Understanding Intentwise's Automated Rules

Learn how Intentwise's rules automate bid management, resolve conflicts, and ensure smooth performance for optimized advertising results.

At Intentwise, rules play a vital role in automating and optimizing your advertising campaigns. They help manage routine tasks and ensure your ads perform efficiently. Let’s take a closer look at how these rules function within the platform.

What Are Automated Rules?

Automated rules are preset instructions that tell the system to take action based on certain triggers. For example, if you're running a campaign and you want to adjust bids or budgets at specific times, these rules make sure those changes happen automatically. They save time and ensure consistency. Learn how to create automated rules on Intentwise.

How Do Rules Affect You?

Automated Rule Management
The system ensures that your settings stay updated even if something goes wrong. For instance, if one rule fails, the system can still continue with other tasks without needing manual intervention.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution in Automated Rules happens at the target (keyword/ASIN) level. If multiple rules try to change the same target at the same time, the system decides which change to keep based on rule priority and the smallest bid change. This way, each target gets updated correctly and without errors. More details in the second part of this article.
Default Impression Filter

A default filter of "Impressions > 0" is automatically applied to most rule types. If no specific impression filter is defined, this ensures that inactive elements are excluded, allowing your rules to be more effective. Note that this filter applies to all rules except for Search terms.
More Flexibility in Timing
You don't need to wait for long periods between two rules. For example, if you have rules set to run within close intervals, the system can handle them without delays, keeping your operations efficient.
Handling Failures Smoothly
If one part of the system (like an external connection) fails, it won’t stop everything. The system remembers the current state of your settings and resumes from where it left off. This means minimal disruption to your campaigns or operations.
Future-Proofing with Rescheduling
If a rule fails or doesn’t execute as planned, the system can reschedule it for later. But it will only re-run if the new execution is still relevant, meaning the platform avoids unnecessary actions.

Key Components That Keep Things Running Smoothly

Rules Engine: This is the brain that decides when and how to execute your rules. It makes sure everything happens at the right time.
Conflict Resolution: Whenever there’s a clash between rules, this component steps in to decide which rule should take priority.
State Management: If a rule doesn’t complete its task, the system tracks the current state of your settings so nothing gets lost.

Conflict Resolution

Sometimes, more than one rule tries to change the same bid (keyword, auto target, or product target) at the same time. This is called a conflict.

To keep things consistent, Automated Rules follow a conflict resolution process.

Types of Rules

Independent Rule (IR): A one-time rule that changes bids.
Main Rule (MR): A rule that changes bids and is linked to an Undo Rule.
Undo Rule (UR): Reverses the change made by its Main Rule.

How Conflicts Are Resolved

Undo Rules come first.
If there are no Undo Rules, Main Rules take priority over Independent Rules.
If multiple rules of the same type apply, the system picks the rule that makes the smallest change to the bid.

Think of it as: UR > MR > IR.

Examples

1. Main Rule vs Undo Rule

At 2 PM: MR1 increases bid on kw1 from $1 → $2.
At 4 PM: UR1 undoes MR1 (back to $1).
At 4 PM: MR2 also wants to raise the bid by $1.

What happens:

UR1 runs first, setting bid back to $1.
MR2 then increases it to $2.

Final bid: $2.

2. Two Main Rules (or Independent Rules)

MR1 raises kw1 from $1 → $2.
MR2 raises kw1 from $1 → $3.

What happens:

Both rules want to increase, but the system picks the smaller change.

Final bid: $2.

3. Two Undo Rules

UR1 reduces bid from $4 → $2.
UR2 reduces bid from $4 → $1.

What happens:

Undo rules are compared. The smaller change (UR1) is applied.

Final bid: $2.

4. Main Rule vs Independent Rule

MR1 raises kw1 from $1 → $5.
IR1 raises kw1 from $1 → $4.

What happens:

Even though IR1 is a smaller change, Main Rules always win over Independent Rules.

Final bid: $5.

5. Multiple Main, Independent, and Undo Rules

At 2 PM: Two Undo Rules run → final undo bid is $2.
Then Main Rules (MR3 + MR4) and Independent Rules (IR1 + IR2) want to increase the bid further.
- MR3: $2 → $9 (+$7)
- MR4: $2 → $8 (+$6)
- IR1: $2 → $7 (+$5)
- IR2: $2 → $6 (+$4)

What happens:

Undo Rules finish first → bid = $2.
Main Rules take priority over Independent Rules.
Among the Main Rules, MR4 makes the smaller change (+$6 vs +$7).

Final bid: $8.

To summarize:

Undo always runs first.
Main beats Independent.
When in doubt, the smaller change wins.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What time zone does Intentwise use when running automated rules?

Automated rules in Intentwise run according to the time zone set at the account level. This means actions like pausing campaigns, adjusting budgets, or changing bids will execute based on the local time zone configured for your account.

For example, if your account is set to Mexico City time, your scheduled rules will follow that time zone.