Building Automations

This guide walks you through creating automations from start to finish, with detailed explanations of every option.

Automation Builder Overview

The automation builder is a visual interface for creating rules that run automatically. Each automation consists of:

1. Trigger - The event that starts the automation
2. Conditions - Optional filters to limit when it runs
3. Actions - What happens when the automation fires

Step 1: Create a New Automation

Accessing the Builder

1. Go to Settings in the sidebar
2. Click Automations
3. Click Create Automation

Naming Your Automation

Choose a clear, descriptive name that explains what it does:

• ✅ "New lead Slack notification"
• ✅ "Overdue task email reminder"
• ✅ "Deal won celebration message"
• ❌ "Automation 1"
• ❌ "Test"

Step 2: Configure the Trigger

The trigger determines when your automation runs. Click Select Trigger to begin.

Record Triggers

Record Created

Fires when a new record is added.

Example: New contact is created in the Contacts module

Record Updated

Fires when any field changes on a record.

Example: Any field changes on a Deal

Field Changed

Fires when a specific field's value changes.

Example: Status field changes from "Open" to "Won"

Record Deleted

Fires when a record is removed.

Time-Based Triggers

Scheduled

Runs at specific times.

Example: Every Monday at 9am

Date-Based

Runs relative to a date field.

Example: 3 days before Due Date field

Email Triggers

Email Received

Fires when an email arrives.

Email Linked

Fires when an email is linked to a record.

Step 3: Add Conditions (Optional)

Conditions narrow down when the automation runs. Click Add Condition after setting your trigger.

Condition Types

Field Conditions

Combining Conditions

AND Logic

All conditions must be true:

Status equals "Active"
AND
Deal Value > $10,000
AND
Owner equals "Sales Team"

OR Logic

Any condition can be true:

Status equals "Hot"
OR
Deal Value > $50,000

Condition Groups

Create complex logic with groups:

(Status equals "Active" AND Deal Value > $10,000)
OR
(Status equals "VIP")

Step 4: Configure Actions

Actions are what the automation does when triggered. Click Add Action to begin.

Record Actions

Set Field Value

Update a field on the record.

Value Options:

• Static - Always set to same value ("Active")
• Dynamic - Use another field's value
• Formula - Calculate from multiple fields

Example: Set "Last Contact Date" to today

Create Record

Create a new record in any module.

Example: Create a follow-up Task when Deal is created

Update Related Records

Update records linked to the trigger record.

Example: Update all Contacts when Company status changes

Communication Actions

Send Email

Send an email using templates or custom content.

Merge Fields:

Hello {{contact.first_name}},

Your {{record.name}} has been updated.

Best,
{{user.name}}

Send Slack Message

Post to a Slack channel or user.

Example Message:

🎉 New deal closed!
*{{record.name}}* - {{record.deal_value}}
Owner: {{record.owner.name}}
<View Deal|{{record.url}}>

Send Webhook

Send data to an external system.

Example Payload:

{
"event": "deal_closed",
"deal_id": "{{record.id}}",
"value": "{{record.deal_value}}",
"owner_email": "{{record.owner.email}}"
}

Assignment Actions

Assign to User

Set the owner or assignee.

Round Robin

Distribute records evenly.

Flow Control Actions

Delay

Wait before the next action.

Example: Wait 2 hours before sending follow-up

Condition Branch

Run different actions based on conditions.

IF deal_value > 50000 THEN
  Send to VP Sales
ELSE
  Send to Manager

Step 5: Test Your Automation

Before enabling, always test:

Using Test Records

1. Create a test record that matches your conditions
2. Trigger the automation
3. Verify all actions executed correctly
4. Check for unintended side effects

Dry Run Mode

Enable Dry Run to simulate without executing:

• See which records would trigger
• Preview actions that would run
• No actual changes are made

Checking the Log

1. Go to Settings > Automations
2. Click on your automation
3. View the Run History tab
4. See success, failures, and details

Step 6: Enable and Monitor

Enabling

1. Toggle the automation On
2. It immediately starts monitoring for triggers
3. Check the log to confirm it's running

Monitoring

Regularly review:

• Run frequency
• Success rate
• Error messages
• Unexpected triggers

Pausing

Toggle Off to temporarily disable without deleting.

Example: Complete Walkthrough

Let's build a real automation: Notify sales team when high-value deal is created

Setup

1. Create new automation
2. Name: "Deals: Slack alert for high-value"

Trigger

1. Select Record Created
2. Module: Deals
3. No additional filter (we'll use conditions)

Conditions

1. Add condition: Deal Value > $25,000
2. Add condition: Status equals Open

Actions

1. Send Slack Message

   • Channel: #sales-alerts
   • Message:

   💰 *High-Value Deal Created*
   
   *{{record.name}}*
   Value: {{record.deal_value}}
   Company: {{record.company.name}}
   Owner: {{record.owner.name}}
   
   <View Deal|{{record.url}}>

2. Create Record (Task)

   • Module: Tasks
   • Title: "Follow up on {{record.name}}"
   • Assigned To: {{record.owner}}
   • Due Date: +3 days
   • Linked to: {{record}}

Test

1. Create a test deal with value $30,000
2. Verify Slack message appears
3. Verify task is created
4. Check automation log

Enable

Toggle on and monitor for a few days.

Troubleshooting

"Automation not triggering"

• Check if automation is enabled
• Verify the trigger conditions
• Confirm record matches all conditions
• Check for conflicting automations

"Action failed"

• Review error message in log
• Check field permissions
• Verify external services are connected
• Test with simpler action first

"Too many notifications"

• Add more specific conditions
• Use delay actions to batch
• Consider combining automations

Related: Triggers | Actions | Workflow Examples