Using CruiseControl Automated Messages

CruiseControl lets you set up automated emails that trigger based on customer activity, order status, or product dates. This article covers the types of automated messages available, how to set them up, and how to confirm they were sent.

Types of Messages

The following message types can be scheduled inside CruiseControl to trigger automatically based on a lead, all products, or a specific product.

Sales

• Lead Follow-Up: Schedule a follow-up email with prospective customers after an initial inquiry is submitted on your website.

Purchases

• After Initial Purchase: Communicate with your customer and all participants after the initial order is created. Use this to provide additional information about the products in the order or to up-sell products that were not initially purchased. This message will not be sent to canceled participants and will not be triggered for additions to the order.

Payment

• Balance Due: Automatically notify customers or reseller agents of a pending payment and provide an easy way to finalize payment. This message will not be triggered if a scheduled payment is already set to pay the entire balance.
• Balance Overdue: Automatically notify customers or reseller agents of overdue payments and provide an easy way to finalize payment. This message will not be triggered if a scheduled payment is already set to pay the entire balance.

Pre Start Date

• Pre Start Date Information: Communicate with the customer and all participants or reseller agent prior to departure. Provide additional information about the items purchased to better prepare participants, or invite engagement via social media. This message will not be sent to canceled participants.
• Missing Participant Details: Notify the customer or reseller agent that one or more participants are missing required details.

Post End Date

• Post End Date Information: Send a message to the customer and all participants or reseller agent up to 365 days after the last end date of any product(s) on the order.

How to Set Up an Automated Message

Navigate to CruiseControl > Automated Messages > New Message and select the type of message you want to set up.

On the following page, complete these fields to build your automated message:

• Send: Enter how many days before or after the trigger event the message should be automatically sent.
• From Name: The name you want to appear as the sender.
• Reply To: The email address that will receive replies to your automated email.
• Subject: Give your email a clear, appropriate subject line to help it stand out in the recipient's inbox.
• Message Type: Select the kind of message you are sending. Some message types are restricted depending on the email category. Only After Purchase, Pre-Start, and Post-End emails can be either type.
• Promotional: For messages containing promotions, advertisements, or other marketing materials.
• Transactional: By selecting transactional, you agree that the main content of this message only communicates information relevant to participation in an existing order and does not contain promotions, advertisements, or other marketing information.
• Template Style (Lead Follow-Up only): Choose between Simple and Branded templates.
• Simple is a basic layout with minimal styling.
• Branded templates contain CSS and HTML to match your brand.

• Send Option: Select whether the email goes to the customer only or to the customer and all participants (requires valid email addresses on file). This option is not available on all email types.
• Email Content: The body of your message. This area supports formatted text and hyperlinks. Images are not currently supported.
• Trigger Message Settings: Choose whether your message triggers for all products or only for selected products.

Confirmation of Sent Messages

To check the status of a sent message, navigate to Contacts, select the contact you want to verify, and select Message History.

For a full list of message history statuses, see CruiseControl: Message History Status for Automated Email.

Updated on: 06/20/2026