In Front, click the gear icon, open personal, workspace or company settings, choose Rules, click Create rule and select Create linear rule. Name it, set the triggers, conditions and actions, then click Create. The rule applies to conversations from that point on, and how many rules you can have depends on your plan.
Pick the level before you build the rule
The first choice isn't what the rule does, it's where it lives. Front rules sit at one of three levels, and the level decides whose inbox the rule touches and who's allowed to make it.
- Personal rules apply only to your own individual inbox. Anyone can create them.
- Workspace rules apply to the shared inboxes in that workspace. Only workspace admins or company admins can create them.
- Company rules can apply across all individual and shared inboxes. Only company admins can create them, and they always take priority, running before individual or workspace rules.
Rules are available on all plans, so the question is only which level you need and whether you've got the access for it.
Building a linear rule from the settings menu
- Click the gear icon and open company, workspace or personal settings in the left sidebar.
- Select Rules and macros or Rules from the left menu, depending on your view.
- Click Create rule, then select Create linear rule.
- Give the rule a name your team will recognise.
- Set the trigger (When), the conditions (If) and the actions (Then). A simple example is an auto-reply to inbound messages in a Support inbox using a message template.
- Click Create.
Once it's created, the rule applies to all conversations moving forward. It won't go back and act on what's already in the inbox.
When, If and Then explained
Every rule has the same three parts. The trigger (When) is the event that starts it. The conditions (If) narrow down which conversations count. The actions (Then) are what Front does to them. Triggers can also be fired manually by a teammate or through Front's API, which is handy for one-off clean-ups.
Linear rules and branching rules
A linear rule runs its actions in order when the conditions are met. A branching rule defines several action paths from a single trigger, so one incoming email can be routed one way or another depending on what it contains. For a first rule, linear is the simpler place to start.
Stopping rules from setting each other off
If one rule's actions could trigger another rule, tick Stop processing other rules. That keeps a rule's actions from setting off the rest of your rules, which is the usual cause of a conversation bouncing between inboxes. Before you switch anything on, Front's Test rule feature checks whether conversations pass or fail the filter conditions and the resulting actions.
Plan limits, and why disabled rules still count
On the latest plans, Starter allows 10 workspace rules, Professional allows 20, and Enterprise allows unlimited workspace and company rules. Individual rules don't count toward the limit. A rule set or a branching rule counts as one rule, and rule sets can chain up to 500 similar rules into one.
The Front Help Center's Understanding rules article flags the part people miss: inactive rules still count. All active and disabled rules count against the plan limit, and if you hit it you have to delete inactive rules before you can create new ones. Personal rules are exempt, which makes them the workaround when only one person needs the automation.
How other help desks handle automation
Zendesk uses ticket triggers that run immediately after a ticket is created or updated and perform actions when conditions are met.
Freshdesk has automation rules that can run on ticket creation or update, including a Trigger Webhook action for external systems.
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My advice for your first Front rule
Start with one linear rule that saves your team the most repeat work, give it a clear name, and run Test rule before you switch it on. Delete rules you've abandoned rather than disabling them, because they still count against your limit. And use personal rules for anything only you need, so you keep your workspace allowance for the shared inboxes.
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Frequently asked questions
Who can create rules in Front?
Anyone can create personal rules. Workspace rules need a workspace or company admin, and company rules need a company admin.
What is the difference between a linear and a branching rule?
A linear rule runs its actions in order when the conditions are met. A branching rule defines several action paths from one trigger.
Is there a limit on how many rules I can have?
Yes, by plan: 10 workspace rules on Latest Starter, 20 on Latest Professional, and unlimited on Latest Enterprise. Personal rules don't count.
Do disabled rules count toward the limit?
Yes. Both active and inactive rules count.
Will a new rule apply to old conversations?
No. Front says the rule applies to all conversations moving forward.
