Automation Workflows

Create and manage automation rules: triggers, conditions, actions, activation, and execution logs.

Automation Workflows Overview

Automation workflows (automation rules) operate per company tenant. Each rule combines a trigger event, optional conditions, and an action the platform runs when the rule matches.

Warning

Automation rules are autonomous. They are not a substitute for human approval workflows.

Screenshot placeholder — capture the live Smart Business 360 screen for: CRM → Automation Rules list

CRM → Automation Rules list

What Automation Workflows Are

An automation rule listens for a business event in Smart Business 360 — for example a new lead or an overdue follow-up — and performs a configured action without manual intervention.

Component	Purpose
Rule name	Identifies the rule in lists and logs
Description	Documents why the rule exists
Trigger event	The system event that starts evaluation
Trigger conditions	Extra filters that must match before the action runs
Action type	What the system does (message, task, assignment, status update, call)
Action parameters	Template, message body, assignee, delay, task fields
Active flag	Whether the rule is live
Execution metrics	Execution count and last run timestamp per rule

When to Use Automation Workflows

Send a welcome message when a new lead is created.
Create a follow-up task when a follow-up becomes overdue.
Assign an agent when a ticket is created.
Update lead status after a defined event.
Notify customers about payment due dates.

Tip

Keep rules focused. Overlapping triggers can send duplicate messages to the same customer.

Workflow Structure

Verified trigger events in the product:

New Lead
Lead Status Changed
Follow-up Overdue
Follow-up Completed
Payment Due
New Customer
Booking Created
Registration Created
Sales Handoff SLA Breach
Ticket Created
Ticket Resolved

Verified action types:

Send SMS
Send WhatsApp
Send Email
Make Call
Create Task
Assign Agent
Update Status

Task actions support task types Call, SMS, WhatsApp, Email, Meeting, and Visit with priorities Low through Urgent.

Creating an Automation Workflow

Sign in to Smart Business 360.
Navigate to CRM → Automation Rules.
Click Create Rule.
Enter Rule Name and an optional Description.
Select a Trigger Event and Action Type.
Complete action-specific fields (message content with placeholders such as {{name}} and {{phone}}, template ID, assignee, task type, or status).
Set an optional Delay (Minutes) for timed follow-ups.
Save the rule — keep Active off until testing is complete.

Screenshot placeholder — capture the live Smart Business 360 screen for: Create Automation Rule form

Create Automation Rule form

Note

Automation rules require CRM automation permissions (CRM.AutomationRule.Create, Read, Update, Delete). Messaging actions also require Communication permissions.

Configuring Workflow Conditions

After choosing a trigger, define conditions so the rule only runs for the records you intend. Conditions filter on attributes related to the trigger (for example lead status or company scope).

Note

If a rule never executes, conditions may be too strict or the rule may be inactive. Check the execution log after a test event.

Use company-scoped rules when your tenant has multiple companies. Super-admin users can select a company when creating a rule.

Configuring Workflow Actions

Action fields shown in the Create/Edit rule form depend on the selected action type:

Send SMS / WhatsApp / Email — message content and optional provider template ID.
Make Call — uses configured voice/Twilio settings when available.
Create Task — task type, priority, and optional task delay (hours).
Assign Agent — assign to role and/or user.
Update Status — target lead status (New, Contacted, Qualified, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won, Closed Lost).

Warning

Outbound automated messages appear on the Leads Inbox conversation thread when the channel is connected. Unapproved WhatsApp templates may be rejected by the provider.

Activating/Deactivating a Workflow

Open the rule from CRM → Automation Rules.
Edit the rule or use the active toggle on the list if available.
Set Active to on only after a successful test.
To pause automation, deactivate the rule — execution count stops increasing while inactive.

Expected result: Active rules evaluate matching events; inactive rules are ignored.

Monitoring Workflow Execution

From the Automation Rules index, open Execution Logs to review rule runs for your company.

Open CRM → Automation Rules.
Click Execution Logs.
Filter by company if you are a super-admin.
Confirm a run appears after triggering a test event.
Verify the action outcome (message sent, task created, status updated).

Screenshot placeholder — capture the live Smart Business 360 screen for: Automation rule execution logs

Automation rule execution logs

Each rule also tracks total execution count and last execution time on the rule record.

Troubleshooting Workflow Issues

Rule never executes — confirm the rule is active and conditions match a test record.
Execution count stays at zero — trigger event or filters do not match any record.
No message received — check SMS/WhatsApp/email channel configuration under System Settings → Communications.
Duplicate messages — two active rules may share the same trigger; review all active rules.
Permission denied — confirm CRM.AutomationRule.* and Communication permissions for your role.

Feature issues

FAQ

What is the difference between automation rules and approval workflows?

Automation rules run actions automatically when events match. Approval workflows require a designated person to approve or reject before proceeding.

Can one automation rule trigger another?

Rules are independent. Chained triggers are difficult to manage; design separate rules with clear conditions instead.

Do automated messages appear in Leads Inbox?

Yes. Outbound automated WhatsApp, SMS, and email messages are shown on the conversation thread when the channel is connected.

Where are automation rules in the menu?

CRM → Automation Rules. You can also open Execution Logs from the same area.