Automated access groups are a powerful way to segment your members based on behavior, location, or profile data — and automatically personalize their experience inside your community.

These groups act like smart “buckets” — when a member meets the rules you define, they’re added to the group, unlock relevant content, and can even receive custom messages.

Want a broader overview of groups? Check out our full Access Groups Overview →
Want to add messages or popups when people join a group? Explore our guide to Workflows →

What Can You Do With Automated Groups?

Automated groups let you:

• Unlock exclusive courses, docs, or events based on engagement

• Send targeted DMs with Workflows

• Create private channels based on location or behavior

• Gamify your community (e.g. “Power User” badges, event unlocks)

• Identify at-risk members who’ve stopped logging in

• Build interest groups and support chapters by geography

Available Filters for Automation

Here’s a full list of filters you can use to build your group rules:

Member Activity

• Posts: Set a minimum/maximum number of posts (e.g. "at least 10 in the last month")

• Comments: Same as posts — can set time spans like 30 days or all time

• Reactions Received: Filter by emoji, by sender (e.g. only count reactions from admins/mods), and set quantity (e.g. “10 👍 from admins”)

• Events Attended: Greater than/less than logic available

Engagement Timelines

• Join Date: Absolute (before/after a date) or relative (joined within X days)

• Last Login: Same as above — works well for detecting inactive users

Membership & Role

• Groups: Must be in (or not in) certain other access groups

• Roles: Include or exclude admins/mods from logic

Location Filters

• City-based: e.g. users within 25 miles of Chicago

• Zip code radius: e.g. users within 10 miles of 90210

• Country-based: e.g. all users in Canada

Email

• Filter members by email conditions:

  • Contains @company.com

  • Does not contain @gmail.com

  • Is or is not a specific address

💡Tip: You can combine filters using AND/OR logic for complex targeting.

How to Build an Automated Group (Step-by-Step)

1. Go to Settings → Access Groups

Click Create Group, name it, and select Automated under Group Membership.

2. Set Your Filters

You can:

• Build custom filters from scratch

• OR use a prebuilt template (e.g. Power Users, Less Active Members)

3. Assign Content

Choose what this group unlocks:

• Private discussion channels

• Events

• Courses

• Documents

As soon as someone qualifies, they’ll instantly get access to all content tied to the group.

4. Add Workflows (Optional, but recommended)

Send automatic messages or popups when someone joins:

• Use a direct message to say “Congrats, you unlocked access!”

• Set up emails or onboarding nudges tied to that moment

5. Create & Preview

Click Preview to see how many members currently qualify, then hit Create to activate.

Heartbeat will recheck your group logic every hour.

Real Examples You Can Try

• Power User Badge: 25 posts + 25 comments + 25 reactions → gets feedback channel & badge

• Fresh Joiners: Joined within 14 days → gets onboarding guide + new member orientation invite

• Local Groups: Anyone in a 25-mile radius of Atlanta → gets Atlanta-specific event invites

• Lurkers: Logged in but never posted → gets a DM asking what they’re stuck on

• Gamification: Attend 2 events + leave 5 comments → unlock free course + Fast Learner badge

Best Practices

• Keep filters simple to start. Too many rules = fewer matches

• Use badges to make groups visible in the community

• Pair automated groups with Workflows to drive next steps

• Don’t over-gamify: volume doesn't always mean value. Reward real contributions.

Related

How to Create Badges →
How to Gamify Your Community →