Automation Overview
Automations are trigger-based workflows that execute actions without human intervention. When something happens in your pipeline (a deal moves to a new stage, a lead is created, a deal goes stale), an automation can respond instantly by sending a message, creating a task, or notifying a team member.
Automations are available on the Growth tier (up to 10 workflows) and Scale tier (unlimited).
How Automations Work
Every automation has three parts:
- Trigger -- the event that starts the workflow (e.g., "Deal moved to Completed")
- Conditions (optional) -- filters that determine if the workflow should run (e.g., "Only if deal value is above $1,000")
- Actions -- what happens when the trigger fires (e.g., "Send WhatsApp review request template")
Example: When a deal moves to "Completed" AND the deal value is above $500, send a WhatsApp template message requesting a Google review, then create a task "Follow up on maintenance plan" due in 7 days.
What You Can Automate
| Use Case | Trigger | Action | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post-job review request | Deal moves to Completed | Send WhatsApp template | Doubles review volume within a month |
| Stale deal alert | Deal unchanged for 5+ days | Notify deal owner via email | Catches deals going cold before they're lost |
| Appointment confirmation | Deal moves to Scheduled | Send WhatsApp confirmation | Reduces no-shows by 30-50% |
| Follow-up sequence | Deal moves to Quote Sent | Send follow-up after 3 days | Recovers quotes that would otherwise be forgotten |
| Maintenance outreach | Deal moves to Paid | Create task due in 30 days | Converts one-time customers to recurring |
| Lead assignment | New deal created | Assign to team member by round-robin | Distributes leads fairly across your team |
| Urgency notification | New deal with urgency = Emergency | Notify owner immediately via email/SMS | Ensures emergency leads get instant human attention |
Getting Started
The fastest way to learn automations is to build one. We recommend starting with the post-job review request -- it's simple, high-impact, and takes 2 minutes to set up.
See Creating Your First Workflow for a step-by-step walkthrough.
Limits by Plan
| Plan | Automation Workflows |
|---|---|
| Starter | Not available |
| Growth | Up to 10 active workflows |
| Scale | Unlimited |
If you reach the Growth tier limit, you can deactivate less-used workflows to make room, or upgrade to Scale for unlimited.
FAQ
Can automations send messages to customers? Yes, using approved WhatsApp template messages. The automation sends the template with dynamic variables (customer name, appointment date, etc.) filled in from the deal data. See Sending Template Messages.
Can automations run on deals that already exist? Automations are forward-looking -- they trigger on events that happen after the automation is activated. They do not retroactively process existing deals. If you need to send a message to existing deals, use a broadcast.
What if an automation fails? Failed automations are logged in Automations, then History with the error reason. Common failures: WhatsApp template not approved, customer opted out of messages, or a required field was empty. Fix the issue and the automation will work for future triggers.
Can I pause an automation without deleting it? Yes. Each automation has an Active/Paused toggle. Paused automations are preserved with all their configuration and can be reactivated anytime.
Related
- Creating Your First Workflow -- Step-by-step tutorial
- Triggers -- All available trigger types
- Conditions -- Filtering when workflows run
- Actions -- All available action types
- Common Workflow Recipes -- Pre-built templates
Need help? Email support@customerflows.com or ask in r/CustomerFlows.