Transfer the intended customer and order details to Rule and check tags and recipient status before starting automated mailings.
This guide applies to Abicart Pro with the Rule connection available and your own account and agreement with Rule. The connection is included in Pro; Rule's service has separate terms and costs. This exports from Abicart to Rule, rather than providing general two-way synchronisation of all data.
1. Create a key for the correct Rule account
Sign in to the correct Rule account and open its API key settings. The older images show the user menu, Settings and Developer. Rule's labels can change. Copy the entire current key; do not assume a particular character length.
The API key is a secret credential. Paste it only into the integration's designated account field and do not share it in support messages, shop text or images. Abicart API keys and keys for Facebook or payment providers are separate connections and must not be replaced with a Rule key.
2. Connect in Abicart
Open Settings → External connections → Rule. The name is Rule, rather than a translated product name.
If Rule is missing, check the Pro subscription and contact Abicart to add the correct connection.
Paste the key into API Key, activate the connection and save after checking the account and intended transfer.
Check connection status. A Log out from Rule link shows an account connection exists; it does not prove every export or automation is complete.
3. Select events and price basis
Under Event settings , enable the flows you intend to use:
Export customer list: select the customer event, such as Customer changed, and Update directly to queue export when customer details change.
Export order: select the order event, such as Order changed, and Update directly. Order, payment and delivery statuses are different; a placed order is not automatically paid or shipped.
Export abandoned carts: select scheduled activation, the desired schedule and the number of hours of cart inactivity. Order export must also be active. Export requires, among other things, an incomplete cart containing items and an email address; an anonymous visitor cannot always receive a reminder.
The Send price including VAT as default price setting affects price values transferred to Rule. It does not guarantee how each Rule template displays them. Check the VAT basis, currency, product price and order total in the actual field used in the mailing. Do not change global shop VAT settings to correct an external template.
4. Check subscribers and tags
The shop's own newsletter signups appear in customer records with Wants newsletters selected. Customer export uses tags including Abicart, Webshop_ followed by the shop name and, for subscribers, Newsletter. Customer group names are also exported as tags. When the newsletter flag is absent, customer export requests removal of the Newsletter tag.
A customer group, a Rule tag and the recipient's actual subscription or suppression status are separate details. Select the correct combination in Rule and check the current recipient record, particularly after an unsubscribe or group change. Do not assume a tag alone proves permission to send marketing or that an old group tag has automatically been removed.
Order and cart flows also use status tags such as OrderCompleted, OrderPaid, OrderShipped and CartInProgress. A reminder needs an intended Rule automation; exporting data does not itself send a correctly configured, legally permitted reminder.
5. Control automations before initial export
Under Initial exports, select Export all customers and, where needed, Export all orders with the chosen order history. The corresponding event export must be enabled. First check the Rule account, sub-shop scope and automations the tags can trigger. Initial export can include customers beyond newsletter subscribers.
Check a small, intended selection in both systems before transferring a larger historical selection. Ensure order details do not become an unauthorised general marketing list. Do not repeatedly start export to diagnose an unclear result.
If data or consent status is missing
Check the API account, active connection, correct event, schedule and integration error message. Compare the same recipient and time in Abicart and Rule, including the Newsletter tag and actual recipient status. Report a deviating example to support with the shop ID and affected flow; never provide the API key. Do not manually change consent to yes merely to make an automation run.
Quick start
Check Pro, the correct Rule account and secret API key.
Connect Rule and select the intended customer, order and cart events.
Check tags, price basis and recipient status.
Review automations before initial export and real mailings.
Subscription
The Rule connection is included in Abicart Pro. The Rule subscription and its costs are separate. In multishop systems, check the correct account and transfer scope for each affected shop.
