Communication limits

In this section, you can define the limit of sent messages to a single profile (emails, text messages, and web push notifications) in a given period. This can be used, for example, to avoid upsetting your customers by sending too many messages.

  • For Campaigns, the limits apply separately to each communication campaign.
  • For Automation, the limits apply to all messages sent from Automations. The details are described further in this article.
What happens to blocked messages?

Mass messages sent through the Communication module, which are blocked by capping, are not queued. In such cases, on the list of messages, you can check the number of messages blocked by capping that need to be resent, if necessary.

When it comes to messages sent through automated workflows, blocked messages can be sent out again only if a profile meets conditions defined in a particular workflow.

Important: When sending a message fails (a *.notSent event is generated with details of the problem), the attempt still counts towards the communication limits!

Communication limit events

When messages cannot be sent due to capping the following events appear on the profile’s card:

Event name Description
newsletter.capping An email wasn’t sent due to limit of emails that can be sent to a profile in a defined time frame.
push.capping A mobile push wasn’t sent due to limit of mobile pushes that can be sent to a profile in a defined time frame.
sms.capping An SMS wasn’t sent due to limit of SMSes that can be sent to a profile in a defined time frame.
webpush.capping A web push wasn’t sent due to limit of web pushes that can be sent to a profile in a defined time frame.

Defining limits


  1. Go to Settings icon Settings > Communication Limits.
  2. By default, there are no limits on sending messages. To define a specific limit, switch a toggle on.
    Result: Two fields appear.
  3. In the Limit section, enter the maximum number of messages you want to send to a profile within time unit specified in the Period field.
  4. In the Period field, enter the time unit of the limit (number and unit, for example 1d which stands for 1 day). You can define limits in the following intervals:
    • s stands for a second
    • m stands for a minute
    • d stands for a day
    • w stands for a week
    • y stands for a year
      Example configurations

      Exemplary communication limit config
      5 emails per one day
      In the above configuration, a profile can receive up to 5 mass emails per day. Before sending an email, the system checks how many of them a profile received during last 24 hours.
      Exemplary communication limit config
      25 emails per 30 days
      In the above configuration, a profile can receive up to 25 mass emails per 30 days. Before sending an email, the system checks how many of them a profile received during last 30 days.

  5. Repeat step 3 and 4 for preferable message types in Communication and Automations.
  6. Confirm settings by clicking Save.

Automation: communication limits and automation limits


The Automation module defines its own limits:

  • how many times a workflow can be triggered in a specific time unit
  • how many times a trigger can be activated in a workflow
  • how many times an action can be repeated in a workflow

While defining the limits in the Settings > Communication Limits menu, remember about the limits for workflows in Automation and the other way round. Otherwise conflicts may occur between them.

Suggestions:

  • Keep track of the active workflows and carefully estimate the number of sent messages through them (in your calculations include both marketing messages and system emails such as transaction summary, discount coupon emails, if you use Automation to send such emails).
  • Pay attention to workflows triggered by frequently occurring profile activities, which contain actions that sent messages to profiles.
  • Consult each modification of limit of action nodes (Send email, Send SMS, Send web push) with the global limits.

Ignoring global limits in Automation


If your workflows send system messages such as transaction confirmations, information about shipping, notifications about delay of the order delivery, and so on, you may want to make exceptions to such kind of the messages.

For such circumstances, in the action nodes: Send Email, Send Webpush, Send Mobile Push, and Send SMS, you may enable the Ignore limits option, which causes sending the message even if the the global limits for messages sent to a profile per day defined in Settings > Communication Limits are exceeded.

Ignore limits option in Send SMS node
Enabled Ignore limits option in Send SMS node
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