Using rules to send an email x days after a user registers

The Rules project includes the Rules Scheduler module, which can do exactly what you want to achieve.
Like so:

1. Create a rule set that sends an email to a user. (The user should be provided as an argument to the rule set.)
2. Create a triggered rule that is triggered when a user logs in (or possibly creates a new account -- but this will log them in as well).
3. Let the triggered rule execute an action 'Schedule name-of-your-email-rule-set'. Set the time of evaluation to '+ 7 days'. Make sure to give the scheduled rule a nice ID, something like 'Send reminder email to user [user:uid]'. (Be sure to download the Token module!)

This could be it, but you'll want yet another action in your triggered rule:

• Create an action that deletes any scheduled rules with ID 'Send reminder email to user [user:uid]'. Give this action a weight so it is executed before the action that sets a new rule.

This last action will make sure that any scheduled reminders are deleted when the user logs in, and then a new reminder is scheduled 7 days from the log-in date. Clever, huh?

(This example is more or less a copy of the example that fago demonstrated at DrupalCon Paris, and made me seriously interested in this module. If anyone is interested.)

Good luck!
//Johan Falk, NodeOne, Sweden

@ Johan,
Thanks for insight information on this topic. I'm new to drupal started working on it since last 4 weeks . Your comments have helped me to understand the fundamentals clearly.

@ All, Even I'm trying to achieve a similar functionality but not able to. I see no entries on schedule page. Let me describe what I'm trying to do

I would want to send 2 emails in the period of 10 days once after 2nd day (promotional mail) and second mail after 8 days(reminder mail). From your comment above I see that this functionality can be achieved using Rules & Rules Scheduler.

Process I followed:

1. Created a Rule Set.
   A) Gave Machine readable name and argument data-type as "USER"
   B) Entered the Label name and machine readable name. >> Save
2. Add new rule
   A) Gave a name to the rule, selected the rule set >> Save
   3) Gave a action "Send a mail to the user" >> Save (No condition, in fact tried both with and without condition)
   4) Filled in information about sender(site-wide address), Subj and Message.

Went ahead to create Triggered Rules ...

5) Add new rule
6) Gave in the Label and for Event I selected "User account has been created" >> Save changes
7) Under Rule Elements
A) Selected action with Rule scheduler, Schedule
B) Under Argument configuration Registered user , gave in the identifier and scheduled evaluation date as "+ 2 days" >> Save
8) Then gave a Condition saying if a user belong xyz role do the action.(arguments configuration: Registered user, also tried acting user)

After following the steps, I go to 'admin/rules/rule_sets/scheduling' , i see an empty page.

Can anybody suggest me where am i going wrong ? Also what is different between Registered and acting user in this case)

But I notice that when I do not give argument as "user" in rule set, I see that Rule set is displayed in schedule page under manual with no arguments.

I want this Rule to be be active always until I make any further change. Presently the way Rule is configured i feel(with lack of exp) rule will run only once.

Any tips to get this to work ?

@ Johan, how imp is identifier , since you say "'Send reminder email to user [user:uid]'" , isn't just meant to be for identifying purpose.

Thanks in advance.

Awesome community to be a part off :), cheers.

@ Johan

Thanks a ton for the feature and sharing some wonderful info.

To answer your question if I created a new users, Yes I did both programatically and manually. Like you mentioned when I removed the conditions scheduling list started populating. Thanks :) But what could cause such behavior? should having a condition in a Rule instead of Trigger solve this problem?any way I will try and let you know.

The functionality I'm trying to implement is I ask the users to fill out a webform and take the inputs of the webform to create a user and assigned him a particular role on the fly. And by using the rules module I was thinking of mailing the users at regular intervals. So for me assigning a condition in a trigger is a MUST I believe i.e a condition if a user belongs to XYZ ground, send him emails else do nothing. Is there any prerequisite before using an condition. Any suggestions

Also I noticed in your feature that under one rule set there are two rules for sending an email, why is it that two rules are configured?

Many Thanks.

Btw loved your vid on rules @ nodeone.

@ Johan,

Sorry for following up so late.

I see that the conditions are being ignored when the schedule list is being populated i.e I put a condition in select roles as, apply action only IF the user has Authenticated user and Dummy user role. I selected "All" in Match against any or all ....... (Dropdown list). While I'm creating a user manually I select "Dummy user" and "Authenticated user" is checked by default, still the list is not being populated.

Also I see that when I create a user with "Main User"(another role) and "Authenticated user(by default checked) role, the tables in DB show that new user is only associated with "Main user" and there is no reference to Authenticated user. So does that mean while selecting roles I can only select the custom roles and leave authenticated user unchecked?

What would be the right way to make a rule for this scenario:

I have two custom roles, Direct User and Indirect User.

I want a condition where IF user being to "Direct user role" do an action of running thr rule set. ??

I tried making a rule which says IF user belongs to Direct User role and Authenticated user do action , is including Authenticated user necessary?(i tried without also).

Awaiting your reply. Need help badly.

Thanks.

Perfect. Just what I needed. I used this to schedule when a CCK node had not been updated in 6 months. I also created a "chain" reminder rule to the moderators on the rule set to schedule another email to the them know the content is very stale.

Don't forget to add the actual rule to send the email to the rule set. (click on the rule set , then "add a new rule").

Ended up with:
Triggered rule when content updated (delete all author reminder emails, delete all moderator reminder emails, schedule author reminder email)
Rule set for author reminder (send email, send copy to moderator, and schedule next reminder)
Rule set for moderator reminder (send email)

Thanks
Jen