Connect the work.

What starts an automation?

A trigger is the event that starts a workflow. Instead of someone repeatedly checking for something to happen, the system waits for a defined event.

The right trigger depends on where the information or event originates.

Form submission

A form is one of the simplest ways to start an automation. Someone provides information and that submission becomes the input for the workflow.

For example, an enquiry form could capture a name, email address and request before sending the information into an AI classification step.

New email

Incoming email can become the starting point for a workflow. The system can identify the message, extract useful information and decide what should happen next.

This is useful when messages follow predictable patterns, such as enquiries, notifications or routine requests.

Scheduled workflows

Some work does not depend on another person doing something first. A scheduled trigger can start a workflow at a defined time or interval.

Examples include recurring reports, content preparation, reminders and routine data processing.

Webhooks

A webhook allows one system to send an event or payload into another workflow. This creates a direct connection between applications.

Webhooks are particularly useful when an application needs to tell an automation platform that something has happened.

Payment events

A successful payment can start fulfilment, notifications, access management or customer follow-up.

This turns a transaction into the first step of a larger customer workflow.

Database changes

A new or updated record can start another process. This is useful when a database is acting as the central source of information for a workflow.

How does the workflow decide?

Logic is the decision-making layer. It determines what should happen after the trigger and allows one workflow to handle different situations.

Conditions

Conditions allow an automation to make a simple decision based on information already available in the workflow.

For example: if an enquiry is marked as urgent, route it one way. If it is not urgent, use another path.

AI classification

AI can analyse information that is difficult to handle with simple rules. It can classify messages, extract useful information or identify the likely intent behind an enquiry.

This creates a bridge between traditional automation and more flexible AI-powered workflows.

Routing

Routing sends different types of information to the appropriate destination.

A sales enquiry could go to one workflow, a support request to another and a general question to a different response path.

Data transformation

Data often needs to be cleaned, formatted or reorganised before another application can use it.

Transformation might involve changing formats, combining fields, extracting values or preparing information for another system.

What does the system actually do?

Actions are the tasks performed after the workflow has determined what needs to happen.

Send an email

An automation can send a response, notification, confirmation or follow-up after the workflow reaches the appropriate point.

This is particularly useful when the message follows a predictable pattern but still needs to be triggered by a specific event.

Update a database

The workflow can create a new record or update an existing one so that information is stored centrally.

This avoids manually copying information from one tool into another and creates a record that other workflows can use later.

Update a CRM

Customer and lead information can be created or updated automatically when the workflow has enough information to do so.

This can help keep customer records consistent across the wider process.

API and webhook actions

An API or webhook can pass information from one application to another, allowing separate services to become part of the same workflow.

This is one of the foundations of more advanced connected systems.

Form → AI → database → email → follow-up.

This is the recommended example from the original automation page, expanded into a complete workflow.

A follow-up task can then be created so that a person only needs to step in where human judgement is required.

Customer enquiry workflow

A support workflow can receive an incoming request, classify it and route it to the appropriate response path.

Straightforward requests can follow a prepared process, while more complex cases can be escalated to a person.

Content workflow

Content information can move through a repeatable process instead of being manually copied between planning, production and publishing tools.

AI can assist with parts of the process while automation handles movement between systems.

Repetitive administration

Administrative tasks often involve repeated data entry, copying information, checking records and sending routine follow-ups.

These are strong candidates for automation when the process is predictable and the rules are clear.

Automation is one layer of a bigger system.

Once the workflow works, connect it with the wider system: AI, agents, tools, data and the business outcome you're trying to achieve.

From automation to opportunity.

Once you understand how workflows work, the next question is what useful system you can build around a real problem.