> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gameball.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Do I Make Edits on Active Automation?

> Learn what happens to customers engaged with a running automation when you make changes to the workflow.

Understanding the impact of editing active automation is essential for maintaining a smooth customer experience. This article outlines how edits affect both existing and new participants in Gameball automation.

<Info>
  Changes generally **do not affect** customers already in the automation unless stated otherwise. **Newly enrolled** customers always follow the **updated version**.
</Info>

***

## General Behavior

* If **"Auto-exit on audience or frequency mismatch"** is enabled, existing customers are **re-evaluated** before each step and may exit if they no longer qualify.
* These rules apply whether the automation is **active or inactive**, as long as it is **not a draft**.

***

## Settings

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Editing Audience" icon="users">
    **Existing customers:**

    * Customers already inside the automation will **stay** and continue their flow.
    * New audience rules apply **only to new entrants**.

    **If "Auto-exit on mismatch" is enabled:**

    * Existing customers are **re-evaluated** before the next step.
    * If they no longer match the updated audience, they are **automatically exited** from their current cycle.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Editing Frequency" icon="repeat">
    **If the new limit is higher (e.g., from one-time to multiple):**

    * Customers can re-enter if they trigger the automation again.
    * Ongoing cycles continue normally.

    **If the new limit is lower (e.g., from multiple to one-time):**

    * Customers already at the new limit will complete their current cycle and will not re-enter.

    **If "Auto-exit on mismatch" is enabled while frequency is edited:**

    * Customers are re-evaluated before their next step. Those exceeding the updated frequency are automatically exited.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Auto-exit on Audience/Frequency Mismatch" icon="arrow-right-from-bracket">
    | State        | Behavior                                                                                                                                             |
    | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Enabled**  | Existing customers are re-evaluated before each step. If they no longer match the audience or exceed entry frequency, they are automatically exited. |
    | **Disabled** | Customers continue their journey without re-checks once they start a cycle, even if they no longer meet the original criteria.                       |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Editing Scheduling" icon="calendar">
    | Field          | Rule                                                   |
    | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
    | **Start Date** | Can be edited if it has not passed yet.                |
    | **End Date**   | Can be changed anytime, regardless of campaign status. |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Editing Exit Rule" icon="door-open">
    When an exit rule is **added or edited**:

    * Existing customers are **re-evaluated before their next step**.
    * If they now match the exit condition, they are **automatically exited** from the automation.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Trigger & Actions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Trigger" icon="bolt">
    **Updating or Changing the Trigger:**

    * Existing customers already in the automation are **not affected**.
    * The new trigger applies **only to new entrants**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Action — Add, Update, or Delete" icon="gear">
    * If a customer has already passed this step, they are not affected.
    * The new action or values apply to all customers who have not yet reached that step.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Controllers

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Time Delay" icon="clock">
    | Scenario    | Behavior                                                                                             |
    | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Updated** | Customers already waiting follow the **original delay**. The new delay applies only to new entrants. |
    | **Deleted** | All customers currently in this step are **exited** from the automation.                             |
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Wait for an Event" icon="hourglass">
    | Scenario             | Behavior                                                                                          |
    | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Duration updated** | Existing customers continue based on the original duration. New entrants follow the new duration. |
    | **Event updated**    | Allowed only in draft. Once the campaign is live, this cannot be changed.                         |
    | **Node deleted**     | All customers in this step are **exited** from the automation.                                    |
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Deactivating an Automation

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Deactivating" icon="pause">
    When **deactivated**, customer progress is saved. Customers resume from the same step when the automation is reactivated.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Reactivating" icon="play">
    When **reactivated**, customers are re-evaluated based on the following rules:

    **If the customer was in a Time Delay:**

    1. If the wait time **has passed** while inactive, the next step is triggered immediately.
    2. If the wait time **has not passed**, the customer continues waiting as expected.
    3. If the wait time was **edited while inactive**, customers waiting in this block resume based on the **original duration**. The new duration applies only to new entrants.

    **If the customer was in a Wait for Event:**

    1. If the wait time has elapsed and the event did not occur, the customer is exited.
    2. If the event happens during inactivity and the wait time has passed, the step is marked as elapsed.
    3. Events that occur while the automation is inactive are not detected or counted.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

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