The rules, as the code runs them.
The examples and the words each rule records are generated from the code that enforces them.
These are the defaults. You can change them for your company, and an agent’s own caps can only be stricter.
Eight rules, in the order they run.
Plain code with no AI in it. It runs when an agent proposes, and again when you approve, just before the change is made.
First, an action set to Not allowed is stopped, and so is one using library creative or copy that isn’t approved. Then the first rule that fails stops the proposal and records why; a big move between campaigns waits for you instead.
- 1The stop buttonWhile it’s on, every proposal is refused, whatever it is.Company, one buttonExample: Any proposal while the stop button is onStopped“All agents are paused.”
- 2No negative budgetsA budget below zero is refused outright.Built inExample: A budget set below zeroStopped“A budget can't go below zero.”
- 3Limit per changeNo single change can raise or cut an agent’s total daily budget by more than 20%. A launch starts from nothing, so the daily caps hold it instead.Default 20%, set for the companyExample: An agent’s total from $212 to $286 a day, a 35% raiseStopped“A 35% change is over your 20% limit per change.”
- 4Agent daily capA raise or launch that would take this agent’s own daily budget over its cap is refused.Default the company’s $400 a day; an agent’s own can only be lowerExample: A $40 launch from an agent at $250 a day, with its own cap at $275Stopped“That would take this agent to $290 a day, over its $275 cap.”
- 5Company daily cap, every agent togetherA raise or launch that would take every agent’s daily budgets, added together, over the company’s cap is refused.Default $400 a day, set for the companyExample: $180 to $200 a day for one campaign, when every agent together already runs $390 a dayStopped“That would take all agents to $410 a day, over the company's $400 cap.”
- 6Monthly capOnce the month’s spend reaches the cap, no raise goes through.Default $10,000 a month, set for the companyExample: Any raise once the month’s spend has reached the capStopped“This month's spend has reached your $10,000 cap. Budgets can't go up until next month.”
- 7Moves between campaignsMoving more than 50% of one campaign’s budget to another, at the same total, waits for a person, whatever the permission level.Default 50%, or 25%, set for the companyExample: $90 to $30 and $62 to $122 a day, the same total, a $60 moveWaits for you“Holiday Blend and gift sets would move 97%, $62 to $122 a day. Moving more than 50% of one campaign’s budget needs your approval.”
- 8Permission levelInside every limit, the action’s permission level decides: wait for you, or go ahead.Per action, per agentExample: $122 to $140 a day, inside every limit, set to You approveWaits for you
What every proposal is checked against
Each proposal lists these checks before you decide, with what each one found. A check that stops a proposal stops it whatever its permission level.
A check that needs data the company hasn’t connected says “Not checked”, never “Passed”. A setting that measures nothing says “Set”.
| Check | Applies to | When it passes | When it doesn’t |
|---|---|---|---|
| PermissionWhether this kind of action is allowed at all, for the company and for this agent. | Emails and messages, Ads, Budget changes, Moves between campaigns, Audience changes | Allowed | Stops itNot allowed |
| TrackingChanges on a platform with an open tracking alert wait until it’s fixed. Pauses still go through. | Emails and messages, Ads, Budget changes, Moves between campaigns, Audience changes | — | Stops itMeta tracking has had an open alert since Oct 27. Changes on Meta wait until it's fixed. |
| ConsentLeaves out anyone who hasn’t opted in to marketing email. | Emails and messages | — | Narrows it30 without consent left outWithout the data it needs: “Not checked”. |
| Suppression listsLeaves out the lists you switch on: people on a subscription, with an open order or ticket, marked do-not-contact or already talking to sales, and existing customers from acquisition email. | Emails and messages | — | Narrows itRemoved 80 already on a subscription, 10 marked do-not-contact, 20 with an open order or support ticketWithout the data it needs: “Not checked”. |
| Frequency capsHow often one person hears from you: 3 a week per person, across every agent. Extra sends wait. | Emails and messages | — | Narrows it40 at a cap, sent later (3 a week)Without the data it needs: “Not checked”. |
| Likely to unsubscribeLeaves out people your data marks as likely to unsubscribe. | Emails and messages | — | Narrows itSkipped 30 rated likely to unsubscribe |
