# Smart rule action sync behavior

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/smart-rule-action-sync-behavior/72681>\
**Category:** DEVONthink\
**Tags:** sync, automation\
**Created:** [September 7, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/smart-rule-action-sync-behavior/72681 "2022-09-07T16:00:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cali310](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Cali310](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/Cali310)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2022, 4:00pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/smart-rule-action-sync-behavior/72681/1 "2022-09-07T16:00:16Z")

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This question concerns syncing between different instances of DT, not sync of smart rules themselves.

Outline of the problem: I set up smart rules to perform an action on my primary instance of DT, but not on other instances. If the smart rule runs on the primary database, but not on the other instance and I sync the two instances via bonjour, which instance is preferred. (I’m assuming it is whatever the most recent action is between the two?)

For example: I have a smart rule to sweep files from the inbox to various folders on the primary instance of DT. But while traveling I move the files from the inbox to different folders on the other instance of DT. When I return home and sync, how is the data reconciled.

Hope this makes sense. I am trying to make better use (smarter use?) of smart rules. But don’t understand how the automatic actions will be reconciled since the rules themselves don’t run on every instance of DT.

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/smart-rule-action-sync-behavior/72681/2 "2022-09-07T17:08:45Z")

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> [@Cali310](#):
>
> If the smart rule runs on the primary database, but not on the other instance and I sync the two instances via bonjour, which instance is preferred.

A screenshot of the smart rule would be useful, currently it’s unclear how the sync should affect a smart rule or vice versa.

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**Author:** ![system](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/2X/4/4e6ff70c96be2eb307a274d890bba8d71ba671b3.png) [@system](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/smart-rule-action-sync-behavior/72681/3 "2025-09-06T17:08:58Z")

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