> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.autocampaign.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Workflow builder

> Automate multi-step journeys by connecting a trigger to actions on a visual canvas.

## Overview

[Workflows](/getting-started/glossary#workflow) automate what happens when
something occurs — for example, "when a contact joins via a form, wait a day, then
send a follow-up." You build them on a **visual canvas** by connecting a trigger
(the event that starts the workflow) to actions (the steps that follow). Find them
under **Workflows** in the sidebar (`/workflows`).

<Info>
  **Time to complete:** \~15 minutes  ·  **Difficulty:** Intermediate
</Info>

## Build a workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a workflow">
    Click **Create workflow**. Start from a **template** or **from scratch**, then
    name it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a trigger">
    Every workflow starts with a **trigger** — the event that begins the journey.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add steps on the canvas">
    Open the node picker (the menu of steps you can add, grouped into **Triggers,
    Tools, AI, Actions**) and connect actions, conditions, and waits. Changes save
    automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Validate and publish">
    Click **Validate** to check for issues, then **Publish** to make it live.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Triggers

Start a workflow on any of these events:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Contacts & lists">
    Contact created · Tag added · Tag removed · Segment entered · Segment left ·
    Form submitted ([join link](/getting-started/glossary#join-link) or web form) ·
    New advertising lead (Google/Meta)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Messaging">
    SMS delivered · SMS failed · Email delivered · Email opened · Email link clicked
    · Email bounced · Email unsubscribed
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Scheduling">
    Booking created · Booking rescheduled · Booking cancelled · Booking completed ·
    Booking no-show
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Other">
    On a schedule (hourly/daily/weekly/monthly or a custom schedule) ·
    [Webhook](/getting-started/glossary#webhook) received (a unique web address
    another program can call to start the workflow) · Manual start (you run it
    yourself)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Actions

Steps that do something for the contact:

* **Send SMS**, **Send email**, **Send booking link**
* **Add tag** / **Remove tag**
* **Add to segment** / **Remove from segment**
* **Update custom field**, **Update stage**
* **Notify team** (in-app), **Assign to member**
* **Record conversion**
* **Call webhook** (send the run's details to another program's web address)

### AI steps

* **AI decide** — ask a yes/no question and branch on the answer.
* **AI extract** — pull specific details (such as a name or date) out of text.
* **AI summarize** — condense text for later steps.

## Logic: conditions, branches, and waits

* **Check if** — a condition with **Yes / No** paths (uses the same rules as
  [segments](/contacts/segments)).
* **Branch** — multiple labeled conditions, first match wins, plus "Everyone else".
* **A/B split** — send contacts down different paths in the shares you choose.
* **Repeat for each** — repeat steps for each item in a list.
* **Goal** — continue when a goal is met (also records a conversion).
* **Wait** — pause **for a set time**, **until a date**, or **until something
  happens** (contact replies, opens an email, or clicks a link), with an optional
  time limit for giving up.

## Runs and analytics

* **Runs** (`/workflows/:id/runs`) — every time the workflow ran, with its status
  (**Running, Waiting, Completed, Failed, Cancelled**), outcome, and a
  step-by-step record. Export to CSV.
* **Analytics** (`/workflows/:id/analytics`) — total runs, active now, completed,
  failed, success rate, conversions, a runs-over-time chart, and a step-by-step
  funnel showing how many contacts reach each step.

## Publishing and status

Workflows are **Draft**, **Published**, or **Archived**. **Publish** turns a
workflow on; **Unpublish** returns it to Draft. Use the **Test** toggle to try a
run without sending real messages.

<Note>
  A workflow that fails 10 runs in a row is automatically unpublished to protect
  your contacts — fix the issue and re-publish.
</Note>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is there a 'contact replied' trigger?">
    Not as a trigger. Use a **Wait → until something happens → Contact replies** step
    inside a workflow to react to replies.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do tests send real messages?">
    No. Test mode only pretends to run steps that would send or change something,
    so no SMS or email goes out.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can a workflow call my own system?">
    Yes. Use the **Call webhook** action to send run data to your system's web
    address. Use the **Webhook received** trigger to start a workflow from an
    outside event.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I stop a live workflow?">
    Unpublish it (returns to Draft). Runs already in progress finish; no new runs
    start.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why can't I click Publish?">
    Run **Validate** — the checklist shows what's incomplete (for example, a step
    with missing settings or a missing connection). Fix those, then publish.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My workflow unpublished itself">
    It hit 10 failed runs in a row. Open the **Runs** page to see the failure
    reason, fix the step, and re-publish.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Add AI to your inbox" icon="user-robot" href="/automation/ai-employees">
  Let an AI Employee handle replies.
</Card>