> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.11x.ai/llms.txt).
> Use it to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Signals and triggers
11x monitors real market events - job changes, funding, executive hires, tech shifts, earnings, competitor reviews, renewal windows - and converts them to outreach in seconds.
A **signal** is an observable event that indicates intent or a change in fit. A **trigger** is the rule that converts it into action. 11x monitors **real events, not intent scores** — things that actually happened to real companies — and goes from signal to outreach in seconds, with no dashboard alert or manual step in between.
The "real events, not intent scores" distinction matters. A composite intent score tells you an account is *probably* interested and gives you nothing to write about. "They just hired a VP of RevOps" gives you both a reason to reach out and a first line.
## Signal types
| Signal | Why it indicates opportunity |
| --- | --- |
| **Job changes** | New person, new mandate, new tooling decisions |
| **Funding rounds** | Budget and a growth mandate |
| **Executive hires** | A new leader almost always re-evaluates the stack |
| **Tech stack shifts** | Adoption or displacement of something adjacent to you |
| **Earnings reports** | Stated priorities and pressures, on the record |
| **Negative competitor reviews** | Active dissatisfaction with an incumbent |
| **Contract renewal windows** | A decision point with a date attached |
Negative competitor reviews and renewal windows are the two most under-used signals in most GTM programs. Both identify accounts at a genuine decision point rather than accounts that merely fit a profile.
## Custom signal definitions
You can define your own signal logic:
- **Combine multiple events** into one signal
- **Set thresholds** for activation
- **Weight signals differently** by market segment or campaign type
- **Layer signals** for more precise targeting
As 11x puts it: *"What matters for enterprise deals is different from what matters for mid-market."*
Look at your last twenty won deals and identify what had just changed at the account. That's your signal set.
A funding round alone is weak. A funding round plus a relevant executive hire is strong.
Renewal windows may dominate for enterprise while hiring signals dominate for mid-market.
Otherwise every minor event starts a play and your targeting becomes noise.
A renewal window and a negative competitor review deserve different messaging. See [playbooks](/alice/playbooks).
## Signal to outreach, without a dashboard
When a signal activates, Alice or Julian executes immediately — no alert for someone to notice and act on.
```mermaid
flowchart LR
E[Real event occurs] --> S[Signal detected]
S --> T{Trigger rule
+ ICP match}
T -->|Match| P[Play starts]
T -->|No match| X[No action]
P --> O[Outreach in seconds]
```
Because there's no manual review step, the trigger rule *is* your safeguard. Always combine a signal with ICP match and your exclusion rules — a signal alone should never be sufficient to start outreach. See [ICP and targeting](/alice/icp-and-targeting).
## Keeping signals and plays separate
One signal can feed several plays, and one play can be triggered by several signals. Keep them defined separately rather than hard-wiring a signal to a single motion — it's what makes the setup maintainable as you add plays.
## Frequently Asked Questions
Thresholds are too low, or signals aren't combined. Require two corroborating events rather than one.
The trigger requires an ICP match and the accounts aren't matching, or an exclusion rule is catching them. Check both.
Exclusions aren't referenced in the trigger rule. Signal plus ICP plus exclusions — all three.
Use custom signal definitions and weight per segment. The defaults are general-purpose.
The trigger has no recency condition. A funding round from last year isn't a reason to call today.
## Next steps
Signals are built into the records.
First-party intent as a signal.
What a signal should start.
Julian's equivalent for inbound and CRM events.