Automated workflows in eCourtDate let you trigger actions based on events in the platform, such as automatically sending reminders when a court date is created or assigning clients to groups based on case type.

### Overview

Building automated workflows allows your agency to eliminate repetitive manual tasks and ensure consistent handling of routine processes. A workflow connects a trigger (the event that starts it), one or more conditions (filters that determine whether it should run), and actions (the tasks that get executed). This guide walks you through the process of designing and building effective automated workflows.

- **What it does:** Automates actions like sending messages, creating events, updating statuses, and assigning groups based on triggers you define.
- **Why it matters:** Reduces staff workload, eliminates human error in routine tasks, and ensures every client receives timely communication.
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators and supervisors responsible for operational processes and client communications.
- **Expected outcome:** Your agency runs more efficiently with automated actions firing reliably whenever trigger conditions are met.

### Prerequisites

Before building an automated workflow, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate agency on staging or production
- Super admin access, or the **Manage Automations** permission
- A clear understanding of the process you want to automate (trigger event, conditions, and desired action)
- Message templates configured if the workflow will send messages
- Client records in the system for testing

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Plan Your Workflow

Before opening the workflow builder, define the following:

1. Identify the trigger event. What happens in eCourtDate that should start this workflow? Examples include a client being created, an event being scheduled, a payment being received, or a case status changing.
2. Define your conditions. Should the workflow run for all records, or only when specific criteria are met? For example, only when the case type is "Traffic" or the event location is "Courtroom A."
3. Determine the action. What should happen when the trigger fires and conditions are met? Examples include sending a message, creating a follow-up event, updating a record status, or assigning the client to a group.

#### Step 2: Access the Workflow Builder

1. Go to **Admin** > **Automations** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Workflows** tab.
3. Click the **Create** button to open a new workflow.

#### Step 3: Configure the Trigger

1. Enter a descriptive name in the **Workflow Name** field (e.g., "Court Date Reminder - Auto Send").
2. Select the trigger event from the **Trigger** dropdown. Available triggers include:
   - **Client Created** or **Client Updated**
   - **Event Created** or **Event Updated**
   - **Payment Created** or **Payment Updated**
   - **Case Status Changed**
   - **Warrant Created** or **Warrant Updated**
   - **Form Submitted**
3. Click **Save** to apply the trigger selection.

#### Step 4: Add Conditions

1. Scroll to the **Conditions** section.
2. Click **Add Condition** to add a filter.
3. Select the field you want to filter on (e.g., **Case Type**, **Event Type**, **Status**, **Location**).
4. Select the operator (e.g., "equals," "contains," "is not").
5. Enter or select the value to match (e.g., "Traffic," "Active," "Courtroom A").
6. Add additional conditions as needed. All conditions must be met for the workflow to proceed.
7. Click **Save** to apply your conditions.

#### Step 5: Define Actions

1. Scroll to the **Actions** section.
2. Click **Add Action** to define what happens when the trigger fires and conditions are met.
3. Select the action type from the dropdown:
   - **Send Message**: Select an auto message or enter message content directly.
   - **Create Event**: Automatically create a follow-up event with specified details.
   - **Update Status**: Change the status of the triggering record.
   - **Assign to Group**: Add the client to a specific client group.
   - **Create Task**: Generate a task for your team to follow up on.
4. Configure the action details based on the type you selected.
5. Add additional actions if the workflow should perform multiple tasks.
6. Click **Save** to apply your actions.

#### Step 6: Test the Workflow

1. Enable **Simulate Mode** by checking the checkbox at the top of the workflow.
2. Click **Save** to apply simulate mode.
3. Trigger the workflow by creating or updating a record that matches your trigger and conditions.
4. Review the workflow's **Run History** tab to verify the trigger fired and the action executed correctly.
5. Check the affected records to confirm the expected changes were applied (in simulate mode, messages are created but not delivered).

#### Step 7: Activate the Workflow

1. Once testing is complete, disable **Simulate Mode**.
2. Click **Save** to activate the workflow.
3. The workflow is now live and will execute automatically whenever the trigger conditions are met.

### What to Expect

After activating a workflow, it runs automatically whenever the trigger event occurs and all conditions are met. Actions execute immediately unless a delay is configured. You can monitor workflow activity from the **Run History** tab, which shows each execution with its trigger details, conditions evaluated, and actions performed. Changes take effect immediately after you click **Save**.

### Best Practices

- Start simple. Build a workflow with one trigger, one condition, and one action before adding complexity.
- Always test with **Simulate Mode** enabled before activating a workflow in production.
- Use descriptive workflow names that include the trigger and action (e.g., "Payment Received - Send Confirmation").
- Review your workflow run history weekly to catch any unexpected behavior or failed executions.
- Document your workflows in a shared location so your team understands what automations are active and why.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can a single workflow have multiple actions?**
A: Yes. You can add multiple actions to a single workflow. For example, a workflow triggered by a new event can send a message, assign the client to a group, and create a follow-up task all in one execution.

**Q: What happens if the conditions are not met?**
A: The workflow does not execute. The trigger fires but the conditions are evaluated, and if any condition fails, the actions are skipped. This is logged in the run history for your review.

**Q: Can I use workflows to send messages to additional recipients beyond the client?**
A: Yes. When configuring a **Send Message** action, you can specify additional recipients (phone numbers or email addresses) to receive a copy of the message.

**Q: How do I temporarily stop a workflow without deleting it?**
A: Open the workflow and click the **Pause** toggle or enable **Simulate Mode**. The workflow remains saved and can be reactivated at any time.

**Q: Can workflows trigger other workflows?**
A: Workflows do not directly chain to other workflows. However, if a workflow action updates a record (e.g., changes a status), and another workflow has a trigger for that update, the second workflow will fire independently.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Workflow is not triggering.
**Symptoms:** The expected event occurs (e.g., a client is created) but the workflow does not execute.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the workflow is active and not paused or in simulate mode.
2. Open the workflow and confirm the **Trigger** matches the event that occurred.
3. Check the **Conditions** section to ensure the record's data matches all conditions.
4. Review the **Run History** tab for any error messages or skipped executions.

**Issue:** Workflow action is not producing the expected result.
**Symptoms:** The workflow triggers but the action does not complete correctly (e.g., message not sent, status not updated).
**Solution:**

1. Open the workflow and review the action configuration.
2. For **Send Message** actions, verify the auto message or message template exists and is not archived.
3. For **Update Status** actions, confirm the target status is valid for the record type.
4. Check the client's contact information (phone number, email) for message delivery actions.

> **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

- [Automations Overview](/automations-overview)
- [How to Create Workflows](/how-to-create-workflows)
- [How to Create an Auto Message](/how-to-create-an-auto-message)
- [How to Create a Flow](/how-to-create-a-flow)
- [How to Manage Automations](/how-to-manage-automations)