Smart Networks allow you to automatically group users based on their characteristics, information, or behavior.

Instead of manually deciding who belongs to the Network, you create membership requirements. CommuteHub then automatically includes users who meet those requirements.

Smart Networks are particularly useful when membership should change over time. When a user becomes eligible, they are automatically added to the Smart Network. When they no longer meet the requirements, they are automatically removed.

For example, you could create a Smart Network for users who have registered at least two carpools during the past month. A user who reaches two carpools becomes part of the Network automatically. If their carpool activity later no longer meets the requirements, they are removed from the Network.

This allows you to create groups without manually maintaining Network membership.

Smart Networks vs. Standard Networks

Both Smart Networks and Standard Networks help you organize and segment users. The main difference is how membership is determined.

Standard Networks are designed for groups that you manage directly. Users can join a Network themselves, be added by a manager, or, in some cases, be selected using Smart Selection or automatically join based on their email domain. Smart Selection creates a one-time selection and does not automatically update membership later.

Smart Networks are based on membership rules. Instead of deciding how users join, you define which characteristics, information, or behaviors make a user eligible. Membership then updates automatically as users meet or no longer meet the requirements.

For example:

• A Standard Network could represent your Los Angeles office or Marketing department.
• A Smart Network could include everyone who has carpooled at least twice during the past month.

Another important difference is that Standard Networks can have parent Networks and subnetworks, while Smart Networks cannot have subnetworks.

To learn more about the differences between these two network types, check out the Networks Overview.

How Smart Network Membership Works

Membership in a Smart Network is determined by the rules you create. Users are automatically added when they become eligible and removed when they no longer meet them. This means that Smart Network membership is dynamic.

For example, imagine you create a Smart Network for users who have registered at least two carpools during the past month.

Unlike Standard Networks, you do not need to manually add or remove users to keep the membership up to date.

☝️ Membership changes can take up to 24 hours to be reflected.

Membership Rules

You define Smart Network membership by creating Rules and Groups.

A rule is a condition that determines whether a user should be included in the Smart Network.

For example, you could create a rule for users who:

• Have registered a certain number of carpools
• Have completed a specific number of trips
• Meet a particular profile requirement
• Match another available condition

You can combine multiple rules to create more specific groups.

Rules and Groups

Rules define individual membership conditions. Groups allow you to combine multiple rules using AND, OR, and NOT. This gives you more flexibility when defining who should belong to the Network.

For example, you might want to identify users who:

Have completed at least four bike trips AND have registered at least one carpool.

Or you could create a Network for users who:

Have completed a certain number of bike trips OR a certain number of carpools.

You can also exclude users by using NOT.

By combining rules, you can create Smart Networks that match very specific groups within your community.

Using Smart Networks for Programs and Incentives

One of the main uses of Smart Networks is to create more targeted programs.

Because Smart Network membership updates automatically, you can use a Smart Network as the target Network for a program without manually maintaining the list of eligible users.

For example, you could create a Smart Network for users who have registered at least two carpools during the past month.

You could then use that Smart Network as the target Network for a Point Program and offer rewards specifically for active carpoolers.

The reward could include:

• A free carpool parking space for a month
• A gas voucher
• Additional Points or Coins
• Another incentive designed for that group

As users become more or less active, their eligibility for the Smart Network changes automatically.

Example: Supporting active bike commuters

Imagine you want to offer additional flexibility to users who regularly bike to work.

You could create a Smart Network that includes users who have completed a certain number of bike trips.

You could then use that Network to offer those users additional Guaranteed Ride Home vouchers.

This allows you to create programs for specific groups without manually identifying and maintaining the list of eligible users.

Using Smart Networks to Understand Your Community

Smart Networks do not always need to be connected to a program or incentive.

You can also use them as a way to quickly identify and understand groups within your community.

For example, you could create a Smart Network to find out:

• How many users completed at least four carpools last month
• How many recently registered users have already logged a trip
• How many users regularly commute by bike
• How many users meet a specific combination of requirements

As you create and adjust membership rules, you can see which users currently match the requirements. This makes Smart Networks useful as a temporary analysis tool.

For example, you might want to understand how many users would qualify for a potential new carpool program. You could create a Smart Network with the relevant requirements, review the users who are included, and use that information to plan your program.

Once you have the information you need, you can delete the Smart Network without ever using it for a program or incentive.

Smart Networks and User Membership

Smart Network membership is different from membership in a Standard Network.

In a Standard Network, membership is generally managed directly. Users join, are added by a manager, can be selected using Smart Selection, or may automatically join based on their email domain.

In a Smart Network, membership is determined by the requirements you have defined.

This means that users cannot simply decide to join a Smart Network if they do not meet its requirements. Likewise, managers do not need to manually remove users who are no longer eligible.

Smart Networks and Management Roles

Being a member of a Smart Network and having permission to manage it are two different things.

A user can be included in a Smart Network because they meet the membership requirements without having any permission to manage the Network.

Managers and Program Coordinators can be assigned management roles for a Smart Network, depending on their permissions.

☝️ You do not need to be a member of a Smart Network to manage it.

Management roles allow users to access and manage the Network through the Management Dashboard. To learn more about what Program Coordinators and Managers can do, check out our Roles & Permissions article.

Smart Network Visibility

Smart Networks can be Visible or Hidden:

• Visible: Users can see the Network and know they are a member.
• Hidden: Users do not see the Network or know that they are members of it.

Hidden Networks are ideal for internal reporting, segmentation, or targeting users without cluttering their view. For example, you can create a hidden Network to track frequent carpoolers last month. You get the data, but users will not see or interact with the Network.

☝️ Visibility only controls what users see. In both cases, eligibility rules automatically determine membership.