Flow: SocialHour
In some countries, marketing messages are sent during specific time duration due to restrictions set by their governments'. The SocialHour node is used to configure specific time duration for the day and validate the time set before node actions can be executed. When a flow is executed to send an SMS, the SocialHour node will verify the time duration before proceeding in a workflow. If the time falls in the non-social hour period, the messages are queued and sent during the next social hour period or the flow is terminated.
For example, an SMS to be sent out only in the morning hours of the day (let's assume 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.) can be configured using this node. When the request placed is not in the social hours (before 9:00 A.M. or after 12:00 P.M.) based on the configuration, the flow can either wait until next morning (when it will be in the next social hour window) to be executed or end without waiting.
SocialHour Policy
The SocialHour policies are defined as follows:
- Wait for next available social hours: When this policy is selected, the session is paused until the next available social hour window. Once the next social hour window is reached, the actions configured in the workflow are executed.
All requests in this policy exit through the success edge on the node.
Note
By default, the flow waits for the next available social hour window.
Optional Delay Time
In case the policy is set to wait for the next available social hour window, the session pauses and additional details added (optional) in the workflow can be configured. This additional time is to accommodate additional requests on a specific day or to execute the additional requests from the previous social hour window.
Note
The default delay time is 30 minutes and the maximum delay time is 120 minutes.
For example, for a social hour window set between 9.00 and 18.00, a 30-minute delay will extend the social hour window to 18.30.
2. Drop requests that are not in social hours: When this policy is selected, all requests made in the non-social hours are dropped and are considered as a failed request. This node exits through the notinsocialhours error node.
Configure SocialHour
Double-click the SocialHour to open the configuration window.
- From the SocialHour node, select Settings tab.
- From the Social hours policy drop-down menu, select a policy.
- To add additional time delay (optional), select the Add additional delay check box and enter the delay time.
For more information on the policies, see SocialHour Policy.
- To customize days with social hours, enable the customize by day button.
- To select the days when the social hours should be enabled, select the check boxes from Monday to Friday. Enter the time during which the social hours should be enabled.
To configure multiple time intervals within social hours that need to be exempted, select except during checkbox and enter the exempted time.
Note
Exempted time periods have to be contained in the working hours period.
In case the working days are customized, then the default view when the node is re-opened; and will display the custom set of working days.
- To add multiple holidays at once, paste multiple comma separated dates into the date picker and click Add. Previously configured holidays can be deleted in one instance.
- Select a time zone from the cumulative list of time zones drop-down menu. The current server time is the local server time in GMT.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Social hour policy | Is a drop-down menu, which allows user to select from: Wait for next available social hours: This policy pauses a session (with optional added delay) until next allowed social hours window. All requests exit through success edge on wait timeout. Drop requests not in social hours: This policy terminates requests that do not fall within the social hours window. Failed requests exit through the notinsocialhour error edge. |
| Add additional delay in minutes | In case the policy is set to wait for the next available social hour window, the session pauses and additional details added (optional) in the workflow can be configured. |
| Customize by day | To customize the working days in which social hours will apply. Default value is set from Monday to Friday. |
| Select a day to enable social hours | Select the days when the social hours should be enabled, by selecting the check boxes from Monday to Friday. Enter the time during which the social hours should be enabled. |
| Set social hours exception | Add list of days that can be exempted from social hours. For example, if Thursday is a national holiday, then assign it using the date picker and click Add. |
| Holidays (Days off) | Configure holidays to exclude from social hours. |
| Time Zone (of the request) | Select from the list of time zones. Current server time is the local server time in GMT. |
| Name | Name of the node is displayed as a string. Enter a new name for the node or continue with the displayed name. |
SESSION DATA
For information on session data, click here.
CUSTOM LOGS
For information on custom logs, click here.
NODE EVENTS
Figure below describes the SocialHour node events.
Table below describes the events in the node events tab.
| Exit Event | Description |
|---|---|
| onsuccess | This event is triggered when the all requests in the policy exits through the success node. |
| onerror | This event is triggered when all the requests are made in non-social hours and the policy is not set to nextsocialhours, then the requests exit through an error node. |
| notinsocialhour | This event pauses the requests until the next allowed social hours window (as configured in Add additional delay). All requests exit through success node on wait timeout. |
Updated about 5 years ago