Automations vs. creating an order
When to use the app's Automations and when to create orders directly with the API.
LettrLabs gives you two ways to put mail in motion. They are not competitors — they sit at different points on the "how much do I want to run myself" scale.
The two paths
- Create an order (API) — you call
POST /v1/orderyourself, attach recipients, and check out. You own the trigger, the timing, and the recipient list. Fully programmatic, one order at a time. See Creating an Order. - Automations (app) — you configure a rule in the LettrLabs app
(Automations) that places orders for
you when something happens (a CRM event, a list import, a proximity trigger).
The matching API surface is the Automations group
(
/v1/integration-orders, see the API Reference), used to feed and inspect those integration‑driven orders.
Which should I use?
| Use Create an Order when… | Use Automations when… |
|---|---|
| Your own system decides when to mail | A recurring or event‑driven rule should mail for you |
| You want full control of each order in code | You want the app to manage the trigger and cadence |
| One‑off or batch sends on your schedule | Ongoing campaigns tied to CRM / list / location events |
Rule of thumb
If you can answer "my code decides exactly when and to whom", create orders directly. If you'd rather "set it up once and let an event drive it", use Automations. Many integrations use both — Automations for the steady‑state flow, direct order creation for the exceptions.