| HoldoutKeeps 5% of the audience out, so the effect can be measured against people who didn’t get it. | Emails and messages, Ads, Audience changes | — | Narrows it50 held out (5%) |
| Quiet hours and send daysWhen a message may go out: your send days and blackout dates, outside quiet hours (by default, no email 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. local). | Emails and messages | 9 a.m. · none in quiet hours (9 p.m. to 7 a.m., their time) | Narrows it9 a.m. · 74 scheduled after quiet hours (9 p.m. to 7 a.m., their time) |
| Daily limit and gapHow many messages one person gets in a day, and how far apart: by default 1 a day, 24 hours apart. Anyone messaged too recently is sent later. | Emails and messages | No one messaged too recently (1 a day, 24 hours apart) | Narrows it15 messaged too recently, sent later (1 a day, 24 hours apart)Without the data it needs: “Not checked”. |
| Required contentEvery email must carry an unsubscribe link and your company’s postal address from your settings. An email missing either is stopped. | Emails and messages | Unsubscribe link and your postal address included | Stops itMissing an unsubscribe link and your postal address |
| Who gets itHow many people the email reaches after every rule above. | Emails and messages | 740 of 1,000 people | Reported on every proposal; it doesn’t stop one. |
| Banned phrasesPhrases you’ve banned, matched word for word, in copy from agents and people alike. | Emails and messages, Ads | None found | Stops itContains “healthiest” |
| Figures have a sourceEvery figure in an ad or email must come from an approved claim in your library that has a source. | Emails and messages, Ads | Each comes from a claim with its source | Stops it“20%”, “3” have no claim with a source |
| Brand reviewOn by default: the Brand Review agent reviews every ad and email for your voice, banned phrases and claims without a source, and passes it, rewrites it or holds it. Its verdict is the check: a rewrite reads Adjusted, a hold stops it. Turned off, it reads Off. | Emails and messages, Ads | On brand, as written | Stops itUses “healthiest”, on your banned list |
| DiscountsOffers worded as a percentage off, a free month, a month on us, or a discount. With discounts set to none, the default, they’re stopped. | Emails and messages, Ads | — | Stops itOffers a discount; none allowed |
| Spend limitsThe policy engine’s spend rules above, run on the money the proposal moves. | Ads, Budget changes, Moves between campaigns | $252 a day after this change, within your caps | Stops itA 35% change is over your 20% limit per change. |
| Special ad categoryIf your company is in housing, credit or employment, ads run under the platforms’ special-category rules. | Ads, Audience changes | Not a special category | Narrows itRuns as a housing ad |
| Minimum audienceAn audience must reach at least 1,000 people. | Ads, Audience changes | 1,800,000 people, at least 1,000 | Stops it400 people, below the smallest audience allowed (1,000) |
| Ad frequencyYour setting, 6 a week per person, sent with every launch. | Ads | Set6 a week per person | Sent with every launch; it doesn’t stop one. |
| ReallocationHow far a move between campaigns shifts each one, against the most that can move without your approval. | Moves between campaigns | Largest move: 32% to Holiday Blend and gift sets, within your 50% limit | Waits for youHoliday Blend and gift sets would move 97%, $62 to $122 a day. Moving more than 50% of one campaign’s budget needs your approval. |
The examples are sample proposals run through the checks: an email to 1,000 people, an ad launch, and a budget change from $122 a day. An example marked stopped by the tracking hold was run while its platform had an open tracking alert.
Who decides by default
Every kind of action starts at one of these levels. Change any of them for the company or for one agent, or set it to Not allowed.
- Change budgets
- Acts and notifies you
- Change bids
- Acts and notifies you
- Pause campaigns or ads
- Acts and notifies you
- Resume campaigns or ads
- Acts and notifies you
- Launch campaigns
- You approve
- Send emails and messages
- You approve
- Use library creative and copy in ads and messages
- You approve
- Change audiences
- You approve
- Accept desk work into the library
- You approve
Generated from the product’s policy and guardrail code. How the rules fit together: the policy engine and guardrails. The cases they’re tested on: the test record. The argument for them: Rules belong in code.
Read the rules, then try to break them in the demo.
Your work email is all we need to start.