---
title: "Conditionally Send Form and Event Communications"
slug: "adding-exports-and-filters-on-form-communications"
updated: 2026-05-04T17:47:54Z
published: 2026-05-04T17:47:54Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Conditionally Send Form and Event Communications

[Form and event communications](/v1/docs/form-communications) can include **message conditions**, which are filters that control which registrants receive a mailing. Message conditions can also make additional merge fields available in mailings when exports are added. Conditions use the same exports and filters available elsewhere in your database, and they can be added to any form or event communication regardless of its trigger.

For example, if you collect an **OK to text?** field on an event registration and schedule a text reminder 24 hours before the event, you can add a condition that filters for an affirmative response to **OK to text?**. Only registrants who opted in receive the reminder.

## Adding conditions to a form or event communication

To add filters or additional exports to a form or event communication:

1. Go to **Forms** or **Events**.
2. Select a form or event, or [create a new form](/v1/docs/creating-a-form) or [event](/v1/docs/events-events-and-interviewsevents).
3. Select **Edit Communications**.
4. Select a mailing, or [create a new form mailing](/v1/docs/form-communications) or [event mailing](/v1/docs/event-communications-overview).
5. Select **Edit Conditions**.
6. Configure the following settings:
  - **Exclusivity Group**: Select an exclusivity group, or select **Other** and enter a name to create a new one. The exclusivity group makes sure registrants receive only one message per trigger and group.
  - **Group Priority**: Enter the priority as a number, with **1** as the highest priority. This setting appears when you select an exclusivity group. See [Exclusivity groups and priorities](/v1/docs/adding-exports-and-filters-on-form-communications#exclusivity-groups-and-priorities).
  - **Custom Merge Fields**: Select exports to use as merge fields in the message body.
  - **Custom Filters**: Add filters that determine which registrants receive the message.
7. Select **Save**.
8. Select **Edit Message**.
9. [Build the message content](/v1/docs/configuring-a-message). Exports added as custom merge fields are now available in the message editor.

## Exclusivity groups and priorities

The exclusivity groups created in **Edit Conditions** are specific to the form or event. They do not appear alongside other exclusivity groups in **Database** → **Rules**.

Mailings in an exclusivity group are evaluated against the registrant's record based on priority, with **1** as the highest priority. When a registrant meets the criteria for a mailing in the group, that message is sent and no further mailings in the group are evaluated.

> [!WARNING]
> 📝 Note
> 
> Registrants can receive multiple mailings if they meet criteria across different exclusivity groups, or if they match both a mailing inside an exclusivity group and one without a group. Exclusivity only applies in a single group.

## Merge fields

Exports added as custom merge fields in **Edit Conditions** become available in the message editor alongside the standard system merge fields. Keep the following guidance in mind.

- **Empty values**: If a registrant's record has no value for a custom merge field, that field renders blank in the message.
- **Redundant merge fields**: Only add exports in **Edit Conditions** for fields that are not already available in the message editor. Form fields collected on the form, such as **Entry Term**, are already accessible as system merge fields, such as `sys-field-entry_term`. Adding the same field again as a custom merge field in **Edit Conditions** creates a conflict that prevents the mailing from sending.

> [!CAUTION]
> 🛑 Redundant merge fields stop mailings from sending
> 
> ***Do not*** add a custom merge field for a field that is already available in the message editor. Redundant merge fields prevent the mailing from being sent.