Content Workflow Automations

Content workflow automations add items to a workflow automatically as soon as they are created. You set them up on a content type, and from then on every new item of that type, such as a form submission, can start its own card in a workflow without anyone lifting a finger. This article focuses on the workflow automations; for the other automations on a content type (notifications, actions, confirmations), see Definition Automations.

What you can automate

• Form Submission Workflow: create a card for each new item, for example put every new job application into a "Recruitment" workflow.
• People Workflow: for each person connected to a new submission, add that person to a workflow if they match a filter. For example, when a club registration form is submitted, add only first-time members to "New Member Welcome".

Both run only when an item is created. Editing an item later does not add it to a workflow.

Which content types this works for

The automation is stored on the item's content type definition, so it works for forms and for any content type your organisation has defined, including your own profile types such as "Staff Member" or "Student". Items of a built-in type that has no definition of its own, such as plain profiles created without a profile type, do not run these automations. To add plain records to a workflow, select them in a list and use Add to workflow from the actions menu.

Setting up a Form Submission Workflow

1. Open the content type's editor. For a form, click Edit Form on its list page; for other types, open the menu next to the title and choose Configure '…' Type.
2. Go to the Automation tab.
3. Under Form Submission Workflow, add an entry and fill in:
   • Title: a note so you remember what it does, for example "Applications into Recruitment".
   • If matches rules (optional): only items matching these rules start a card. Leave empty to include every new item.
   • Add to workflow: the workflow to create the card in.
   • Add at step: where the card starts. Leave blank for the workflow's first step.
   • Key People: who the card is about.
     • All profiles on the submission (default): every person on the item.
     • Specific field: only the people in one profile field, for example the applicant rather than the referee.
     • One card per profile: a separate card for each person in that field, for example one card per student on a group enrolment.
   • Specific Field: for the last two options, the profile field to use.
4. Save.

Setting up a People Workflow

1. On the same Automation tab, under People Workflow, add an entry.
2. Set a Title, the If profile matches filter, Add profile to workflow and optionally Add at step.
3. Save.

The People Workflow filter is checked against each person, not against the submission. Filtering on a question from the form here does nothing, because the person's record does not have that field. To filter on the submission's answers, use a Form Submission Workflow instead.

What the new card looks like

• Its title is the new item's title.
• Its Referenced Item is the new item, so step functions and criteria can use the item's data (for a form, the submitted answers).
• Its Key People follow the Key People setting above.
• It starts at Add at step, or the first step if that is blank, and that step's "enters" functions run straight away.
• If the card has no scope of its own, it takes the workflow's scopes.

An item is only added to the same workflow once. If a card for that item already exists in the workflow, no duplicate is created. With One card per profile, one card per person is created on purpose.

Filters

Filters use the same builder as smart lists. Examples:

• Only add applications where "Position" is "Coach".
• Only add enquiries where "Budget" is greater than 10,000.
• Only add submissions to a review workflow if a "Needs follow-up" box was ticked.

See Using the Filter Builder.

Several automations on one content type

You can add as many entries as you like. For example, a "Contractor Registration" form could add every submission to "Compliance Checks" and, with a filter, add only high-value contractors to "Account Management" as well.

Use cases

• Form processing: route applications, enquiries or requests through a review workflow.
• Onboarding: start an induction card for each new record of a profile type such as "Staff Member".
• Per-person follow-up: when a group registration is submitted, create one follow-up card for each person on it.

FAQs