A cascade is a fallback delivery scenario that you use in a broadcast. A cascade describes an order in which the system sends the messages through one or several channels detailing the conditions of moving from one channel to the next one.
How Cascades Work
Cascades can include steps with one or several channels. Cascades with several channels increase the probability that your client will receive the message that you are sending.
To start a broadcast, you must specify at least one channel for a cascade (so at least one cascade must be set up and have the Active status). After that, while working on the broadcast settings, you can select a message template for every step of the cascade.
A cascade includes a sequence of steps that the system takes based on the rules you specify. So, for example, you want to create a cascade in which you want the system to try to reach your client first via WhatsApp, then – via Viber, and finally – via SMS. You set up this sequence and you also specify that the system must move to the next step if the message hasn’t been delivered via the previous channel in 30 seconds.
This way, the system broadcasts the message as follows:
1. First, it sends the message to the client via WhatsApp.
2. If the client doesn’t receive the message in 30 seconds, the system sends it via Viber.
3. Finally, if the client doesn’t receive the message via Viber in 30 seconds, it sends it via SMS. This finishes the cascade.
This way, the system broadcasts the message as follows:
1. First, it sends the message to the client via WhatsApp.
2. If the client doesn’t receive the message in 30 seconds, the system sends it via Viber.
3. Finally, if the client doesn’t receive the message via Viber in 30 seconds, it sends it via SMS. This finishes the cascade.
To create a cascade, you must successfully connect at least one channel in edna platform (the channel must have the Active status).
How to Create Cascade
- In the edna platform, go to Settings > Cascades and click Add cascade. The Edit cascade page opens.
- In the Name field, specify the name of the cascade (for example, WhatsApp > Viber > SMS).
- Ignore the Cascade ID field: this is a system field, it will fill in automatically upon saving the cascade.
- In the Cascade rules section, specify the order and the rules the system will use to send the messages via the channels you select. For the first step, from the drop-down, select the first channel to be used in the cascade (for example, WhatsApp for Marketing). Then, the first step is displayed as follows:
All the audience you include in the broadcast will receive the messages sent via this channel. Note that you can’t remove the first step of any cascade, as it needs to have at least one. - Click the Add step button to specify the second step of the cascade. From the drop-down, select the second channel to be used in the cascade.
- In the fields below the channel name, specify the time period after which the system needs to send the message via the selected second channel if the client doesn’t receive it via the first one. The time periods fields are mandatory.
- Repeat the steps 5 and 6 for as many channels as you need.
Note that you can only add as many channels to a cascade as you have set up. You cannot add the same channel to a cascade twice. So, if you have two WhatsApp channels and one Viber channel, you can create a cascade with maximum of three steps. - Once done, review the sequence in which the system will send the messages to your clients in the Sequence of messages box.
- Click Save.
Now, if necessary, you can review your cascade on the Cascades page. Note that in the Channels column, the cascade has the visual representation of the channels used for it, and the status of the cascade is Active, as shown in the following screenshot:
On this page, you can open any cascade by clicking its name in the Cascade name column or by clicking Actions > Edit. Click Actions > Remove if you want to remove the cascade.