🤓 Tip: Not all date fields in automation search criteria behave the same way. Some support a dynamic 'Today' value that updates automatically. Others require a fixed date, which becomes stale over time. Understanding the difference helps you build automations that work correctly without manual maintenance.
Dynamic vs Fixed Date Conditions
Field type | Supports dynamic 'Today'? | Example fields |
GDPR date fields | ✅ Yes — evaluates relative to today automatically | GDPR consent date, GDPR expiry date |
Email activity date fields | ❌ No — requires a fixed date value | Last sent email date, Last received email date |
⚠️ Important: The dynamic 'Today' date value (introduced in the February 2026 release) applies to GDPR automation fields only. Email activity fields such as Last sent email date do not currently support dynamic rolling date conditions.
Why This Matters for Re-engagement Automations
A common goal is to automatically capture contacts who haven't been emailed in more than X days and keep that list updating as time passes. For example: 'continuously find anyone with no sent email in the last 183 days.'
With GDPR date fields, you can do this with a dynamic condition that always evaluates relative to today. With email activity fields, this is not currently possible using a single rolling condition — you must use a fixed date, which means the threshold stays at a specific calendar date rather than moving forward each day.
Workaround: Using a Fixed Date with an Always-Running Automation
While a truly rolling 'older than X days' condition isn't available for email activity fields, you can get close to continuous behaviour with the following approach:
Set your search criteria to Last sent email date is before [a specific date].
Set the automation run mode to Always so it continuously re-evaluates synced CRM data.
New contacts that have never been emailed, or whose last sent email date predates your threshold, will keep entering the automation as the CRM syncs.
📌 Note: Because the date is fixed, the automation will not automatically advance the threshold as days pass. For example, if you set 'is before 1 January 2025', that date stays the same on 1 February 2025. You will need to periodically update the fixed date if you want the threshold to move forward.
How to Set Up an Ongoing Re-engagement Automation
Go to Automations and open or create your automation.
In the Search Criteria section, select Last sent email date.
Set the condition to is before and enter the date that represents your inactivity threshold (e.g. today's date minus 183 days).
Save the search configuration.
Set the automation run mode to Always.
Add your automation steps (e.g. send re-engagement email, create a task).
Save and activate the automation.
🤓 Tip: Note the date you entered as your threshold and set a calendar reminder to update it periodically if you need the rolling window to stay current.
Using Dynamic Dates for GDPR Automations
For GDPR date fields, you can use the dynamic Today value to create truly rolling conditions. This means the automation always evaluates relative to the current date - no manual updates needed.
In the Search Criteria section, select a GDPR date field (e.g. GDPR consent date).
Set the condition and select Today as the value instead of a fixed date.
The automation will evaluate this condition relative to the current date on every run.
🤔 FAQs
Q: Can I set 'Last sent email date is more than 183 days ago' as an ongoing rolling condition? A: Not currently. Email activity date fields do not support a dynamic rolling condition. You can use a fixed 'is before [date]' condition combined with an Always-running automation, but the date threshold will not advance automatically.
Q: Will the Always run mode make my automation truly continuous even with a fixed date? A: The automation will continuously re-evaluate CRM data and add any new records that match your criteria. However, the fixed date itself won't change — so the window of inactivity it captures will widen over time unless you manually update it.
Q: Which fields support the dynamic Today value? A: Currently, GDPR date fields support dynamic Today values. Email activity fields (Last sent email date, Last received email date) require a fixed date.