How to Create a Flow

Flows automate a sequence of messages to your clients, so reminders about events, payments, cases, and other records go out on schedule without manual effort. Each flow holds one or more flow messages, and each message has its own trigger, timing, status conditions, and content.

### Overview

A flow is a reusable automation attached to a single record type. You build it once, assign it to records, and eCourtDate schedules the messages for you.

- **What it does:** Sends automated, sequenced messages tied to events, payments, cases, warrants, forms, files, or tasks.
- **Why it matters:** Reduces manual outreach and keeps your communications consistent across every record.
- **Who uses it:** Agency administrators and staff responsible for client communications.
- **Expected outcome:** Clients receive the right message at the right time, automatically.

Every flow has one **Type**, and that type controls which triggers you can pick. An event flow offers triggers such as **By Event Date**, **By Event Status**, and **When Event Is Created**, while a payment flow offers **By Payment Due Date**, **By Payment Issue Date**, and **By Payment Status**.

Every flow also has a **Flow Reference**, a short code that identifies the flow in upload files. eCourtDate builds it from the flow name when the flow is created, so a flow named "Court Hearing Reminders" gets the reference `court-hearing-reminders`. The reference appears as a badge under the flow name at the top of the flow page, and as small grey text under the flow name on each card in the **Flows** list. Only super admins can edit it.

### Prerequisites

Before creating a flow, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate agency on [staging](https://staging.ecourtdate.com) or [production](https://app.ecourtdate.com)
- Super admin access, or the **Create Flows** and **Update Flows** permissions
- At least one language enabled for your agency, chosen in **General Settings**
- A record type you want to automate messages for (event, payment, case, warrant, form, file, or task)

### How-To Steps

#### Create a Flow

1. Click **Admin** > **Messaging** in the top navigation bar.

![Admin menu with Messaging selected](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/1-Navigate-to-Message-templates.png)

2. Click the **Flows** tab.

![Flows tab in the Messaging tab strip](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/7-create-flow-tab.png)

3. Enter a name in **Flow Name** in the **Create Flow** panel.
4. Select a record type in **Type**.
5. Click **Create**.

eCourtDate opens the new flow so you can add messages to it.

#### Add a Message to a Flow

1. Select a trigger under **Create Flow Message** on the flow page.
2. Click **Continue to Message Setup**.

Only triggers that match the flow's **Type** are listed, so an event flow never shows payment triggers. The message is created immediately and opens in the editor with three sections: **Trigger & Timing**, **Status Conditions**, and **Message Content**.

#### Set the Trigger and Timing

Work through the **Trigger & Timing** card.

1. Confirm the trigger selected under **What triggers this message?**.
2. Enter a number in **Send**.
3. Select **minutes**, **hours**, **days**, or **weeks** in **Unit**.
4. Select **before** or **after** in **Timing**.
5. Enter a time in **At time** to pin delivery to a set time of day.
6. Enter a number of minutes in **Additional Delay (minutes)** to wait after the trigger condition is met.
7. Select **Delay to Business Hours** to hold the message until your agency's business hours.

To send three days before an event, select **By Event Date**, enter `3` in **Send**, select **days** in **Unit**, and select **before** in **Timing**.

**Send**, **Unit**, and **Timing** only appear for date based triggers such as **By Event Date**, **By Payment Due Date**, **By File Due Date**, **By Task Due Date**, and **By Warrant Issue Date**. Status and creation triggers show **Maximum Days After Event Date** (or **Maximum Days After Payment Date**) instead, which defaults to 1 day if you leave it blank. **Delay to Business Hours** is hidden once you enter a value in **At time**.

#### Set Status Conditions

The **Status Conditions** card lists the statuses available for the flow's record type. The card tells you to "Click on statuses to enable/disable them for this message".

1. Click a status badge to enable it for this message.
2. Click an enabled badge again to turn it back off.
3. Click **Clear Statuses** to remove every status at once.

Leave all badges off if you do not want to limit the message by status.

#### Write the Message Content

Work through the **Message Content** card.

1. Click **Import Sample** to load starter content for the flow's **Type**.
2. Enter a subject in **Subject Line** under the **English Message** heading.
3. Enter your message in **Message Body**.
4. Click **Copy Merge Tags** to copy a tag such as `[ClientName]`, then paste it into **Message Body**.
5. Select a file in **Attachment** to attach it to the message.
6. Click **Auto Translate All Languages** to translate the English message into every other language your agency has enabled.
7. Click **Save**.

