Automation basics

Two kinds of automation

• A form’s automation runs every time its form is sent. Open it from the form’s Automation tab. Simple ones (emails and an approval) can be set up right there; use Open in the automation builder for everything else.
• A standalone automation starts some other way: on a schedule, from a webhook, from a new email or spreadsheet row, or when you press Run now. Create one from Automations → New automation.

The builder

The automation builder has three panels:

• Add to the automation (left): triggers and steps, in groups you can fold, with a search box.
• The map (middle): the trigger at the top and each step below it. Drag boxes to arrange them, drag from a box’s bottom dot to another box to link them, and hover a link for + (add a step there) or × (remove the link).
• Settings (right): everything about the selected step, the values you can use, a note for other builders, and options such as Only run this step when… and Carry on if this step fails.

Problems show on the step that has them, in plain English, before you publish. Each step also has an on/off switch: a step that’s off is kept but skipped.

Branching and conditions

If / else splits the map into a Yes path and a No path. Only run this step when… skips a single step unless a condition holds. Both compare a value with:

is, is not, contains, is empty, is not empty, is more than or is less than.

For example: only send the big-order email when {{total}} is more than 1000.

Save, publish and turn on

1. Save draft keeps your work without changing what runs.
2. Publish makes the draft the version that runs. Each publish is a new, kept version.
3. A form’s automation also needs its form to be published. Standalone automations can be run straight away with Run now.