Every automation is built as "when X happens, do Y." The trigger is the X. It's the starting gun, and choosing the right one is most of the battle.

Common, dependable triggers for a practice:

  • Form submitted — a new inquiry arrives
  • Appointment booked — someone reserves a time
  • Appointment status changed — confirmed, completed, or no-show
  • Tag added — you or a workflow labels a contact
  • Pipeline stage changed — a card moves forward
Tip
Tip: Start from the patient moment you keep handling manually. That moment is almost always your trigger.

Match the trigger to the outcome you want

The same goal can usually be reached from more than one trigger, so pick the one closest to the real event.

If you want to reduce no-shows, the trigger is "appointment booked" and the action is a sequence of reminders. If you want to recover no-shows, the trigger is "appointment status changed to no-show" and the action is a warm re-book invitation.

Note
Note: One precise trigger beats three vague ones. Specific triggers fire at the right moment for the right person.

Add conditions to stay relevant

Triggers start the automation; conditions keep it appropriate. After a trigger fires, you can check a condition — "only continue if this contact is tagged new patient" — so the right people get the right messages.

Navigate to:
AutomationWorkflowsCreate Workflow

Test before you trust

Always run a contact through a new automation yourself before turning it loose.

Warning
Warning: An automation with the wrong trigger doesn't just sit idle — it messages real patients at the wrong moment. Test with your own details first, every time.

Build one, then build the next

Don't try to automate the whole practice at once. Pick the single most repetitive follow-up, build that one automation well, and let it run for a week before adding another.

Next step

Choose the one follow-up you repeat most, identify its trigger, and build that workflow. When you'd like help mapping your practice's full set of triggers, request a guided trial and we'll design them with you.