Workflows

Created by Daniel Beckett, Modified on Thu, 18 May, 2023 at 4:25 PM by Daniel Beckett

Add actions to workflows that will run in sequence.

Workflows can be started manually or automatically. To start a workflow automatically, add a lead type action using the Start Workflow action on the relevant event e.g. Start Workflow on the event "Received". To do this create the workflow first and then configure the lead type action to reference the workflow.

Image: https://flg360.uservoice.com/assets/215403310/Annotation%202019-10-10%20110130.png

Workflows can also be started manually from the Workflows menu on the lead.

Image: https://flg360.uservoice.com/assets/215403763/Annotation%202019-10-10%20110130d.png

There are three options when setting up workflows:

Minute/hour started – triggers actions a defined number of minutes or hours after the first action
Day started – triggers actions starting at 00.00
Date field on lead - triggers actions starting at 00.00 based on a date field on the lead

Image: https://flg360.uservoice.com/assets/215403406/Annotation%202019-10-10%20110130b.png

Workflows can be scheduled in a number of ways. Schedule actions to run:

After a defined number of days, hours or minutes of a lead being received, a workflow starting or a certain date stored on the lead. For instance, to send an email an hour after the lead is received. For this option, select the schedule from Minute/hour started
At certain times of the day. For instance, 09.00, 12.00 or 15.00. For this option, select the schedule from Day started
A defined period before or after a Date field on lead

A number of options are available to impose additional control over the scheduled actions:

Skip Saturdays and Skip Sundays - no actions run if they fall on a Saturday or Sunday if using Minute/hour started. If using the Day started or Date field on lead, actions will be rescheduled starting on Monday. An action which falls on Saturday will run on Monday and an action which falls on Sunday will run on Tuesday instead.
Run missed - an action scheduled at, for instance, 09.00 but within a workflow starting at 10.30, will only run if Run missed is selected. If Run missed is not selected it will wait for the next action at, for instance, 12.00. If Run missed is selected and Skip Saturdays or Skip Sundays is also selected, an action falling on a Saturday or Sunday will run these actions on Monday, the next working day.
Pause until complete - pauses next actions until the last action is complete. This is regardless of Run missed and/or Day started being selected. No other actions will start until the paused action has been completed. The subsequent actions will be scheduled based on the time the paused action is completed. This behaviour is the same with Minute/hour started.

Image: https://flg360.uservoice.com/assets/215403742/Annotation%202019-10-10%20110130c.png

Common workflow examples

Schedule from Minute/hour started

Use to trigger actions so many days, hours or minutes after the previous action.

First action set at 2 hours - runs 2 hours after the workflow starts
Second action set at 2 hours – runs 2 hours after the first action
Third action set at 3 hours - runs 3 hours after the second action

Note: The defined number of days, hours or minutes on the first action is the time the system will wait to run the first action after the workflow starts.

Schedule from Day started

Use to trigger actions during business hours or to trigger actions at specific times.

First action set at 9 hours - runs at 09.00 (9 hours after 00.00)
Second action set at 3 hours – runs at 12.00 (3 hours after the first action)
Third action set at 3 hours - runs at 15.00 (3 hours after the second action)

Note: The defined number of hours or minutes on the first action generates the start time for the workflow. This is calculated from 00.00. For instance, to trigger the first action at 18.00, set to 18 hours.

Schedule from Date field on lead

This option works in the same way as Day started to trigger actions at certain times of the day but based on a date field on the lead. For instance, start a workflow 2 days before a lead "Installation Date" to prepare a customer or prospect for an installation. Or start the workflow 7 days after to follow-up post installation. Alternatively, start a workflow 5 days after "Referral Date" or 20 days after a lead is received.

Common dates to start a workflow:

Received Date - the date the lead was received
Referral Date - the date the lead was referred
Internet Delivery Date - the date the lead was delivered via the internet
Last Note/Call Date - the date of the last note/call
Next Birthday - the date of birth

It's also possible to use a date held in an additional field on a lead - these will appear in the drop-down once created.

An Offset can be added to start the workflow. This can be a positive or negative number. To commence a workflow 3 days, for instance, before a date, set Offset to -3.

Don't forget...

If the workflow is set to Date field on lead and no date is populated on the lead, the workflow won't start.
The left of the actions (in blue) states when the action will run.
A lead can have several workflows with different triggers but the older workflow stops when the new workflow starts. Only one workflow sequence can run at a time.

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