# Automation rules

Automation rules do routine follow-ups for you. When something happens, like a task rejected, a deadline near or a fridge too warm, Mays checks your conditions and runs your actions.

For: Admins · On: Web · [Help Center](https://www.mays.app/help) › [AI & automation](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation) · Last updated October 13, 2026 · Mays Team

Automation rules do routine follow-ups for you. When something happens, like a task rejected, a deadline near or a fridge too warm, Mays checks your conditions and runs your actions.

Rules are under **Automation & AI** in the web app's sidebar. They're in the **Basic** and **Pro** plans (and the free trial). With the built-in roles, only admins can see and change them.

## How a rule works

Every rule has three parts:

- **When this happens**: the trigger, for example *Task Rejected*, *Deadline Approaching*, *Scheduled* (every day, week or month at a set time) or *Manual* (only when someone clicks **Run now**).
- **Only when (conditions)**: optional checks, for example *Response Type eq photo*. If there are none, the rule runs every time.
- **Then do this**: one or more actions, for example create a task, send a push notification or place a phone call.

Plus **Where this rule runs**: all locations, or the ones you tick.

For every trigger and action, see [Automation triggers and actions](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/automation-triggers-and-actions).

## Your rules

The **Automation & AI** page lists your rules in two groups, **Active Rules** and **Draft & Paused**, with a count at the top. Each card shows the rule's name and description, its status (**active**, **paused** or **draft**), its locations, the trigger with the number of conditions and actions, and how many times it has run (for example **3x**). A **Scheduled** rule's card also says when it runs, for example *Every Monday at 9:00 AM, location time*; a **Manual** rule's card has a **Run now** button.

![The Automation & AI page: 1 active rule and 5 draft/paused. AI photo verification is under Active Rules; Draft & Paused lists Remind the assignee before a task is due (draft, 1 location, Deadline Approaching, 1 action) and the four late clock-in rules, paused, each with its plain-language description, run count and the history, activate and delete buttons](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__automation-rules__01-rule-list.2f718c574e.png)

The buttons on the right of each card:

- the clock (**View history**): the rule's last 50 runs;
- the play or pause button (**Activate** / **Pause**);
- the bin (**Delete**), which asks once.

Click a card to edit the rule.

## Create a rule

1. Click **New Rule**.
2. Enter a **Name** and, if you like, a **Description**.
3. Under **When this happens**, pick the **Trigger**. Some triggers have settings underneath, such as **Hours before deadline**.
4. Under **Where this rule runs**, tick the locations. Leave them all unticked to run it everywhere (admins only: if your role is limited to some locations, there's no **Clear (all locations)** and you must tick at least one).
5. Optionally, click **+ Condition** and pick a field, an operator and a value.
6. Click **+ Action**, pick an action and fill in its fields. Add more actions if you need them; they run in order.
7. Check the **Preview** on the right. It shows how each action would look, using made-up sample data.
8. Click **Create rule**.
9. **Switch it on.** A new rule is saved as a **draft** and does nothing yet. On its card, click the play button (**Activate**).

![The New automation rule window: the name Remind the assignee before a task is due, the Deadline Approaching trigger with Hours before deadline 2, South ticked under Where this rule runs, no conditions, a Send Notification action sent to The person who triggered the rule with the title Task due soon and its message, the Preview on the right, Priority 0 with the hint lower = runs first, and the Create rule button](https://mays-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/site/help__automation-rules__02-rule-editor.f955a842a4.png)

To stop a rule without deleting it, click the pause button (**Pause**). To change a rule, click its card, make your changes and click **Save changes**.

## Run a Manual rule

Click **Run now** on its card, or at the bottom of the editor once the rule is saved and switched on. If the rule covers more than one location, pick one in the list next to it, or leave it on all of them. It runs for real, not as a test. A message at the top right says how it went; click **Run history** in it to see the run.

## Check what a rule did

Click the clock on the card (**View history**). **Execution History** lists each run with its result:

- **Success**: the actions ran.
- **Skipped**: the trigger happened, but the conditions didn't match.
- **Failed**: an action went wrong; the reason is shown in red.

Runs of a **Scheduled** rule show the time they were for, and **Run now** runs say *Run now*, with the location.

