# Create intake routing rules

> Route brand-new email tickets by sender, subject, known-client match, and arrival inbox using ordered ticket intake rules.

URL: https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/create-intake-routing-rules/

Use **Intake Routing** to choose the destination inbox for a brand-new email ticket while the message is being received. Rules can match the arrival inbox, sender email, subject, and whether AgencyTitan matched the sender to a known client.

## Who this is for

Agency team members who manage ticket settings and incoming email distribution. Requires **Manage Ticket Settings**.

## Before you begin

- Create at least one active email destination inbox. See [Set up a ticket inbox](/help/tickets/set-up-a-ticket-inbox/).
- Decide which arrival inboxes the rule should evaluate.
- Put narrow, specific rules above broader rules because the first full match wins.

## Open Intake Routing

1. Open **Settings**, then **Tickets**, then **Intake Routing** ([/settings/tickets/intake-routing](https://app.agencytitan.com/settings/tickets/intake-routing)).
2. When no rules exist, select **Add Your First Rule**. Otherwise select **Add rule**.

   ![Ticket settings Intake Routing page with an empty state and Add Your First Rule button](/docs/screenshots/tickets-v2/ticket-routing-empty.png)

## Create a rule

1. Enter **Rule name**.
2. Under **Applies to inboxes**, optionally choose one or more arrival inboxes.

   Leave this empty to evaluate the rule for email arriving on any inbox.

3. Under **Conditions**, select **Add condition**.
4. Choose a field and operator:

   | Field | Available matches |
   | --- | --- |
   | **Known client** | **is matched** or **is not matched** |
   | **Sender email** | **is**, **ends with (domain)**, or **contains** |
   | **Subject** | **contains** or **does not contain** |

5. Enter a value when the selected operator requires one.
6. Add more conditions when needed. Every condition in a rule must match. Text matching is not case-sensitive.
7. Choose **Route to inbox**.
8. Keep **Active** on when the rule should run immediately.
9. Select **Create rule**.

   ![Add routing rule form with a generic rule name, all-inboxes scope, a Known client condition, an empty destination inbox picker, Active switch, and Create rule button](/docs/screenshots/tickets-v2/ticket-routing-rule.png)

## Understand rule order

Active rules run from top to bottom. The first rule whose inbox scope and conditions all match chooses the destination inbox. Later rules are not evaluated for that message.

After you create more than one rule, use the up and down controls to put specific rules first and broad catch-all rules last. An active rule with no conditions matches every inbound email in its selected arrival-inbox scope.

:::caution[Routing applies only during intake]
Replies on an existing ticket stay with that ticket. To change an existing ticket, use **Move to inbox** from the ticket header or use an automation.
:::

## What happens after a match

- AgencyTitan creates the ticket in the destination inbox.
- The destination inbox defaults can set department, assignees, and signature.
- When the destination inbox has default assignees, those defaults take precedence over general automatic assignment.
- If the destination inbox is unavailable or rule evaluation fails, intake continues in the arrival inbox instead of blocking ticket creation.

## Expected result

- The rule appears in **Intake Routing** in display order.
- Active rules evaluate brand-new inbound email tickets.
- Matching tickets enter the selected destination inbox and use its defaults.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Destination inbox is missing | It is not an active email inbox | Activate the inbox or choose another active email inbox |
| **Create rule** stays disabled | Rule name or destination inbox is missing, or a condition value is empty | Complete required fields and every value-bearing condition |
| Rule never matches | Arrival inbox scope or one condition excludes the message | Review each condition; every condition must match |
| Broader rule wins unexpectedly | It is above the specific rule | Move the specific rule higher |
| Existing ticket did not move | Intake routing does not apply after ticket creation | Use **Move to inbox** on the ticket |
| Rule should pause temporarily | Rule is still active | Edit the rule and turn off **Active** |

## Related articles

- [Tickets overview](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/overview/): How the Tickets inbox, ticket conversations, assignment, statuses, inboxes, routing rules, and reply templates fit together.
- [Set up a ticket inbox](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/set-up-a-ticket-inbox/): Connect an email or SMS channel in ticket settings and configure visibility, defaults, inbound behavior, and outbound behavior.
- [Find and work tickets](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/find-and-work-tickets/): Use inboxes, quick filters, statuses, departments, client filters, and search to find and open tickets in the Tickets inbox.
- [Assign and update a ticket](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/assign-and-update-a-ticket/): Change ticket status, priority, assignees, client, department, tags, privacy, and inbox from the ticket view.