> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.voucherify.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create distribution

> Create manual and automatic distributions to deliver messages, rewards, and vouchers to your customers

<Info>
  <Badge color="gray">Suggested reading</Badge>

  This page covers how to create a distribution.

  Read [Distribution overview](/integrations/distributions-overview) to learn how distributions work and the details of specific settings.
</Info>

Distributions let you send messages, rewards, and voucher codes to selected customers. You can send distributions manually to a chosen audience or trigger them automatically based on customer activity and system events.

To create a distribution, go to **Engagement** > **Distributions** and click **Create distribution** to open the distribution builder.

Provide a unique name for the distribution in the **Name distribution** field.

<Tip>
  **Save draft** to pause the configuration and continue later.

  For example, you can save a draft while waiting for a customer segment to finish syncing.
</Tip>

## Manual distribution

Use manual distributions (manual message) to send one-time messages or rewards to selected customers or customer segments.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Trigger">
    In the **Category** dropdown, select **Manual messages**.

    Choose who receives the distribution:

    * **A message to a single customer**: Select an existing customer or add a new customer.
    * **Bulk messages to customers from \[segment]**: Select an existing segment or create a new one.

    Use the filter icon to open advanced segment filtering options and review matching customers.

    <Note>
      Voucherify sends manual distributions with a 10-minute delay. If you create a new customer segment, the countdown starts only after the segment finishes syncing. You can monitor the syncing status next to the segment name.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Action">
    Choose what the distribution sends:

    * **Notify customers about promotion**: Select the promotion tier to include in the message.
    * **Send and publish unique codes from campaign**: Select the source campaign.
    * **Send plain message to customers**: Send a message without incentives.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Channels">
    Use **Add channel** to choose delivery channels. You can add multiple channels to the same distribution.

    The list of the available channels depends on the selected **Action**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Summary">
    Review the distribution settings.

    **Save & Send** to confirm.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The distribution starts 10 minutes after it's saved. You can edit the distribution during this time. Your changes are applied before sendout.

## Automatic distribution

Use automatic distributions to send messages automatically when customers perform specific actions or when system events occur.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Trigger">
    In the **Category** dropdown, select the event category that triggers the distribution, such as **Segment related activity**, **Cart related activity**, or **Customer rewards**.

    Then select the specific trigger event, for example **Order paid** or **Customer entered segment**.

    Depending on the trigger, you can or you must select one of the following:

    * Customer segment
    * Validation rule
    * Campaign
    * Custom event
    * Loyalty campaign tier
  </Step>

  <Step title="Action">
    Choose what the distribution sends. Available actions depend on the selected trigger.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Channels">
    Use **Add channel** to select delivery channels.

    The list of the available channels depends on the selected **Trigger** and **Action**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Summary">
    Review the distribution logic.

    **Save & Send** to activate the distribution.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The distribution is active and sends messages automatically when the trigger conditions are met.

## Related features

Learn more about the following features that work together with distributions.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Customer segments">
    Many distribution triggers are based on customers belonging to a customer segment.

    Customer segments group together customers who share defined properties and custom attributes (metadata).

    Learn more about [customer segments](/prepare/customer-segments).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Validation rules">
    Some distribution triggers can be limited with a validation rule.

    A validation rule limits when the event is triggered. When the rule is met, then the distribution sends a message.

    Learn more about [validation rules](/optimize/validation-rules-reference).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>