Quick setup checklist
Follow these steps to create a Date & Time reference field that can be selected in campaign events.
Custom contact fields are created automatically when they are first updated in a flow.
To create a new field:
- Open an existing flow, or create a new one
- Add an Update the Contact action
- In Select what to update, type the name of the new field (example: Join Date)
[CAPTURE 1: Update the Contact action creating a new field]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 1
- Flow editor open
- Show: Update the Contact node
- Show: “Select what to update” input
- Show: New field name typed (e.g. Join Date)
- Avoid: Real contact data
- Avoid: Sensitive field names
Important
Contact fields created in flows default to Text. You must change the field type to Date & Time before it can be used in a campaign.
To store the exact moment a contact reaches this step in the flow, use the @(now()) expression.
- In the Update the Contact action, set the field value to
@(now()) - This records the exact date and time the contact passes through the node
[CAPTURE 2: Update the Contact action using @(now())]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 2
- Same Update the Contact node as CAPTURE 1
- Show: Field value set to @(now())
- Keep: Expression clearly visible
New contact fields are created as Text fields by default.
Before using the field in a campaign, you must change its type.
Update the field type
- Go to Contacts
- Click Manage Fields
- Locate the newly created field (e.g. Join Date)
- Open the field type dropdown
[CAPTURE 3: Manage Fields page showing the new field]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 3
- Contacts → Manage Fields page
- Show: Custom field name
- Show: Field type dropdown
- Avoid: Other unrelated fields if possible
Change the field type to Date & Time, then save the change.
[CAPTURE 4: Field type set to Date & Time]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 4
- Same Manage Fields page
- Show: Field type selected as Date & Time
- Confirm: The change is clearly visible
Once the field type is set correctly, it becomes available for campaign events.
Create (or edit) a campaign for the group you want to target:
- Go to Campaigns
- Click New Campaign
- Enter a campaign name
- Select the contact group the campaign applies to
[CAPTURE 5: New Campaign setup screen]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 5
- Campaign creation screen
- Show: Campaign name field
- Show: Group selection dropdown
- Use: Generic names (e.g. “Newsletter Campaign”)
A campaign event defines what happens and when, relative to a Date & Time field.
Configure your event:
- Click New Event
- Select your custom Date & Time field (e.g. Join Date)
- Set the timing (for example, 15 minutes after)
- Choose the action: Send a message or Start a flow
[CAPTURE 6: Campaign Event configuration using the custom field]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 6
- Campaign editor open
- Show: Custom contact field visible in the field dropdown
- Show: Relative timing configuration
- Avoid: Real message content or phone numbers
Note
Campaign events can only reference Date & Time contact fields. If the field is still Text, it will not appear in the dropdown.
After events are added, the campaign displays a list of upcoming messages or flows scheduled for the group.
Review the timing and actions to confirm everything is configured as expected.
[CAPTURE 7: Campaign events list]
Screenshot checklist — CAPTURE 7
- Campaign events list view
- Show: Event timing
- Show: Event action (message or flow)
- Keep: Clean, uncluttered layout
Common issues
I don’t see my custom field in the campaign event dropdown
Cause: The field type is still Text.
Fix: Change the field type to Date & Time in Manage Fields.
Campaign events are not triggering
Possible causes:
- Contacts never passed through the Update the Contact action
- The campaign is not active
Fix: Ensure contacts reach the flow step that sets the field, then confirm the campaign is activated.
I need multiple reference dates
Explanation: Each campaign event can reference only one Date & Time field.
Fix: Create additional Date & Time contact fields as needed.