How do DocBots Work?
DocBots are created with Lyris List Manager by combining two features: "Auto-Responders" and "Action Phrases".
An Auto-Responder is an email address that responds to any mail sent to it by sending back a standard document. For instance, an Auto-responder called "prices@acme.com" might always respond
with a product price list. Auto-responders do not look at the content of the email they receive, they always reply with the same document. Auto-responders are useful when you only have one document
you want to send out, and you want to make things as simple as possible for your users.
An Action Phrase is an instruction to Lyris List Manager to look for a certain word or phrase, and if it is found, to respond with a document you specify. A common use of Action Phrases is to block
inappropriate content from being contributed to your mailing lists (such as messages with swearing or with sales offers, etc.). Action phrases can also be applied to Auto-responders, to make an
intelligent Auto-Responder, what we call a DocBot. Action Phrases applied to an Auto-Responder take precedence over the standard response of the Auto-Responder. See Server Action Phrases
.
When someone sends mail to an Action Phrase enhanced Auto-Responder, Lyris List Manager first checks to see if any of the Action Phrases match. If there is a match, then that Action is taken. If no
Action Phrase matches, then the standard response document of the Auto-Responder is sent back.
Thus, a DocBot is really an Auto-Responder that has been given extra intelligence with Action Phrases.
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