Since there will be a delay in the release of Abode’s complex automation engine, I am creating a tutorial on how to create complex automation using Stringify and IFTTT.

What is complex automation? It is automation that has multiple conditions (AND or OR).

For example, setting up a motion sensor light actually involves complex automation because it needs two conditions: that motion is detected AND it is dark.

If you do a simple IF-THEN automation with motion lighting, then it will probably be with this logic: IF motion is detected THEN open light. This might be problematic since the light will turn on each time motion is detected, even in broad daylight.

With complex automation, you can set it up in a way that the light will turn on only when it is dark.

Why do you need to use both IFTTT and Stringify?

You need to use IFTTT because Abode doesn’t connect to Stringify yet. This is something users have requested but Abode has not commented on this.

You need to use Stringify because IFTTT can’t do complex automation unless you do some coding with Javascript.

Let us learn how to do complex automation by using the example of a motion sensor lighting. Let us turn a switch on for 5 minutes if the Nest doorbell detects motion AND if it is dark.

Step 1: Install IFTTT on your smartphone and add Abode as a Service in IFTTT.

Step 2: Install Stringify on your smartphone and add IFTTT as a thing in Stringify.

Step 3: Install the Date and Time and Mode things in Stringify.

Step 4: Install all your other smart devices in Stringify. Popular smart home devices like Nest, Ring, Rachio, and Amazon Alexa works with Stringify.

Step 5: Got to Flows in Stringify and press Create to start a new flow.

Step 6: Press the big plus button in the bottom to add new Things. Add the Ring Doorbell, Date & Time, and IFTTT Things.

Step 7: Position your Things this way by dragging and dropping them.

Step 8: Press on the Ring icon to configure. Select “When motion is detected” and then press on “Save”.

Step 9: Press on then Date & Time icon to configure. Select “ONLY IF (this is true) -> It is nighttime.” Save this.

Step 10: Press on the IFTTT icon and go to the Actions tab. Select “Run an IFTTT Aplet”. This will take you to the next screen and it will give you an ID number. Take note of this ID number. Press “Save”.

Step 11: Connect the things as follows:

Then…

The line must look like this. This is an AND flow. This step can be a little tricky because if you drop the line some other way, it may turn into an OR flow.

Step 12: Press “Name Your Flow” on the top and give this flow a name. I suggest “When motion is detected and only if it is nighttime”.

Step 13: Press on “Enable Flow”.

Step 14: Go to the Abode web interface and create a quick action that will open all that lights that you want to open for a specified amount of time.

Step 15: Open IFTTT app on your smartphone.

Step 16: Connect Stringify to IFTTT by clicking the “Search” button and searching for and selecting Stringify. Click the “Connect” button.

Step 17: Go to “My Applets” and click the “+” sign on the upper right corner.

Step 18: Select “+this” and select Stringify. Then press the “Stringify Flow runs” button. Select the Stringify flow we just created. Make sure the ID is correct. Click “Next”.

Step 19: Select the “+that” button and pick Abode from the list. Select the “Quick Action” button and select the quick action that you just made. Click “Next”.

Step 20: Click “Edit title” and change the title to a more user friendly one. Press “Finish”.

That’s it. You are done. You have just created a complex automation with Abode using IFTTT and Stringify. Now you can use these principles to create other similar automations. You don’t have to use the Nest camera to detect motion. You can use other cameras like Ring or Arlo. Abode currently has no outdoor motion sensors so you have to use a motion camera for this purpose.

You can do all other cool things with IFTTT and Stringify. The automation we just created is simple (even if we just called it complex). You can create more complicated automations. For example, I have both a Ring doorbell and a Nest camera pointed at my front yard and my automation really is as follows: IF (motion is detected by Ring AND nighttime) OR (motion is detected by Nest AND nighttime) THEN turn exterior lights on for 5 minutes.

Have fun with your automations.