A trigger is the event that starts a workflow. Choose one under When with Choose a trigger. The list is grouped and searchable (Search triggers). Every workflow needs exactly one.
How often it runs
The Runs setting decides whether the same record can run the workflow more than once. You can change it in the trigger panel and in the workflow's Settings tab.
- Once per lead, Once per client, Once per invoice and so on: a record runs through the workflow only one time.
- Every time it happens: each new event runs the workflow again. For example, every stage change of a client.
- On a schedule: the workflow has no record of its own. It runs at the time you set. Under Runs for, choose Nobody (workspace only), Every client, or Clients in these stages… to run it once for each matching client instead. Each run handles up to 500 clients, oldest first, and later runs carry on where the last stopped.
Triggers for a brand-new record (New lead, Client created, Invoice created, Task created, New incoming email, and the like) start on the once-per option. The rest start on Every time it happens. Once per means one run per record, ever, so switch to Every time it happens if you want repeats.
Time-based
- On a schedule — runs Daily, Weekly or Monthly, At a time you choose, in a Time zone you choose. Weekly needs a weekday (On). Monthly needs a Day of the month; in a shorter month, a later day runs on the last day.
Clients
- Client created — a new client was added.
- Client stage changed — a client moved to another stage, whoever or whatever moved it: a teammate, one of your automatic stage rules, or another workflow. Filters: From stage and To stage. Under Moves into and Moves out of, choose a stage or Any stage. The run shows who made the move.
- Follow-up became due — a client's follow-up came due. Filter: Follow-up type (or Any type).
- No recent contact — a client hasn't been contacted for a number of days (Days without contact, 7 to 365, starts at 30). The card reads "No contact for 30 days". Contact means the last email, text, call or meeting; a client who was never contacted counts from the day they were added. It runs once for each gap, so a client who is contacted and goes quiet again can start it again.
Invoices
- Invoice created
- Invoice sent
- Invoice viewed
- Payment received
- Partial payment received
- Invoice voided
- Payment overdue — Send when overdue by: pick the days. It runs once at each day you check.
- Invoice due soon — Days before the due date, 1 to 30 (starts at 3). The card reads "Invoice due in 3 days".
Invoice filters include Amount, Balance due, Days until due, Days overdue, Currency and Invoice status.
Proposals
Proposal created, Proposal sent, Proposal viewed, Proposal accepted, Proposal declined.
Contracts
Contract sent, Contract viewed, Recipient signed, Contract completed, Contract declined, Contract expired, Contract voided. A contract trigger can also use an AI decision.
Calendar
- Appointment booked, Appointment changed, Appointment canceled
- Before an appointment — set How long before, from 15 minutes to 30 days. The card reads, for example, "1 day before an appointment".
- After an appointment ends — set How long after, from 15 minutes to 30 days.
The time-based calendar triggers include each occurrence of a recurring appointment. Extra filters: Location, Meeting link, Booking page, Categories and Status.
Tasks
- Task created, Task assigned, Task status changed, Task completed
- Task due soon — How long before the due date, from 1 hour to 30 days. Tasks are checked once an hour.
- Task overdue — a task passed its due date. A task with only a date, and no time, is overdue at the end of that day.
Task triggers also filter by Project and Client. A task that isn't linked to a client has no client for the workflow to use.
Leads
- New lead — a new request came in. Choose a Form to run only for that form; the card reads "New lead · Strategy call". Leave it on Any form for all of them.
- Lead status changed — filter by Changes to (Any status, or a status) and Previous status.
- Lead assigned — filter by Any teammate or one person, and Previously assigned to.
- Lead converted to client — runs when a lead becomes a client. Because there is now a client, the run carries the new client: use client filters, and client actions such as Move client to stage apply to that client.
Converting a lead never starts Lead status changed. It starts Lead converted to client.
Incoming messages
- New incoming email
- New incoming text message
- No reply to a message — an incoming message got no reply after Hours without a reply (1 to 168, starts at 24). The card reads "No reply in 24 hours". Only a reply sent by a teammate from Workspace369 counts. Replies from workflows or AI, automatic mail and forwarding rules don't count, so you're alerted when nobody has answered.
Incoming triggers don't need an AI decision any more. Add one when you want to sort messages. Filters: Sender name, Sender email or phone, Subject, Message text and Channel. On No reply to a message there's also Hours waiting.
- One channel can have up to 10 incoming workflows on. An 11th can't be turned on; turn one off first.
- Automatic email (auto-replies, mailing lists) never starts an incoming workflow. The run shows as skipped: "Not run: this was an automatic email, such as an auto-reply or a mailing list."
- Client means the sender, on the same channel. A sender who isn't a client has no client, so a client filter doesn't match and client steps are skipped.
Calls
Call missed, Call completed, Call transcript ready. A transcript trigger can use an AI decision to route the run.
Filters that use the client
Most triggers that involve a client offer client filters under Only continue if: Stage, Stage group, Tags, Client type, Last contacted, Next follow-up, Follow-up due, Projects, Last invoice, your client custom fields, and, if you can see prices, Lifetime value and Open balance. Lead triggers don't have a client (except Lead converted to client). If a run has no client, a client filter doesn't match.
Removing or swapping a trigger drops any filter that no longer applies, and tells you how many it removed.
Next steps
Return to Workflows.