Triggering an automation from an API [SOLVED]

I need to apply an automation to specific contacts based on an event that is not connected to our website or Active Campaign. I assume that I use the automation_contact_add function to do so, which invokes the function for the contact ID I use in the API call. (Please let me know if I assume wrong!)

However, when creating the automation, what do I use as a trigger? All of the triggers appear to rely on a user action but in this case, it needs to be triggered by an action that occurs outside of our website or Active Campaign. Is the trigger irrelevant in this application, or is there one I’m missing that triggers it from an API call?

Thanks for your help!

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I found an answer that is working: I used the API to create a tag, then modified the automation to trigger when that tag is added to a contact.

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Did you find any better way to do this?
Seems like it would work for the first time a customer orders [create the customer with the tag and trigger the automation based on the tag], but what about a repeat order? The customer would already be set up with the ‘ordered’ tag [for example] so the automation won’t trigger.

Hello there! You can remove the trigger tag from the contact at the end of the automation, that way when a new purchase is made the tag can be re-applied triggering the automation. Also, you should remember to set the trigger to run ‘multiple times’.

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