Each enabled language gets its own **Subject Line** and **Message Body**, plus an **Auto Translate** button that translates only that language. If you type a tag eCourtDate does not recognize, an **Unknown tags** warning lists it in red under **Message Body**.

To remove a message, open it with **Edit Message** and click **Trash Message**.

#### Import a Sample Flow

Importing a sample flow is the fastest way to get started.

1. Click **Admin** > **Messaging** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Sample Templates** tab.
3. Select a use case card on **Template Starter**.
4. Find the flow you want under the **Flows** heading.
5. Click **Import** on that card.

eCourtDate creates the flow with all of its messages and opens it for editing. Click **Customize** instead to open **AI Customization**, where you can describe a change, click **Customize with AI**, and copy the generated wording.

#### Set a Default Flow

1. Open the flow.
2. Select **Default** in the **Flow Settings** panel.

The checkbox saves as soon as you select it. The help text reads "Assign this flow if no flow is chosen or auto-assigned."

#### Turn On Simulate Mode

1. Open the flow.
2. Select **Simulate Mode** in the **Flow Settings** panel.

The panel then explains that "Any messages will be sent in Simulate Mode (no actual messages will be sent)." Clear the checkbox when you are ready to deliver messages to clients.

#### Review the Other Flow Settings

| Setting | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| **Flow Reference** | Holds your primary system's ID for the flow. Only super admins can edit it. |
| **Agency Phone** | Chooses the agency phone number for this flow. |
| **Agency Email** | Chooses the agency email address for this flow. |
| **Portal Link** | Chooses the portal for this flow. |
| **Geolocation Tracking** | Sets **disabled**, **optional**, **required**, or **persistent**. Overrides the portal geolocation. |
| **Type** | Sets the record type, which controls the available triggers. |
| **Enabled Locations** | Assigns this flow by location (uploads only). Event flows only, and hidden once **Default** is on. |
| **Virtual Event** | Marks the flow as virtual. Event flows only. |

#### Preview a Flow

1. Open the flow.
2. Click **Preview** in the top right corner.
3. Leave **Simulate Client** selected to preview with sample data, or search for a client to preview with real data.
4. Select a **Language**.
5. Click **Preview Messages**.

The **Message Preview** card shows each message twice, once as the **Template** with merge tags and once as the **Rendered** text, along with the character count and SMS segment count. Click **Copy All** to copy every preview, or **Change** to preview a different flow.

#### Update a Flow Already in Use

1. Open the flow.
2. Click **Edit Message** on the message you want to change.
3. Make your changes.
4. Click **Save**.
5. Click **Tools** > **Sync Messages** to apply the change to existing records.

![Sync Messages in the Tools menu](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/19-Sync-Messages.png)

After you save, eCourtDate reminds you that newly created or updated records use the latest version of the flow, and that existing records need **Tools** > **Sync Messages**. You can also sync a single record by opening it and clicking **Tools** > **Sync Messages**, or sync from the **Flows** list with the **Sync** button on the flow's card.

Click **Tools** > **Validate Messages** to queue a background check of the flow's messages and notify you when it finishes.

#### Assign a Flow to a Record

**Events**

1. Click **Events** in the top navigation bar.
2. Fill in the **Create Event** panel.
3. Select the flow in **Flow**.

![Flow dropdown on the Create Event panel](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/Select-Flow-from-Dropdown.png)

4. Click **Create**.

To change the flow on several events at once, select the events, choose a flow in **Flow** in the **Bulk Edit** panel, and click **Update**.

**Payments**

1. Click **Payments** in the top navigation bar.
2. Fill in the **Create Payment** panel.
3. Select the flow in **Flow**.

![Flow dropdown on the Create Payment panel](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/31-Select-flow-from-dropdown.png)

4. Click **Create**.

**Warrants**

1. Click **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Warrants** tab.
3. Click **Edit** on the warrant.
4. Select the flow in **Flow**.

The warrant saves as soon as you pick a flow. Click **View Flow** to open the flow in a new tab.

Saving an event or a payment queues a resync, so its messages rebuild from the assigned flow.

#### Assign a Flow through Uploads

You can also assign flows when you import records. Create an upload template first.

1. Click **Uploads** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Upload Templates** tab.
3. Click **Edit** on the upload template.

**Option 1: Set a default flow.** Your file does not need a flow column.

1. Select a flow in **Default Flow** under **Default Values**.
2. Click **Save**.

**Default Flow** is used if the flow field is not mapped or no flow is found for a row. Select **Random** to assign a flow at random per row.

