Action Rules are user-triggered automation that executes when someone clicks an action link or button in your application. Unlike table rules and record rules that run automatically, action rules require explicit user interaction, making them perfect for approvals, status changes, and on-demand operations.

Action rules give users control over when automation runs, while still providing the power of automated processes. They're essential for building interactive, workflow-driven applications.

It's important to understand the difference:

• What: Clickable buttons or links displayed in components (tables, lists, cards, etc.)
• Where: Appear as columns or buttons in data display components
• Purpose: Provide the user interface element users click
• Examples: "Approve" button, "Delete" link, "Send Email" button

• What: Automation attached to action links
• Where: Configured within the action link settings
• Purpose: Define what happens when the action link is clicked
• Examples: Update status, send email, create related records

Relationship: Action Links are the visible buttons; Action Rules are the automation that runs when those buttons are clicked.

Users need to review and explicitly approve or deny requests:

• Purchase order approvals
• Time-off request approvals
• Document review and sign-off
• Budget approvals

Users manually move records through workflow stages:

• "Mark as Complete" for tasks
• "Ship Order" for e-commerce
• "Close Ticket" for support systems
• "Archive Record" for cleanup

Actions that should only happen when users explicitly request them:

• Send email notifications
• Generate PDF documents
• Export data
• Trigger external integrations

Performing the same action on multiple records:

• Bulk approve multiple items
• Mass update selected records
• Batch delete or archive

1. Go to Page Builder
2. Edit a data component (Table, List, Cards, Kanban, Calendar, etc.)
3. Click the Links tab in component settings
4. Click Action Link
5. Configure the action link appearance:
   • Title: Button text (e.g., "Approve", "Complete", "Send Email")
   • Icon: Optional icon for the button
   • Display Format: Button, Link, Icon Only
   • Position: Left, Right, or Inline

1. In the action link settings, click the Action Rules tab
2. Click Add Action Rule
3. Choose the action type
4. Add conditions (optional)
5. Set field values
6. Configure additional options
7. Save the action rule

1. View the page in your live app
2. Click the action link on a record
3. Verify the action executes correctly
4. Check that records are updated as expected
5. Confirm emails are sent if configured

Updates fields in the record where the action link was clicked.

Scenario: Managers click "Approve" to approve purchase requests, updating the status and recording approval details.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Approve"
• Action Rule:
  • Action: Update This Record
  • Conditions: Status equals "Pending Approval"
  • Field Values:
    • Status → Custom Value: "Approved"
    • Approved Date → Current Date/Time
    • Approved By → Auto Logged User

Best Practice: Add a condition to prevent re-approving already approved items.

Scenario: Users click "Mark Complete" to finish tasks, updating status and completion time.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Mark Complete"
• Action Rule:
  • Action: Update This Record
  • Conditions: Status does not equal "Completed"
  • Field Values:
    • Status → Custom Value: "Completed"
    • Completion Date → Current Date/Time
    • Completed By → Auto Logged User

Updates related records in connected tables when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: When a project is marked complete, also mark all associated tasks as complete.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Close Project"
• Action Rules (Two rules):
  • Rule 1 - Update Project:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Completed"
  • Rule 2 - Update Tasks:
    • Action: Update Connected Records (Tasks)
    • Conditions: Task Status does not equal "Completed"
    • Field Values:
      • Status → Custom Value: "Completed"
      • Completion Date → Current Date/Time

Creates a new related record when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: After closing a support ticket, create a follow-up task to check customer satisfaction.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Close & Create Follow-Up"
• Action Rules (Two rules):
  • Rule 1 - Close Ticket:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Closed"
  • Rule 2 - Create Follow-Up:
    • Action: Insert Connected Record (Task)
    • Field Values:
      • Task Name → Custom Value: "Follow-up on Ticket"
      • Due Date → Custom Value: 7 days from now
      • Assigned To → Form Value: Original Ticket Owner

Creates a new record in any table when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: When sensitive data is exported, create an audit log entry.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Export Data"
• Action Rule:
  • Action: Insert New Record (Audit Log)
  • Field Values:
    • Action Type → Custom Value: "Data Export"
    • User → Logged-in User's Name
    • Timestamp → Current Date/Time
    • Details → Custom Value: "Exported customer data"

Sends an email when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: Event organizers click "Send Invitation" to email registered attendees.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Send Invitation"
• Action Rules (Two rules):
  • Rule 1 - Send Email:
    • Action: Send Email
    • To: {attendee_email}
    • Subject: "You're Invited: {event_name}"
    • Body: Event details and registration confirmation
  • Rule 2 - Mark as Sent:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Invitation Sent → Yes, Date Sent → Current Date/Time

Scenario: Employees click "Submit for Approval" to send their expense report to their manager.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Submit for Approval"
• Action Rules:
  • Rule 1 - Update Status:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Pending Approval", Submitted Date → Current Date/Time
  • Rule 2 - Notify Manager:
    • Action: Send Email
    • To: {manager_email}
    • Subject: "Expense Report Approval Needed: {employee_name}"
    • Body: Include report details and approval link

Sends a text message when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: Dispatch manager clicks "Alert Technician" to send urgent SMS to on-call staff.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Alert Technician"
• Action Rule:
  • Action: Send SMS
  • Conditions: Status equals "Urgent"
  • SMS Configuration:
    • To: {technician_phone}
    • Message: "URGENT: Service call at {location}. Contact: {customer_phone}"

Creates a PDF document when the action link is clicked.

