Workflows are a powerful tool that allows you to automate common and useful tasks by creating chains of triggers and actions. They can be as simple as applying a label (e.g. prospect) to people who click a link in an email or as complex as managing full communication plans through timing and conditions.

One of the best parts about workflows is that once you know the basics you can create impressive tools to facilitate your communication and enrollment activities.

You can think of workflows as a process of steps in which people automatically enter because of something about them, for example being a prospect versus being an applicant, or because of something they do, like submitting a form or an application.

At each step, something happens. For example, an email is sent to people in the workflow. Also at each step, some or all of the people either exit the workflow, continue to the next step, or even move to a different workflow depending on how the workflow is set up.

Before you start creating workflows, it’s helpful to understand the pieces that comprise them.

Audience
People who will be recipients of communications and/or actions defined by the steps of a workflow.

Triggers
Triggers enroll people in a workflow. They are typically things people do, like start or complete an application, sign-up for an event, enter a segment.

Steps
The building block of workflows. Workflows are essentially a sequence of steps that people enrolled in the workflow move through.

Actions
What happens to a person in a workflow step. E.g. label applied, communication sent, removed from workflow.

Conditions
Conditions provide more granular control over what happens and to whom in a workflow step.

Delays
Method of setting when a step will occur.

With that overview of workflows, let's get started!  Head to Create a Workflow to begin.