**Option 2: Map a flow column from your file.** Each row names its own flow.

1. Enter `flow` in the **Search Fields** box under **Field Mapping**.

![Searching for flow fields in Field Mapping](https://assets.ecourtdate.com/images/articles/5f0d5452-de45-424b-95e8-fde776b85019/44-Search-flow.png)

2. Enter your file's column header in **Flow**, **Payment Flow**, **Warrant Flow**, or **Form Flow**.
3. Click **Save**.

The column value must exactly match a flow's **Flow Reference** or **Flow Name**, and the flow must not be archived or trashed. A value of `random` picks a flow at random. If no flow matches, eCourtDate falls back to the template's **Default Flow**, then to a flow marked **Default**. Mappings match your file's column headers exactly and are case sensitive unless you enable **Map by Column Position**.

### What to Expect

Creating a flow takes effect right away, but nothing is sent until the flow is assigned to a record. Once a record has a flow, eCourtDate schedules each message from its trigger and timing, and the **Message Stats** card on the flow message shows the **Scheduled**, **Sent**, and **Total** counts. Records created or updated after you edit a flow pick up the new version automatically. Existing records keep their current messages until you run **Tools** > **Sync Messages**, which queues a background job rather than updating instantly.

### Best Practices

- Import a sample flow from **Template Starter** and adjust it instead of building every message by hand.
- Turn on **Simulate Mode** while you test, then clear it before going live.
- Give flows descriptive names such as "Court Hearing Reminders", because the **Flow Reference** used by uploads is generated from the name.
- Click **Preview** and check the **Rendered** text and SMS segment count before enabling live delivery.
- Run **Tools** > **Validate Messages** after larger edits to catch problems across the flow.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can one flow cover more than one record type?**

A: No. A flow has a single **Type**, and only triggers matching that type appear under **Create Flow Message**. Create a separate flow for each record type.

**Q: What is the difference between the Flow Name and the Flow Reference?**

A: **Flow Name** is the label your team sees. **Flow Reference** is generated from the name when the flow is created and is the value upload files match on. Only super admins can edit it.

**Q: Do my edits reach records that already have messages scheduled?**

A: Newly created and updated records use the latest version of the flow automatically. For existing records, click **Tools** > **Sync Messages** on the flow, or on an individual record.

**Q: How do I add other languages to a message?**

A: The **Message Content** card shows a **Subject Line** and **Message Body** for every language enabled for your agency. Enter the English content first, then click **Auto Translate All Languages**. If no languages are enabled, the card links you to **General Settings**.

**Q: How do I remove a message from a flow?**

A: Click **Edit Message** on the message, then click **Trash Message** below the editor.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** A flow message has no English content.

**Symptoms:** The **Flows** list shows "Missing English subject" in red under the message, or shows "0 Messages" for the flow.

**Solution:**

1. Open the flow and click **Edit Message** on the message.
2. Enter content in **Subject Line** and **Message Body** under **English Message**.
3. Click **Save**.

**Issue:** A merge tag is not recognized.

**Symptoms:** An **Unknown tags** warning appears in red under **Message Body** listing the tags in brackets.

**Solution:**

1. Click **Copy Merge Tags** and search the list for the tag you want.
2. Click the tag to copy it, then paste it into **Message Body**.
3. Delete the unrecognized tag and click **Save**.

**Issue:** The trigger you need is not listed.

**Symptoms:** Only some triggers appear under **Create Flow Message**.

**Solution:**

1. Check **Type** in the **Flow Settings** panel, because the trigger list is filtered by the flow's record type.
2. Change **Type**, or create a separate flow for the record type you need.

**Issue:** Uploaded records do not get the flow you expected.

**Symptoms:** Records imported from a file have no flow, or the wrong flow.

**Solution:**

1. Confirm the column value exactly matches a flow's **Flow Reference** or **Flow Name**.
2. Confirm the flow is not archived or trashed.
3. Check **Default Flow** under **Default Values** on the upload template.
4. Confirm the column header in your file matches the mapping exactly, including capitalisation.

> **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 Create an Auto Message](/how-to-create-an-auto-message)
- [How to import sample templates](/how-to-import-sample-templates)
- [How to preview messages](/how-to-preview-messages)
- [How to create upload templates](/how-to-create-upload-templates)
- [How to Disable Messages based on Status](/how-to-disable-messages-based-on-status)