# Your first automation rule

## What are automation rules?

Automation rules tell Fynbos how to split your money when you make a deposit. Instead of manually transferring money to each account, your deposits are automatically distributed based on rules you create.

- **Set once, run forever**: Rules trigger automatically whenever money lands in your Cash account
- **Fully customisable**: Choose how much goes where, in what order
- **Preview before you commit**: See exactly how your deposit will be split

Automation rules are perfect if you want to build consistent saving and investing habits without having to think about it.

## How rules work

When you deposit money into Fynbos, it first lands in your Cash account. Your automation rules then run from top to bottom, distributing the money according to your instructions.

1. Money arrives in your **Cash** account
2. Rules execute in order, from first to last
3. Each rule takes its share based on its type
4. Any remaining money goes to your **Emergency Savings**

The order of your rules matters. Rules at the top get first priority for your deposit.

## Choosing your rule type

Before creating a rule, decide which type best fits your goal. Fynbos offers two rule types:

| Rule type | How it works | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **By amount** | Transfers a fixed amount each time | Regular contributions to a specific account |
| **Split by percentage** | Divides money by percentage across accounts | Balanced allocation across multiple accounts |

Both rule types support **Stop at target** for accounts with savings goals. When enabled, allocations stop once the account reaches its target balance.

## Creating your first rule

To create an automation rule, start from the *Automation rules* screen.

1. Tap **Add rule** at the bottom of the screen
2. Select your rule type (Amount or Percentage)
3. Tap **Continue**

The next step depends on which rule type you chose.

## Setting up an amount rule

Amount rules transfer a fixed amount to an account each time you deposit.

1. Select **By amount** on the rule type screen
2. Tap **Continue**
3. Enter the amount to transfer in the **Amount to invest** field
4. Choose the destination account from the **Account** dropdown
5. Toggle **Stop at target** if you want the rule to stop allocating once the account reaches its target (available for Emergency Savings, Tax-Free Savings, and Savings pots)
6. Tap **Confirm**

Every deposit will now send this fixed amount to your chosen account (or the full deposit if it is less than your specified amount).

> **Note**: For Tax-Free Savings, stop at target is always enabled to help you stay within the annual R46,000 contribution limit.

## Setting up a percentage rule

Percentage rules split your deposit across one or more accounts by percentage.

1. Select **Split by percentage** on the rule type screen
2. Tap **Continue**
3. Select the first account from the **Account** dropdown
4. Enter the percentage for this account
5. Toggle **Stop at target** if you want allocations to stop when the account reaches its target
6. To add more accounts, tap **Add another account**
7. Repeat for each account you want to include
8. Tap **Confirm**

Your deposit will now be divided according to these percentages. If your percentages total less than 100%, the remainder goes to Emergency Savings.

## Previewing your distribution

After creating rules, you can see exactly how your next deposit will be split.

The **Preview** card on the *Automation rules* screen shows a breakdown of how your money will be distributed based on your current rules and any set targets.

Use the preview to verify your rules work as expected before making a deposit.

## What happens after you deposit

When money arrives in your Cash account, your automation rules run automatically:

1. You receive a notification that your deposit has arrived
2. Rules execute immediately, creating transfers to each destination account
3. You can see the pending transfers in your transaction history
4. Transfers to instant liquidity accounts (Emergency Savings, Savings pots) appear immediately
5. Transfers to investment accounts (TFSA, Investment Account, Retirement Annuity) settle after the trade window

You can modify pending automation transfers within 24 hours if you need to make changes.