Automations overview

Automations is the launcher page for the six automation and AI tools your agency uses to cut repetitive work in eCourtDate. Each tool has its own list, create form, and edit page, and all six share one tab strip.

### Overview

The **Automations** page shows six cards under the heading **Automation & AI Tools**. Each card opens a tool. The page itself does not list your existing records or report activity, so open a tool to see what your agency has built.

- **What it does:** Groups the six automation tools in one place and links to each one.
- **Why it matters:** Automations replace work your staff would otherwise repeat by hand, such as sending messages when a case changes, emailing recurring documents, and answering routine client questions.
- **Who uses it:** Staff whose role can reach the **Admin** menu, usually administrators and supervisors.
- **Expected outcomes:** Fewer manual steps, consistent client communication, and a single place to review how your agency has automated its work.

| Card | What it covers |
|------|----------------|
| **Workflows** | Automations built from a trigger and a list of steps, with a **Status** of draft, active, or paused. |
| **Auto Docs** | Documents generated from a data source on a schedule and delivered by email as CSV, JSON, or PDF. |
| **Chatbots** | AI assistants with a persona, instructions, and an inbox of conversations. |
| **Supervisions** | Supervision levels with a risk score, monitoring frequency, curfew reminders, and conditions. |
| **Violations** | Violation definitions with severity, category, statute citation, and penalties. |
| **Availability Templates** | Bookable event windows tied to a portal or location, with duration, buffers, and enabled days. |

### Prerequisites

Before working in Automations, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate agency
- A role that can open the **Admin** menu, which is where **Automations** lives
- Permission to view and create the record type you plan to work with, granted on your role
- A portal or a location, if you want to attach an availability template to one
- A PDF template file, if you plan to create auto docs with a **Format** of pdf

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Open the Automations page

1. Click **Admin** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click **Automations** in the dropdown.
3. Review the six cards under **Automation & AI Tools**.

#### Step 2: Open a tool

1. Click the card for the tool you want, such as **Workflows**.
2. Use the tab strip at the top of the page to move between **Automations**, **Workflows**, **Auto Docs**, **Chatbots**, **Supervisions**, **Violations**, and **Availability Templates**.

#### Step 3: Create a record

1. Enter a name in the **Name** field of the create card on the left, such as **Create Workflow**.
2. Select a **Portal** or a **Location** if you are creating an availability template.
3. Click **Create**.
4. Complete the fields on the edit page that opens.
5. Click **Save**.

#### Step 4: Find an existing record

1. Enter a term in the search field of the search card on the left.
2. Click **Search**.
3. Select **Archived** or **Trashed** to look for records that are no longer in the default list.

#### Step 5: Archive or remove a record

1. Open the record from its list.
2. Click **Tools**.
3. Click **Archive** to keep the record out of the way, or **Trash** to remove it.
4. Click **Restore** in the same menu to bring an archived or trashed record back.

### What to Expect

When you click **Create**, eCourtDate saves the record and opens its edit page so you can finish setting it up. New workflows and auto docs start with a **Status** of draft, so they do nothing until you change the status and click **Save**. Edits take effect as soon as you click **Save**, and there is no separate publish step. The **Automations** page never changes, because it is a fixed grid of six cards.

### Best Practices

- Name each record for the work it does. **Name** is the only field the create card asks for, and it is the first column in every list.
- Leave a new workflow on draft until its steps are complete, then set **Status** to active and click **Save**.
- Write a **Description** on each workflow. The list shows **Trigger**, **Steps**, **Status**, and **Last Run**, so the description is where the reason for the workflow lives.
- Check the **Last Run** column on the **Workflows** list to confirm a workflow is firing. A workflow that has never fired shows "Never Run".
- Use **Archive** from the **Tools** menu rather than **Trash** when you may need the record again, and find it later with the **Archived** filter.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Does the Automations page show my existing automations?**

A: No. It is a grid of six cards under **Automation & AI Tools**. Open a card, or use the tab strip, to see the records for each tool.

**Q: What can start a workflow?**

A: The workflow edit page offers one **Trigger** per workflow: Manual, Scheduled, Case Created, Case Updated, Event Created, Event Updated, Client Created, Client Updated, or Form Submitted.

**Q: Where do auto docs go once they are generated?**

A: They are emailed. Under **Email Delivery**, choose **Client's email contacts** or **Specific addresses** for **Send To**, then set the **Subject** and **Email Body**.

**Q: Can I recover an automation I removed?**

A: Yes. Select **Trashed** in the search card, click **Search**, open the record, then click **Restore** in the **Tools** menu.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** A tool is missing from the tab strip.

**Symptoms:** The tab strip shows some tools but not the one you need, or shows no tabs at all.

**Solution:**

1. Open the tool from its card on the **Automations** page, which always shows all six.
2. Ask an administrator to review your role at **Admin** > **Users** > **Roles** and check whether the tool is selected under **Hidden Navigations**.

**Issue:** A record you created is not in the list.

**Symptoms:** The list is empty or shows a message such as "No Workflows found."

**Solution:**

1. Clear the search field and click **Search** to return to the default list.
2. Select **Archived**, click **Search**, then repeat with **Trashed** selected.
3. Open the record and click **Restore** in the **Tools** menu to return it to the default list.

**Issue:** A workflow never runs.

**Symptoms:** The **Last Run** column shows "Never Run".

**Solution:**

1. Open the workflow and confirm **Status** is set to active, then click **Save**.
2. Confirm the **Trigger** matches the event you expect, because a workflow set to Manual does not fire when records change.
3. Add at least one step in **Workflow Builder** with **Add Step**, then click **Save**.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to build automated workflows](/how-to-build-automated-workflows)
- [How to create workflows](/how-to-create-workflows)
- [How to create auto docs](/how-to-create-auto-docs)
- [How to create chatbots](/how-to-create-chatbots)
- [How to create availability templates](/how-to-create-availability-templates)
- [How to define supervision levels](/how-to-define-supervision-levels)
- [How to manage violations](/how-to-manage-violations)
- [How to manage automations](/how-to-manage-automations)