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How Automation Works

O
Written by Ondřej Průša
Updated over a week ago

Retino Returns provides a powerful automation system that simplifies efficient responses to various events related to shipments. This article introduces the system's operation and its potential for improving logistics processes.

The automation system is built on three fundamental pillars: triggers, conditions, and actions. The trigger determines when the automation should activate, the conditions specify under what circumstances, and the actions define exactly what should happen.

Triggers

Triggers are events that initiate the automation process. The following table describes all available trigger types:

Trigger Type

Description

Example Use Case

Shipment Status Change

Activates when a shipment transitions to a specific status

Notification of shipment delivery to a pickup location

Status Group Change

Responds to a change in the main status group

Notification of the start of delivery

N Days in Facility

Activates X days after being placed in a facility

Reminder after 3 days in facility

N Days Until Expiration

Triggers X days before the storage period expires

Alert one day before storage period expires

Shipment Inactive N Days

Activates after X days without a status change

Checking shipments with no activity for 5 days

Conditions

You can add conditions to each trigger for more precise targeting. The following table summarizes the available condition types:

Condition Type

Description

Possible Values

Shipment Status

Checks the current shipment status

Delivered, In Transit, Ready for Pickup, etc.

Carrier

Filters by shipping company

PPL, DPD, Czech Post, etc.

Delivery Country

Limits to selected countries

CZ, SK, PL, etc.

Cash on Delivery

Checks if the shipment is cash on delivery

Yes/No

Tag

Checks for the presence of a tag

Any existing tag

Actions

After the trigger conditions are met, the system performs the defined actions. The following action types are available in Retino Returns:

Action Type

Description

Documentation

Email Sending

Sends a personalized email to the customer based on a template

Webhook

Sends an HTTP request with shipment data to a defined endpoint

Adding Tag

Adds a selected tag to the shipment

-

Removing Tag

Removes a selected tag from the shipment

-

Extend Storage Period

Automatically extends the shipment's storage period at the facility

-

Execution Timing

You can precisely define when each automation should run:

Flexible Execution Options

You can choose between immediate execution, where the action happens immediately after the conditions are met, or delayed execution with a defined delay. Delayed execution is useful, for example, when you want to give the customer time to react before sending a reminder.

Respecting Business Hours

The system allows you to define business hours during which automations should run. By default, business hours are set to 8:00 – 18:00, but you can customize them according to your needs. Actions scheduled outside business hours will automatically be postponed to the beginning of the next business day.

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