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Rules Engine
Create precise, deterministic rules for predictable file organization with exact conditions and actions.
Overview
The Rules Engine lets you create IF/THEN automation rules that execute the same way every time. Unlike AI sorting which interprets intent, deterministic rules follow exact conditions you specify—perfect for compliance workflows, automated pipelines, and situations where consistency is critical.
AI Sorting
Interprets your intent, handles nuance, adapts to context. Great for flexible organization.
Deterministic Rules
Follows exact conditions, same inputs = same outputs. Great for repeatable workflows.
Building Rules
Rules have three components: conditions, logic operators, and actions.
Rule Builder Steps
1
Basic Info
Set a name, description, and priority (lower numbers run first)
2
Conditions
Define what files to match using field + comparator + value
3
Actions
Specify what to do with matches: move, rename, tag, etc.
4
Test & Enable
Use dry-run to preview results, then enable the rule
Condition Fields
Fields are properties of a file that you can test against. Select a field, then choose a comparator and value.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| name | Filename (with extension) | invoice_2024.pdf |
| extension | File extension (without dot) | pdf |
| size | File size in bytes | 104857600 (100MB) |
| file_type | General type category | document, image, video |
| mime_type | MIME type | application/pdf |
| created_at | File creation date | Used with date comparators |
| modified_at | Last modified date | Used with date comparators |
Comparators
Comparators define how to test a field's value. There are 21 comparators organized by type.
String Comparators
| EQUALS | Exact match (case-sensitive option available) |
| NOT_EQUALS | Does not match exactly |
| CONTAINS | Value appears anywhere in field |
| NOT_CONTAINS | Value does not appear in field |
| STARTS_WITH | Field begins with value |
| ENDS_WITH | Field ends with value |
| MATCHES_REGEX | Matches regular expression pattern |
List Comparators
| IN | Value is in list (e.g., extension IN ["pdf", "docx"]) |
| NOT_IN | Value is not in list |
Numeric Comparators
| GT | Greater than (e.g., size GT 104857600 for >100MB) |
| GTE | Greater than or equal |
| LT | Less than |
| LTE | Less than or equal |
| BETWEEN | Value is between two numbers (inclusive) |
Boolean Comparators
| IS_TRUE | Field value is true |
| IS_FALSE | Field value is false |
| EXISTS | Field has a value (not null/empty) |
| NOT_EXISTS | Field is null or empty |
Special Comparators
| HAS_TAG | File has specific Finder tag (macOS) |
| MODIFIED_WITHIN | Modified in last N days (e.g., "30d") |
| CREATED_WITHIN | Created in last N days |
Boolean Logic
Combine multiple conditions using boolean operators. You can nest condition groups for complex logic.
ALL
All conditions must match (AND)
Example: name CONTAINS "invoice" AND extension = "pdf"
ANY
At least one condition must match (OR)
Example: extension = "jpg" OR extension = "png"
NONE
No conditions can match (NOT)
Example: NOT (extension = "tmp" OR extension = "bak")
Nested Groups
Create complex logic by nesting condition groups. For example:
ALL OF:
- name CONTAINS "invoice"
- ANY OF:
- extension = "pdf"
- extension = "docx"
This matches files with "invoice" in the name that are either PDF or DOCX.
Actions
When a file matches your conditions, one or more actions execute in sequence.
Move File
Move file to a destination folder. Supports template variables for dynamic paths.
{applied_folder}/Archive/{file_year}
Copy File
Copy file to destination, keeping the original in place.
Rename File
Rename the file using a pattern with template variables.
{file_name}_{year}-{month}-{day}{extension}
Add Tags
macOS onlyAdd Finder tags to the file. Modes: add (append), set (replace), or remove.
Delete File
Move file to trash. Requires explicit confirmation checkbox. Use with caution.
Sequential Actions
Actions run in order. Enable "Continue on error" to proceed even if an action fails.
Template Variables
Use template variables in MOVE, COPY, and RENAME actions to create dynamic, portable paths.
Path Variables
| {applied_folder} | The folder the rule is applied to |
| {file_parent} | The file's current parent directory |
| {file_name} | Filename without extension |
| {file_name_full} | Full filename with extension |
| {extension} | File extension (e.g., .pdf) |
Current Date Variables
| {year} | Current year (e.g., 2026) |
| {month} | Current month (01-12) |
| {day} | Current day (01-31) |
| {date} | Full date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
File Date Variables
| {file_year} | Year file was modified |
| {file_month} | Month file was modified |
| {file_day} | Day file was modified |
| {file_created_year} | Year file was created |
| {file_created_month} | Month file was created |
| {file_created_day} | Day file was created |
Photo EXIF Variables
For photos with EXIF metadata
| {exif_year} | Year photo was taken |
| {exif_month} | Month photo was taken |
| {exif_day} | Day photo was taken |
| {gps_latitude} | GPS latitude coordinate |
| {gps_longitude} | GPS longitude coordinate |
Execution Modes
Control when rules run relative to AI sorting in Smart Folders.
BeforeAi
Rules run first. Matched files skip AI sorting. Use for files you always want handled a specific way.
AfterAi
AI sorts first, then rules post-process the results. Use for cleanup or additional organization.
OnlyRules
Skip AI entirely. Only deterministic rules run. Use when you want full manual control.
Disabled
Rules don't run. AI handles everything. This is the default mode.
Priority & Stop on Match
Rules execute in priority order (lower numbers first). Enable "Stop on match" to prevent subsequent rules from processing a file after this rule matches.
Dry-Run & Testing
Always test rules before enabling them with dry-run mode.
Dry-Run Mode
Shows exactly which files match your conditions and what actions would be taken—without actually moving or modifying anything. Review the preview, adjust conditions if needed, then enable the rule when satisfied.
Best Practices
- • Always dry-run new rules before enabling
- • Start with simple conditions, add complexity gradually
- • Set priorities carefully when rules might overlap
- • Use "Stop on match" to prevent rule conflicts
- • Check the activity log to verify rules work as expected
Example Rules
Invoice Organization
PDFs containing "invoice" → Finance/{year}/Invoices
Conditions: ALL OF
- name CONTAINS "invoice" (case insensitive)
- extension IN ["pdf", "docx"]
Actions:
1. MOVE → {applied_folder}/Finance/{file_year}/Invoices
Screenshot Management
Screenshots → Screenshots/{date} with timestamp rename
Conditions: ALL OF
- name STARTS_WITH "Screenshot"
- extension IN ["png", "jpg"]
Actions:
1. MOVE → {applied_folder}/Screenshots/{file_year}-{file_month}-{file_day}
2. RENAME → {file_name}_{year}{month}{day}{extension}
Large File Archival
Files over 100MB modified in last 30 days → Archive
Conditions: ALL OF
- size GT 104857600 (100MB in bytes)
- modified_at MODIFIED_WITHIN "30d"
Actions:
1. MOVE → {applied_folder}/Archive/{file_year}
2. TAG → ["archived", "large-file"]
Photo Organization by EXIF Date
Organize photos by the date they were taken
Conditions: ALL OF
- extension IN ["jpg", "jpeg", "png", "heic"]
Actions:
1. MOVE → {applied_folder}/Photos/{exif_year}/{exif_month}