Create Automated Due Date Rules

This guide explains how to create automated due date rules in Trello using Butler, allowing you to automatically trigger actions when cards reach specific due date milestones. Due date automations help teams stay on top of deadlines by automatically moving cards, assigning members, sending notifications, or performing other actions based on timing.

When to Use Due Date Automations

Due date automations are essential for teams that need systematic deadline management and proactive task handling. Common use cases include:

• Sending reminder notifications before due dates
• Moving overdue cards to specific lists for review
• Automatically assigning team members to urgent tasks
• Adding labels or checklists based on deadline proximity

Understanding Butler Due Date Triggers

Butler's due date automation system supports various timing triggers including specific time periods before or after due dates, exact due date matching, and overdue conditions. The system runs checks multiple times per day to ensure timely execution of automated actions.

Accessing Due Date Automations

To access due date automations, navigate to your board and click the Show menu button, then select Automation from the menu. In the automation dashboard, you'll find the Due date automations section with pre-built templates and the option to create custom rules.

1

From the automation dashboard, review the Due date automations section which displays common automation templates. You'll see options like sending notifications 2 hours before a card is due, or moving cards 1 day after they're due. These templates provide quick setup for common scenarios, but you can also create custom rules for specific timing needs.

2

Click the Create a due date automation button to begin setting up a custom automation rule. This opens the automation builder where you'll define both the trigger conditions (when the automation runs) and the actions (what happens when triggered).

3

In the automation builder, click + Add Trigger to define when your automation should execute. The trigger is the condition that must be met for the automation to run, such as a specific time before or after a due date.

4

Select the timing for your trigger from the dropdown menu. Options include before the due date, on the due date, or after the due date. This determines the temporal relationship between your automation trigger and the card's due date.

5

Enter the specific time duration in the input field. You can specify time in various units such as hours, days, or weeks. For example, enter 2 hours to trigger the automation 2 hours before the due date, or 1 day to trigger 1 day after the due date.

6

Click + Add Action to specify what should happen when the trigger condition is met. Actions can include moving cards between lists, adding or removing labels, assigning members, creating notifications, or adding comments to cards.

7

From the action menu, select the type of action you want to perform. Common options include Move card, Add label, Assign member, Send notification, or Add comment. Choose the action that best fits your workflow needs.

8

Configure the specific details for your chosen action. For example, if you selected Move card, you'll need to specify which list to move the card to. If you chose Add label, select the specific label color and name.

9

Review your automation rule configuration and click Save to activate the automation. The rule will now automatically monitor cards with due dates and execute the specified actions when trigger conditions are met. Your automation will appear in the active automations list where you can edit or disable it later if needed.

Advanced Configuration Options

Due date automations support additional configuration options for more sophisticated workflows:

• Multiple Actions: Add multiple actions to a single trigger for comprehensive automation
• Conditional Logic: Apply additional conditions such as list location, labels, or member assignments
• Variable Usage: Include dynamic content like card names, due dates, or member information in notifications

Common Due Date Automation Scenarios

Deadline Reminder System

Create escalating reminders by setting up multiple automations: one that adds a "Due Soon" label 3 days before the due date, another that assigns the card creator 1 day before, and a final one that moves overdue cards to a "Needs Attention" list.

Overdue Task Management

Automatically handle overdue tasks by moving them to a dedicated review list, adding a red "Overdue" label, and notifying project managers via comment or external notification systems.

Best Practices for Due Date Automations

• Use descriptive names for your automation rules to make them easy to identify and manage
• Set reasonable time intervals to avoid notification fatigue or overwhelming team members
• Regularly review and update automation rules as your team's workflows evolve
• Monitor automation usage to ensure rules are performing as expected and not causing unintended side effects

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Automation not triggering: Verify that cards have due dates set and that the automation rule is enabled
• Wrong timing execution: Check your time zone settings and ensure the timing configuration matches your expectations
• Actions not executing: Ensure target lists, labels, or members specified in actions still exist and are accessible

Conclusion

Due date automations in Trello provide powerful deadline management capabilities that help teams stay organized and proactive about task completion. By setting up systematic triggers and actions based on due dates, you can reduce manual oversight while ensuring important deadlines never slip through the cracks.

Start with simple reminder automations and gradually build more sophisticated workflows as your team becomes comfortable with the system. The key is finding the right balance between helpful automation and avoiding notification overwhelm.