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Understanding the new automations builder
Understanding the new automations builder

What happens when you switch; plus how to recreate old templates, adapt workflows, and use new features.

Updated yesterday

Welcome to the new automations builder. With new capabilities comes a new setup process, and we’ll cover everything you need to get up and running below.


What happens when you switch to the new builder

When you switch to the new automations builder, you will no longer have access to the automation templates you created in the old builder. You will need to rethink, rebuild, and activate them in the new builder.

Nothing gets permanently deleted when you switch to the new builder. If you need to switch back for any reason, we'll restore your old automation templates.

A few additional behaviors to note:

  • Old automations applied to projects: Any automations that are already running will continue to run, even though they are from templates created in the old builder.

  • Old automation templates: These will be removed from your account, and no new automations will run in projects until you build and activate automations in the new builder.

Before you switch

  1. Take screenshots of any existing automation templates to help with replication

    1. You will not have access to these templates once you switch to the new builder

  2. Send your request to switch builders into our Support team by clicking the question mark “?” icon on any page and chatting in, “Talk to a person”

After you switch

  1. First, read through this article to get familiar with the new automations builder

    1. Do not enter this URL until our Support team has confirmed you've been switced to the new builder

    2. This will create a textual export of your old automation templates

    3. These steps, paired with your screenshots, will help you replicate your old automation templates in the new builder

  2. If you would like to switch back for any reason, please contact our support team by clicking the question mark “?” icon on any page and chatting in, “Talk to a person”


How to think about the new automations builder

Previously, only one automation could be applied per project, and automations were activated only when an inquiry came in via form (or manually). This meant that you likely thought about automations running through a project’s entire lifecycle–from inquiry received to project closure.

Now, multiple automations can be applied per project, and they are activated automatically, whenever a certain trigger criteria is met. You can think of them as global–and as a set of automated rules versus a full workflow.

There is no 1:1 correlation between old and new automations. While you can certainly replicate all of the steps from your old automations in the new builder, you’ll need to set them up in a different way.

You may need to take a step back and think about your process holistically.

Ask yourself:

  • What steps do I always take in specific project types (or all)?

  • What causes me to take that step?

  • Are there any follow-up steps that are dependent on that one?

    • Do the follow-up steps branch based on an action from one of the previous steps?

  • What’s the time between all of the steps?

Your process

New automations builder

Cause

Trigger

Step

Action

Branch

Condition (NEW!)

Follow-up steps

Additional actions

Time between

Wait


Example

  • What steps do I always take in specific project types (or all)?

    • Let’s say: You always send a specific questionnaire to your corporate branding clients

  • What causes me to take that step?

    • You always send the questionnaire 2 days after an invoice is paid in full

  • Are there any follow-up steps that are dependent on that one?

    • Do the follow-up steps branch based on a customer’s action in one of the previous steps?

      • 5 days after the questionnaire was sent, you send a reminder if it hasn’t been submitted

        • If it has been submitted, you send a “be in touch soon” message

Your process

New automations builder

Example

Cause

Trigger

2 days after invoice paid in full

Step

Action

Send questionnaire file

Branch

Condition (NEW!)

If questionnaire is submitted

Follow-up steps

Additional actions

(if yes) Send “be in touch soon” email

(if no) Send reminder email

Time between

Wait

5 days after questionnaire was sent

Here’s what this looks like in the new automations builder:

Here’s what this (partially) looked like in the old builder:

📚 Tip

Key differences:

  • In the old builder, the “wait” was combined into the automation step itself

    • In the new builder, it’s broken out

  • In the old builder, you needed to tie the automation to a lead form(s), contact form(s) and project type(s), or activate it manually in a project, in order for it to “run”

    • In the new builder, you set the appropriate project type(s) for the automation under the trigger, then activate the automation, and it will then “run” whenever the trigger criteria is met


Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!

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