# Automations Overview

> Automate your WhatsApp messaging with triggers, sequences, and intelligent workflows

Source: https://edesy.in/docs/waflow/automations

Waflow Automations allow you to send messages automatically based on triggers, schedules, and contact behavior. Instead of manually sending each message, you can create workflows that engage your audience at the right moment with the right content.

## What are Automations?

Automations are pre-defined workflows that send WhatsApp messages automatically when specific conditions are met. They run in the background, ensuring your contacts receive timely, relevant messages without manual intervention.

### How Automations Work

```
Trigger Event → Conditions Check → Action Executed
     ↓               ↓                   ↓
  Contact      Does contact meet     Send message,
  added        criteria?             wait, branch
```

### Automation Components

Every automation consists of three key elements:

| Component | Description | Examples |
|-----------|-------------|----------|
| **Trigger** | What starts the automation | Contact added, tag applied, date reached |
| **Conditions** | Rules that must be met | Has specific tag, in segment, custom field value |
| **Actions** | What happens when triggered | Send message, wait, add tag, update field |

## Automations vs Campaigns

Understanding when to use automations versus campaigns is essential for effective messaging.

### Campaigns

Best for one-time or scheduled bulk messaging:

- Product announcements
- Flash sales
- Event invitations
- Newsletters
- One-time notifications

**Characteristics:**
- Sent to a defined audience at once
- Scheduled for a specific date/time
- All recipients get the same message
- Campaign ends after messages are sent

### Automations

Best for ongoing, triggered messaging:

- Welcome messages
- Follow-up sequences
- Birthday wishes
- Abandoned cart reminders
- Re-engagement campaigns

**Characteristics:**
- Run continuously in the background
- Triggered by individual contact actions
- Messages sent at optimal times for each contact
- Personalized based on contact behavior

> **Tip:** Use campaigns for announcements and automations for personalized journeys. They work best when combined strategically.

## Common Use Cases

### Welcome Messages

Automatically greet new contacts:

1. **Trigger**: Contact added to list
2. **Action**: Send welcome message with brand introduction
3. **Follow-up**: Send helpful resources after 24 hours

```
Contact Added → Welcome Message → Wait 24h → Resource Guide
```

### Appointment Reminders

Never let contacts miss important dates:

1. **Trigger**: Appointment date approaching
2. **Conditions**: Appointment not cancelled
3. **Actions**:
   - Send reminder 24 hours before
   - Send reminder 2 hours before
   - Send follow-up after appointment

```
24h Before → First Reminder → 2h Before → Final Reminder
```

### Follow-Up Sequences

Nurture leads automatically:

1. **Trigger**: Contact shows interest (form submission, inquiry)
2. **Sequence**:
   - Day 1: Thank you message
   - Day 3: Product benefits
   - Day 7: Customer testimonials
   - Day 14: Special offer

### Re-Engagement

Win back inactive contacts:

1. **Trigger**: No interaction for 30 days
2. **Conditions**: Was previously active
3. **Action**: Send "We miss you" message with incentive

### Order Updates

Keep customers informed:

1. **Trigger**: Order status changes (via webhook)
2. **Actions**: Send appropriate update message
   - Order confirmed
   - Shipped
   - Out for delivery
   - Delivered

## Getting Started with Automations

### Creating Your First Automation

1. Navigate to **Automations** in the sidebar
2. Click **Create Automation**
3. Choose a template or start from scratch
4. Configure your trigger
5. Add conditions (optional)
6. Set up your actions
7. Test the automation
8. Activate when ready

### Automation Templates

Waflow provides pre-built templates for common scenarios:

| Template | Use Case |
|----------|----------|
| Welcome Series | New contact onboarding |
| Abandoned Cart | E-commerce recovery |
| Appointment Reminder | Service businesses |
| Birthday Greeting | Customer appreciation |
| Re-Engagement | Inactive contacts |
| Post-Purchase | Order follow-up |

### Testing Automations

Before activating, always test your automation:

1. Add yourself as a test contact
2. Trigger the automation manually
3. Verify messages are correct
4. Check timing between messages
5. Confirm conditions work as expected

> **Warning:** Always test automations with a small group before activating for your entire audience. Incorrect automations can send unintended messages to many contacts.

## Automation States

Understanding automation states helps you manage your workflows:

### Draft

- Automation is being built
- Not active, no messages sent
- Can be edited freely

### Active

- Automation is running
- Triggers are being monitored
- Messages sent when conditions met

### Paused

- Temporarily stopped
- Contacts mid-flow will not receive further messages
- Can be resumed to continue

### Archived

- No longer in use
- Hidden from main view
- Can be restored if needed

## Best Practices

### Start Simple

Begin with basic automations:

1. Single trigger
2. Clear conditions
3. One or two messages
4. Expand as you learn

### Personalize Messages

Use contact data for relevance:

- First name in greetings
- Relevant product recommendations
- Location-based content
- Past purchase references

### Respect Timing

Consider when messages arrive:

- Avoid late night messages
- Account for time zones
- Space messages appropriately
- Use quiet hours settings

### Monitor Performance

Regularly review automation metrics:

- Delivery rates
- Read rates
- Response rates
- Unsubscribe rates

### Iterate and Improve

Use data to optimize:

- A/B test message content
- Adjust timing based on engagement
- Refine conditions for better targeting
- Update content to stay fresh

## Automation Limits

Be aware of platform limits:

| Plan | Active Automations | Steps per Automation |
|------|-------------------|---------------------|
| Starter | 5 | 10 |
| Growth | 25 | 25 |
| Business | 100 | 50 |
| Enterprise | Unlimited | Unlimited |

> **Note:** Limits apply to active automations only. Draft and archived automations do not count toward limits.

## Integration with Other Features

Automations work seamlessly with other Waflow features:

### Templates

- Use approved templates in automation messages
- Personalize with variables
- Track template performance

### Contacts

- Trigger based on contact properties
- Update contact fields via automation
- Add or remove tags automatically

### Segments

- Target specific segments in conditions
- Move contacts between segments
- Create dynamic audience targeting

### Analytics

- Track automation performance
- View message-level metrics
- Analyze conversion funnels

## Next Steps

- [Drip Sequences](https://edesy.in/docs/waflow/automations/drip-sequences) - Create multi-step message flows
- [Triggers & Events](https://edesy.in/docs/waflow/automations/triggers) - Learn about trigger types
- [Templates](https://edesy.in/docs/waflow/templates) - Create templates for automations