A run at a location the rule doesn't cover isn't listed at all.

There's no test button. To try a new rule safely, run it at one location first and watch its history; a **Manual** rule can be tried with **Run now** for one location.

## Priority

When several rules react to the same thing, **Priority** (bottom left of the editor) decides the order: **rules with a lower number run first**.

## Rules Mays adds for you

Some rules appear by themselves. They're switched on, except where it says **paused**:

- **AI photo verification**, when your company is created. Turn it on and off under **Settings → Organization**, see [AI photo verification](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/ai-photo-verification).
- **Investigate Square refund**, when you connect Square.
- **Investigate temperature alert**, when you connect Govee thermometers. See [Temperature thresholds and alerts](https://www.mays.app/help/food-safety-devices/temperature-alerts).
- The four **late clock-in** rules. If your plan includes Scheduling, Mays adds them **paused**, so nobody is phoned until you turn them on. Connecting 7shifts adds any you don't have, switched on. See [Late clock-in phone calls](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/late-clock-in-phone-calls).
- **Investigate low-rated review**, when you connect Google Business Profile. It doesn't create tasks at the moment. See [Connecting Google Business Profile](https://www.mays.app/help/integrations/connect-google-business-profile).

You can edit, pause or delete them like any other rule.

## Good to know

- **Placeholders** such as `{{task.title}}` are filled in with the real task, location and person. The **Preview** shows them with sample data.
- **Conditions** compare numbers as numbers and *true* / *false* as yes or no, so *Review Rating eq 5* works. For **in**, type the values separated by commas.
- **Managers** can't see Automation & AI with the built-in Manager role. An admin can add **Create & manage automation rules** to a custom role; people with it can only make rules for their own locations, and can't switch a rule to run at every location (only an admin can). See [Roles and permissions](https://www.mays.app/help/team-roles/roles-and-permissions).
- **Not in your plan?** **Automation & AI** shows a lock and an **Upgrade plan** button, and your rules don't run (the late clock-in calls included) until it's back in your plan.
- Rules don't use AI credits, except the **AI Photo Verify** action. See [AI credits](https://www.mays.app/help/account-billing/ai-credits).

## Related articles

- AI & automation: [Automation triggers and actions](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/automation-triggers-and-actions) — Every trigger, condition and action you can use in an automation rule, what each one does and who receives the result.
- AI & automation: [Late clock-in phone calls](https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/late-clock-in-phone-calls) — If nobody from the opening shift has clocked in a few minutes after opening, Mays phones each late opener to ask when they'll arrive, then calls the escalation manager if they don't answer.
- Tasks & checklists: [AI photo verification](https://www.mays.app/help/tasks-checklists/ai-photo-verification) — Let AI check every photo your team submits on a task. It flags weak photos for the manager to review, or rejects them straight away once you trust it. Each check uses AI credits.
- Integrations: [Connecting Square](https://www.mays.app/help/integrations/connect-square) — Connect each store's Square account so Mays gets its sales, payments, tips and refunds, sold-out items and team. Admins and managers can connect; one Square location per Mays location.
- Integrations: [Connecting 7shifts](https://www.mays.app/help/integrations/connect-7shifts) — Connect 7shifts with a Company ID and access token to bring your team into Mays, keep reading the 7shifts schedule, or move your schedule, punches and time off into Mays scheduling.
- Team & roles: [Roles and permissions](https://www.mays.app/help/team-roles/roles-and-permissions) — What the built-in Admin, Manager and Employee roles can do, how location access works, and how to build a custom role from individual permissions.
- Account & billing: [Plans, the free trial and locked modules](https://www.mays.app/help/account-billing/plans-and-free-trial) — Every organization starts with a 30-day free trial of all plan modules, then picks Basic or Pro (or your company's own package, if Mays set up custom pricing). What each plan includes, what the add-ons are, what a locked module means, and how each location's package decides its features.
- Food safety & signage: [Temperature thresholds and alerts](https://www.mays.app/help/food-safety-devices/temperature-alerts) — Set a safe range and an alert delay for each thermometer. When a unit stays out of range, Mays creates a task at that location and notifies whoever is on shift.

## Still need help?

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Canonical: https://www.mays.app/help/ai-automation/automation-rules