Scenario: Click "Generate Invoice" to create and email an invoice PDF to the customer.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Generate Invoice"
• Action Rules:
  • Rule 1 - Generate PDF:
    • Action: Generate PDF
    • Template: Invoice Template
    • Save to: Invoice PDF field
  • Rule 2 - Email Invoice:
    • Action: Send Email
    • To: {customer_email}
    • Subject: "Invoice #{invoice_number}"
    • Attachment: {invoice_pdf}
  • Rule 3 - Update Status:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Invoiced", Invoice Date → Current Date/Time

One of the most powerful features of action rules is the ability to combine multiple actions into a single button click.

Scenario: "Ship Order" button performs multiple actions: update order status, create shipping record, send tracking email, update inventory.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Ship Order"
• Action Rules (4 rules executed in sequence):
  • Rule 1 - Update Order:
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Fields: Status → "Shipped", Ship Date → Current Date/Time
  • Rule 2 - Create Shipment Record:
    • Action: Insert Connected Record (Shipment)
    • Fields: Tracking Number, Carrier, Ship Date
  • Rule 3 - Send Email:
    • Action: Send Email
    • To: {customer_email}
    • Subject: "Your Order Has Shipped!"
    • Body: Include tracking information
  • Rule 4 - Update Inventory:
    • Action: Update Connected Records (Inventory)
    • Field: Quantity → Decrease by order quantity

Use conditions to control when action rules execute, creating smart, context-aware buttons.

Scenario: "Approve" button behavior changes based on approval level required.

Configuration:

• Action Link Title: "Approve"
• Action Rules:
  • Rule 1 - Manager Approval (Low Amount):
    • Condition: Amount is less than $1,000 AND Logged-in User Role equals "Manager"
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Approved"
  • Rule 2 - Director Approval Required (High Amount):
    • Condition: Amount is greater than or equal to $1,000 AND Logged-in User Role equals "Manager"
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Pending Director Approval"
  • Rule 3 - Director Final Approval:
    • Condition: Status equals "Pending Director Approval" AND Logged-in User Role equals "Director"
    • Action: Update This Record
    • Field: Status → "Approved"

Control when action links appear using visibility rules:

• Show "Approve" button only when status is "Pending"
• Hide "Ship" button if already shipped
• Show "Reopen" button only for closed items

• Show "Delete" button only to administrators
• Show "Approve" button only to managers
• Show "Edit Financial Data" only to finance team

• Show "Cancel Registration" only if event date is in the future
• Show "Refund" only if payment was received
• Show "Resend" only if email was previously sent

Make it clear what will happen:

• Good: "Approve Request", "Mark Complete", "Send Invoice"
• Bad: "Click Here", "Submit", "Process"

Use confirmation dialogs for:

• Delete operations
• Irreversible status changes
• Batch operations affecting multiple records
• Financial transactions

Add conditions to prevent invalid actions:

• Don't approve already approved items
• Don't ship orders that are already shipped
• Don't delete records with dependencies

Let users know the action succeeded:

• Use success messages
• Send confirmation emails
• Update visible status fields
• Redirect to appropriate pages

Group related action links logically:

• Put approval actions together
• Separate destructive actions (delete) from others
• Use consistent positioning across pages

Verify action rules work correctly for:

• Different user permissions
• Various record states
• Edge cases and error conditions

Requirement: Purchase requests go through multiple approval levels based on amount.

Solution: Multiple action links with conditional rules:

• "Manager Approve" button (for managers):
  • Condition: Amount < $5,000
  • Action: Set Status to "Approved"
  • OR Condition: Amount ≥ $5,000
  • Action: Set Status to "Pending Director Approval", send email to director
• "Director Approve" button (for directors only):
  • Visibility: Only when Status = "Pending Director Approval"
  • Action: Set Status to "Approved"

Requirement: Different buttons available at different workflow stages.

Solution: Status-specific action links:

• "Start Work" button: Visible only when Status = "Not Started"
• "Pause" button: Visible only when Status = "In Progress"
• "Resume" button: Visible only when Status = "Paused"
• "Complete" button: Visible only when Status = "In Progress"
• "Reopen" button: Visible only when Status = "Completed"

Check:

• Visibility rules on the action link
• User permissions for the component
• Link position settings
• Component is displaying records correctly

Check:

• Rule conditions are met
• Required fields are populated
• User has permissions to modify records
• No errors in browser console

Check:

• Action type (Update This vs Update Connected)
• Connection field is correct
• Conditions are filtering properly

Check:

• Email field contains valid address
• Email merge fields are correct
• Conditions allow email action
• Email sending limits not exceeded

Build a complete approval workflow with action rules:

1. Create Expense Reports table with fields:
   • Employee Name, Amount, Description
   • Status (options: Draft, Pending, Approved, Rejected)
   • Submitted Date, Approved Date, Approved By
2. Create a table component showing all expense reports

1. "Submit for Approval" Action Link:
   • Visibility: Status equals "Draft"
   • Action Rules:
     • Update Status to "Pending"
     • Set Submitted Date to Current Date/Time
     • Send Email to manager
2. "Approve" Action Link:
   • Visibility: Status equals "Pending" AND User Role equals "Manager"
   • Action Rules:
     • Update Status to "Approved"
     • Set Approved Date to Current Date/Time
     • Set Approved By to Auto Logged User
     • Send Email to employee
3. "Reject" Action Link:
   • Visibility: Status equals "Pending" AND User Role equals "Manager"
   • Action Rules:
     • Update Status to "Rejected"
     • Send Email to employee with rejection notice

1. Create a draft expense report
2. Click "Submit for Approval" - verify status changes and email sent
3. As manager, click "Approve" - verify approval details recorded
4. Verify emails sent at each step

Action rules provide user-triggered automation:

• Attached to action links in data components
• Execute when users click buttons or links
• Perfect for approvals and workflow transitions
• Support multiple actions per button
• Use conditions for smart, context-aware behavior
• Control visibility based on status, role, or conditions
• Essential for building interactive applications