# Triggers

Triggers define the conditions **under which tags are executed.** While tags specify what action to perform (e.g., send an event, update a profile, execute HTML code), triggers specify when that action should run.

Every tag must have at least one trigger assigned. Without a trigger, a tag will never fire. By combining different trigger types and filters, you can build both simple rules (e.g., fire on all pages) and complex logic (e.g., fire only if a user visits the checkout page, scrolls 50%, and clicks the "Buy" button).

{% hint style="info" %}

### Trigger Lifecycle

1. **Trigger Listeners** – Tag Manager continuously monitors events such as page loads, user interactions, or variable changes.
2. **Evaluation** – When the specified event occurs, the system checks if the trigger’s conditions and filters are satisfied.
3. **Execution** – If all conditions match, the trigger fires, and the attached tags are executed.
   {% endhint %}

### Step 1: Open the Triggers Tab

1. From your **Workspace**, select **Triggers** in the left-hand menu.
2. You will see a list of existing triggers with the following details:
   * **Name** – the trigger’s unique identifier.
   * **Type** – what event activates it.
   * **Attached Tags** – tags that will run when the trigger fires.
   * **Last Edited** – when the trigger was last modified.
   * **Actions** – edit, view, or delete options.

<figure><img src="https://1642824329-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FX6uilbEAw42gqsudlclY%2Fuploads%2F6j9byvOcLjbl2CEFoeIC%2FScreenshot%202025-09-23%20at%2013.01.07.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1b7f0dc1-5272-4f17-9c85-d2c94cd801cb" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 2: Create a New Trigger

1. Click **Create Trigger**.
2. Enter a **Name** for your trigger (choose something descriptive, like *Checkout Button Click*).
3. Select a **Type** from the dropdown menu. You can choose from options such as:
   * **Page View / DOM Ready / Window Loaded** – fires on page load events.
   * **Click / Link Click** – fires when users click elements or links.
   * **Scroll Depth** – fires at a set scroll percentage.
   * **Element Visibility** – fires when an element becomes visible.
   * **Custom Event** – fires on developer-defined events.
   * **Timer, API Call, Exit Intent**, and many more.

<figure><img src="https://1642824329-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FX6uilbEAw42gqsudlclY%2Fuploads%2Fkprshr36BFfCzfNrKAyh%2FScreenshot%202025-09-23%20at%2013.01.32.png?alt=media&#x26;token=2ac15411-f715-4961-bfaa-36149e1b23d8" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Trigger Types

#### Page Load Triggers

1. **Page View**: Fires as soon as the page starts loading.
2. **Window Loaded**: Fires only after the entire page and its resources (images, CSS, scripts) have fully loaded.
3. **DOM Ready**: Fires when the HTML document structure is fully loaded (but before images and other resources).

**Use Cases:**

* Fire analytics events when any page is viewed.
* Trigger marketing pixels after full page load to ensure reliability.
* Run DOM-dependent scripts when the HTML is ready.

#### User Interaction Triggers

1. **Click**: Fires whenever a user clicks on an element.
2. **Link Click**: Fires specifically for link clicks (`<a>` tags).
3. **Scroll Depth**: Fires when a user scrolls down a certain percentage (e.g., 25%, 50%, 100%).
4. **Element Visibility**: Fires when a specific element appears in the viewport.
5. **Exit Intent**: Fires when the system detects that the user is about to leave the page (e.g., mouse moving toward the browser’s close button).

**Use Cases:**

* Track CTA button clicks.
* Log engagement when users scroll through long-form content.
* Trigger a widget when a banner comes into view.
* Show an exit survey if the user is about to leave without purchasing.

#### Event-Based Triggers

1. **Custom Event**: Fires when a developer-defined event is pushed into the data layer.
2. **History Change**: Fires when the browser history changes (e.g., in Single Page Applications).
3. **Navigation**: Fires when the user navigates to a new page or section.
4. **Mutation**: Fires when a DOM element changes (attribute, content, or child nodes).
5. **Crash**: Fires when a JavaScript error occurs.
6. **Console Log**: Fires based on captured console messages.
7. **API Call**: Fires when a specified network/API request is detected.

**Use Cases:**

* Capture SPA navigation without reloading the page.
* Track form validation errors (via console logs).
* Fire conversion tags when specific API calls (e.g., purchase confirmation) are made.

#### Time-Based Triggers

1. **Timer**: Fires repeatedly at defined intervals (e.g., every 10 seconds).
2. **Trigger Group**: Fires when multiple triggers occur together (all conditions must be satisfied).

**Use Cases:**

* Track how long users stay on a page.
* Fire an event only if a combination of conditions are met (e.g., scroll depth + click).

### Step 3: Add Filters / Variables (Optional)

Filters allow you to define **conditions** for when the trigger should activate.

1. Click **Add New Filter**.
2. Choose a **Variable** (e.g., Page URL, Click Text, Element ID).
3. Select an **Operator** (equals, contains, starts with, matches regex, etc.).
4. Enter a **Value** (e.g., `/checkout`, `Subscribe Button`).
5. Combine multiple filters with **AND / OR logic** for advanced rules.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Variable**: The data point to evaluate (e.g., Page URL, Click ID, Element Text).

**Operator**: The comparison method (e.g., equals, contains, starts with, greater than).

**Value**: The expected value (e.g., `/checkout`, `true`, `button-123`).
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
You can add multiple filters, combining them with **AND/OR logic**:

**AND** = all conditions must be true.

**OR** = at least one condition must be true.
{% endhint %}

**Examples:**

* Fire only if **Page URL contains `/checkout`**.
* Fire only if **Click Text equals "Subscribe" AND Page Path starts with `/blog`**.
* Fire if **User Role variable equals "Premium" OR Page Path equals `/thank-you`**.

<figure><img src="https://1642824329-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FX6uilbEAw42gqsudlclY%2Fuploads%2FGMwzSz6kWYhbooFS9u5Z%2FScreenshot%202025-09-23%20at%2013.04.09.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9471fe86-672e-4a01-81a4-973705135110" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Step 4: Save and Attach the Trigger to a Tag

1. Click **Save** to create the trigger.
2. Go to the **Tags** section.
3. Edit or create a tag, and under the **Trigger** step, select the trigger you just created.
4. Save the tag.