What is a routine?
A routine is a rule that runs on its own, on a schedule or when something happens, such as sending a set reply when a message with a keyword arrives.
Also called: Automation.
In plain words
Many small tasks in a business inbox repeat exactly. Someone comments "price" under a post, someone asks for your opening hours, or a chat goes quiet and you want to tag it for follow-up. A routine handles these the same way every time, without anyone having to remember.
Every routine has two parts: a trigger and an action. The trigger can be a time, such as every weekday at nine, or an event, such as a new message, a keyword or no reply after a number of hours. The action is what happens next: send a set reply, tag the chat, notify another system or email you a summary.
A routine is not an AI. It does exactly what you set up, with the words you wrote. That makes it predictable, which suits simple campaigns and reminders. For real questions that need understanding, an AI agent is the better fit, and the two work well side by side.
How it works in Spaces
Spaces routines run daily, at an interval, on a custom schedule, or when an event happens: a new message, a keyword, a LinkedIn connection accepted, or no reply after a number of hours. Actions include sending a message, replying with snippets saved on the routine, tagging the chat, calling a webhook, or emailing an unread summary. On Instagram, a routine can reply to comments and message the commenter once.
Routines can run inside working hours you set on them, and outside those hours they wait. A routine send uses the same limits as any other send, a paused account stops it, and you can pause, change or delete a routine and read what it did.
Related terms
- Workflow: A workflow is a short series of messages sent with a delay between each one, which stops as soon as the person replies.
- Scheduled message: A scheduled message is a message written now and sent automatically at a set local time later, such as an appointment reminder for the morning before.
- Comment-to-DM: Comment-to-DM is answering a comment on your post with a private message to the person who wrote it, so details such as prices or bookings move out of public view.
- Webhook: A webhook is a message one service sends automatically to another's web address the moment something happens, such as a new customer message arriving.
FAQ
Is a routine the same as an AI agent?
No. A routine sends the set words you wrote when its trigger fires. An AI agent reads each message and decides what to say.
What can start a routine?
A schedule, a new message, a keyword, a LinkedIn connection accepted, or no reply after a number of hours.
Do routines follow the sending limits?
Yes. A routine send uses the same limits as a manual send, and a limit delays the job.
Can a routine run only during working hours?
Yes. Working hours can be set on a routine, and outside them it waits.
Can I see what a routine did?
Yes. Each routine keeps a list of its runs, with what happened and when.
Useful next: Stop missing messages after hours, Sending limits, Docs. Every term: the glossary.