Kokar Help CenterBuilding an automation
Every trigger, condition and action available, what each one needs, and the limits on a single rule.
Triggers
A rule has exactly one trigger. Some triggers take settings that narrow them further β use those where you can, because they are checked before anything else.
| Trigger | Settings you can add |
|---|---|
| Task is created | β |
| Status changes | From certain statuses, to certain statuses, or both |
| Priority changes | From certain priorities, to certain priorities |
| Someone is assigned | Only certain people |
| Someone is unassigned | Only certain people |
| Due date changes | β |
| Start date changes | β |
| Tag is added | Only certain tags |
| Tag is removed | Only certain tags |
| Custom field changes | Which field (required), and optionally the new value |
| Task is renamed | β |
| Comment is added | β |
| Task is archived | β |
| Task is restored | β |
Conditions
Conditions are optional. Without them, the trigger alone decides. With them, the task must also match before any action runs.
Choose whether all conditions must be true or any of them.
| Field | What you can ask |
|---|---|
| Status | is / is not / is one of / is not one of / is set / is not set |
| Priority | is / is not / is one of / is not one of |
| Assignee | is one of / is not one of / is set / is not set |
| Tag | is one of / is not one of / is set / is not set |
| Due date | is set / is not set / is before / is after |
| Start date | is set / is not set / is before / is after |
| Time estimate | is set / is not set / equals / more than / less than |
| Is a subtask | yes / no |
| Task name | is / is not / contains / does not contain |
| Custom field | is / is not / is set / is not set / more than / less than / contains / does not contain |
Date conditions take either a fixed date or a number of days from today β which is what makes "due date is in the past" (before, 0 days) or "due within a week" (after, 7 days) keep working without rewriting the rule every morning.
Days are counted in your workspace's timezone
A task due today is not "in the past" until that day is over in your workspace's timezone, exactly as the task itself shows it. Set the timezone in Settings β Workspace.
Actions
A rule can carry up to six actions, and they run in the order you list them. Each action needs a matching permission at that location β Kokar checks when you save, not just when it runs.
| Action | What you need to use it |
|---|---|
| Change status | Edit access. Manager-only statuses need full edit |
| Change priority | Edit access |
| Change assignees β add, remove, replace or clear | Edit access |
| Change due date | Edit access |
| Change start date | Edit access |
| Change tags β add or remove | Edit access |
| Set time estimate | Edit access |
| Set a custom field | Edit access |
| Create a subtask | Permission to create items |
| Add a comment | Comment access |
| Send a notification | View access |
Dates can be set to a fixed date, today, or a number of days from the day the rule runs β so "due in 3 days" means three days from the moment it fires.
A rule refuses as a whole, not halfway
If the person who created the rule lacks the permission for even one of its actions, none of them run. A rule that half-applied would be harder to understand than one that visibly refuses.
Placeholders in text
Comments, notification titles and subtask names accept placeholders that Kokar fills in from the task:
| Placeholder | Becomes |
|---|---|
{{task.title}} | The task's name |
{{task.id}} | Its ID |
{{task.priority}} | Urgent, High, Normal, Low or None |
{{task.due_date}} | The due date, as 2026-08-19 |
{{task.start_date}} | The start date |
{{automation.name}} | The name of the rule itself |
Anything you type that is not on this list is left exactly as written, so a typo shows up in the result rather than silently disappearing.
Limits on a single rule
| Part of a rule | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Triggers | 1 |
| Conditions | 15 |
| Actions | 6 |
| Rules on one location | 50 |
These are per rule and per location. How many rules your workspace can have switched on at once, and how much they may do each month, depends on your plan β see Limits and usage.
Editing someone else's rule
You can change a rule if you created it, if you have full edit access to its location, or if you are a workspace admin or owner. A rule is shared infrastructure β when someone leaves, the people left behind have to be able to pick it up.
Frequently asked questions
Can one rule have two triggers?
No. A rule has exactly one trigger. When you want the same outcome from two different events, write two rules β they are easier to read and easier to switch off independently.
What is the difference between a trigger setting and a condition?
The trigger setting narrows the event ("status changed to Done"). A condition filters the task ("β¦and it is Urgent"). Use trigger settings where you can β they are checked first and cost nothing.
Can I use the person's name in a comment the automation posts?
Not yet. The available placeholders are the task's own fields plus the automation's name. Names of people and statuses are not available as placeholders.
My rule has a lock icon next to a status I want. Why can't I pick it?
That status is manager-only, and you are not a manager at that location. Your automation could never set it, so it is not selectable β ask someone with full edit access to create the rule instead.
Does a rule fire when I edit a task without really changing anything?
No. Re-saving the same value is not a change, so nothing fires.