

## Step properties

Every step in an automation has the following base properties:

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `key` | string | Yes | A unique identifier for the step. Used in [connection](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/connections) definitions to connect steps. |
| `type` | string | Yes | The type of step. Possible values: `trigger`, `send_email`, `delay`, `wait_for_event`, `condition`, `split`, `contact_update`, `contact_delete`, `add_to_segment`. |
| `config` | object | Yes | The configuration object for the step. The shape depends on the step `type`. |

Below is a list of all the possible step types and their configurations.

### trigger

The [trigger](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/trigger) step starts the automation when a matching event is received.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.event_name` | string | Yes | The name of the event that triggers the automation. |

```json
{
  "key": "start",
  "type": "trigger",
  "config": {
    "event_name": "user.created"
  }
}
```

### send_email

Sends an email using a [template](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/send-email).

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.template` | object | Yes | The published template to send. Provide `id` and optionally `variables`. |
| `config.template.id` | string | Yes | The ID or alias of the template to send. |
| `config.template.variables` | object | No | A key-value map of template variables. Each value can be a static string or a variable reference object (`{ "var": "event.fieldName" }`) that resolves dynamically from the `event.*`, `contact.*`, or `wait_events.*` namespaces. |
| `config.from` | string | No | The sender email address. If provided, this value will override the template's default value. |
| `config.subject` | string | No | The email subject line. If provided, this value will override the template's default value. |
| `config.reply_to` | string | No | Reply-to email address. If provided, this value will override the template's default value. |

```json
{
  "key": "welcome",
  "type": "send_email",
  "config": {
    "template": {
      "id": "062f8ef4-fbfa-44f1-b5e0-ff8e1e8ffa96",
      "variables": {
        "name": { "var": "event.firstName" }
      }
    },
    "from": "hello@example.com",
    "subject": "Welcome!",
    "reply_to": "support@example.com"
  }
}
```

### delay

Pauses execution for a [specified duration](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/delay).

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.duration` | string | Yes | The delay duration in natural language (e.g. `"1 hour"`, `"3 days"`). Maximum: 30 days. |

```json
{
  "key": "wait_1_hour",
  "type": "delay",
  "config": {
    "duration": "1 hour"
  }
}
```

### wait_for_event

Pauses execution until a [specific event](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/wait-for-event) is received or a timeout is reached.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.event_name` | string | Yes | The name of the event to wait for. |
| `config.timeout` | string | No | The maximum time to wait before timing out (e.g. `"3 days"`, `"1 hour"`). Maximum: 30 days. |
| `config.filter_rule` | object | No | An optional rule object to filter incoming events. |

```json
{
  "key": "wait_for_purchase",
  "type": "wait_for_event",
  "config": {
    "event_name": "purchase.completed",
    "timeout": "3 days"
  }
}
```

### condition

Branches the workflow based on [rules](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/condition). Condition configs can be a single rule or a logical group (`and`/`or`) of rules.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.type` | string | Yes | The type of condition node: `rule`, `and`, or `or`. |
| `config.field` | string | Yes | For `rule` type — the field to evaluate. Must use the `event.` or `contact.` namespace prefix (e.g. `event.amount`, `contact.email`). |
| `config.operator` | string | Yes | For `rule` type — the comparison operator: `eq`, `neq`, `gt`, `gte`, `lt`, `lte`, `contains`, `starts_with`, `ends_with`, `exists`, `is_empty`. |
| `config.value` | string | number | boolean | null | No | For `rule` type — the value to compare against. Not required for `exists` and `is_empty` operators. |
| `config.rules` | object[] | No | For `and` / `or` types — an array of nested condition config objects. Must contain at least one item. |

**Single rule**

```json
{
  "key": "check_plan",
  "type": "condition",
  "config": {
    "type": "rule",
    "field": "event.plan",
    "operator": "eq",
    "value": "pro"
  }
}
```

**Combined rules**

```json
{
  "key": "check_plan_and_amount",
  "type": "condition",
  "config": {
    "type": "and",
    "rules": [
      { "type": "rule", "field": "event.plan", "operator": "eq", "value": "pro" },
      { "type": "rule", "field": "event.amount", "operator": "gte", "value": 100 }
    ]
  }
}
```

### split

A/B split: randomly routes contacts between two branches by percentage. Assignment is deterministic per contact+step (re-runs keep the same branch). Branch A rides the `condition_met` edge, branch B `condition_not_met`.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.percent` | number | Yes | Share of contacts taking branch A, an integer from 1 to 99. |

```json
{
  "key": "ab",
  "type": "split",
  "config": {
    "percent": 50
  }
}
```

### contact_update

Updates a [contact's fields](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/contact-update). Each field value can be either a hardcoded value or a dynamic variable reference using the `{ "var": "..." }` syntax, with the `event.*` or `contact.*` scope.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.first_name` | string | object | No | The contact's first name. Accepts a hardcoded string or a variable reference. |
| `config.last_name` | string | object | No | The contact's last name. Accepts a hardcoded string or a variable reference. |
| `config.unsubscribed` | boolean | object | No | The contact's unsubscribed status. Accepts a boolean or a variable reference. |
| `config.properties` | object | No | A map of custom contact properties to update. Each value can be a hardcoded value (string, number, boolean) or a variable reference. |

```json
{
  "key": "update_contact",
  "type": "contact_update",
  "config": {
    "properties": {
      "company": { "var": "event.company" },
      "vip": true
    }
  }
}
```

### contact_delete

[Deletes the contact](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/contact-delete) from the audience. This step does not require any configuration fields. Pass an empty object `{}` as the config.

```json
{
  "key": "remove_contact",
  "type": "contact_delete",
  "config": {}
}
```

### add_to_segment

Adds the contact to a [segment](https://www.mailblastr.com/docs/automations/add-to-segment).

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `config.segment_id` | string | Yes | The ID of the segment to add the contact to. |

```json
{
  "key": "add_to_vip",
  "type": "add_to_segment",
  "config": {
    "segment_id": "83a1e324-26dc-47eb-9b28-ba8b6d1fe808"
  }
}
```