> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.orderdesk.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.orderdesk.com/start-here/getting-started-video-series/how-to-use-rules-video.md). # How to use Rules Video The Order Desk Rule builder is the mechanism which makes automating your workflow possible. Watch this video to learn more about how the Rule Builder works and how you can start creating your own rules that teach Order Desk how you want it to work. {% embed url="" %} Previous videoNext video **FAQ** **What is a rule?** Rules are how you tell Order Desk how to automate workflows based on the specific needs of your store. Think of rules as an If/Then statement. You tell Order Desk *if* something specific happens, *then* you want Order Desk to take action on certain orders or items within orders. **How can I tell when a rule runs?** When in doubt, look at your Order History to see what has happened to the order. When a rule runs, it will show up in the history as Auto. Order History can be found near the bottom of every order details page: ![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/helpscout.net/docs/assets/57b0032590336059d4edf94f/images/5d3722402c7d3a2ec4bf4b52/file-SujXQGLNBE.png) **Why didn’t my rule run?** If a rule didn’t run on an order or item where it was expected to run, make sure the filters in the rule match the order or item. In most cases, the issue is a small, easy to miss difference, such as case sensitive error. If you are certain the rule filters should have applied but didn’t, contact Order Desk support for help. **Why doesn’t my rule work on older orders?** In most cases, this is because the rule is made for the Order is Imported event, which has already happened for older orders. If the rule is created *after* the order imports, the rule won’t run on the order. If this is the case, you can run the Order is Imported event on your orders to force the rule to work on them. For instructions on how to do this, see the [How to Work with Rules guide](/guided-walkthroughs/rules-and-automations/how-to-work-with-rules.md#how-to-run-an-event). **Why does my rule creating a PDF sometimes mess up the rest of the actions after the PDF is created?** Actions don’t always complete as expected when in the same rule as the PDF creation action. This is because some PDFs take longer to create than others. If the PDF is delayed even a fraction of a second when being created (to account for a large order or large thumbnails, for instance), any actions that take place in the same rule may run with an incomplete or nonexistent PDF. However, if those actions are set up to run on the event for when PDF is Created, the PDF will be fully created before this next rule runs and all actions should complete without issue. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.orderdesk.com/start-here/getting-started-video-series/how-to-use-rules-video.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.