Workflow Automation Basics: Streamline Your Business Processes with AiTrillion

Workflow Automation Basics

Watch a quick video to learn about workflow automation


Introduction

Workflow Automation allows you to create a sequence of automated actions triggered by specific customer events. Instead of performing repetitive manual tasks, workflows help you engage customers at the right time with the right message—improving efficiency, retention, and conversions.

AiTrillion offers some pre-built workflows in its templates section ( WorkFlow Automation >> Templates) that can be used 'Out of the Box' for:




You can use various types of workflows across Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Web Push channels.

  • Abandoned Carts

  • Simple Welcome series

  • Advanced Welcome Series 

  • Cross-Sells & Up-Sells

  • Purchase Followups and Replenishment Reminders

  • Loyalty Point Reminders

  • Regaining Lost Customers

  • Cashback or promotional campaigns
  • Newsletters and more...

AiTrillion also offers you the ability to create a highly customized automation of your own using three main elements. A trigger, some filter, and actions, all of which can be dragged and dropped into the flow creation area.



Triggers

TRIGGERS: AiTrillion omni-channel automation triggers are user-based actions that initiate a workflow. Here are 10 triggers explained briefly.

  1. Contact is added: Starts a workflow when a contact has created a Shopify account or has subscribed to a newsletter, has been imported via CSV or has been added to the system manually.

  2. Update the list: Starts a workflow when a contact is added or removed from a particular list of contacts.

  3. Cart is abandoned: Starts a workflow when the shopping cart has been abandoned.
    Note: For the Cart is Abandoned trigger, you can only send generalized push notifications from the workflow automation.

  4. Order placed: Starts a workflow when a new order has been placed.

  5. Order fulfillment: Starts a workflow when an order is marked as fulfilled.

  6. Contact first seen: Starts a workflow when a contact appears first in the store.

  7. Store visit: Starts a workflow when a contact is last seen in the store.

  8. Available Loyalty Points: Starts a workflow when a customer reaches a threshold of loyalty points.

  9. Email is delivered: Starts a workflow when a specified email is delivered to the customer.

  10. Segment changed: Starts a workflow when a contact is added or removed from a specified customer segment.
    Note📝: In the Segment Changed workflow, you can create more than 5 segment-based workflows, but only 5 can be active simultaneously.

  11. Loyalty Point Earned: This trigger initiates an automatic email based on loyalty points earned for one or more than one loyalty activities.

  12. Date property: Starts based on a specific date field (e.g., birthday, anniversary). E.g. Birthday offers or anniversary discounts.

  13. Product visit: Triggers when a customer views a specific product.


Filters

FILTERS: Filters help you refine and target the right audience within a workflow. While triggers decide when a workflow starts, filters ensure that only contacts who meet specific conditions continue through the workflow.

Using filters improves relevance, reduces unnecessary messaging, and increases engagement.



  1. Customer list: Filter a workflow by checking the contact is a member of a specified list.

  2. Customer segment: Filter a workflow by checking the contact is a member of a specified list.

  3. Email activity: Filter a workflow by checking if a customer has opened a certain message in a specific time frame or not.

  4. Cart status: Filter a workflow on the basis of a complete or an abandoned cart.

  5. Ordered product: Filter contacts based on specific products they have purchased.

  6. Order total: Filter customers based on the value of their order.


Actions

Actions: Actions define what happens after a workflow is triggered and filtered. They are the steps that execute automatically, such as sending messages, updating customer data, or applying delays.



By combining multiple actions, you can create a complete and personalized customer journey.

  1. Delay: This action allows you to set a delay between two actions, two filters, a filter and an action, or a trigger and a filter.

  2. Update list: This action adds or removes a contact from a certain list.

  3. Send email: This action allows you to send an email message of your choice.

  4. Send push: This action allows you to send a push message of your choice.

  5. Send SMS: This action allows you to send an SMS message of your choice.

  6. Send WhatsApp: This action allows you to send a WhatsApp message of your choice.

  7. Update tags (Customer): Add or update tags on customer profiles.

  8. Update tags (Order): Add or update tags on orders.
  9. Add store credit: Automatically add store credit to a customer’s account.


Contact Throttling

THROTTLING OPTIONS: Contact throttling allows you to set limitations on how many times the same customer can be a part of the AiTrillion multichannel automation that you have created.



1. Allow contacts to enter the workflow an unlimited number of times, even if the contact is already on the workflow.

  • Select this option when you don’t want to limit the number of times the same contact can be a part of this automation.

2. Do not allow any additional contacts into the workflow. All contacts currently progressing through the workflow will continue to completion.

  • Select this option to prevent this automation from being sent to new customers. All customers who are a part of this automation will continue to go through it, after which this automation will cease.

3. Limit the number of times a contact may simultaneously be on the workflow to a number of time(s). ('a number of' times is a clickable option)

  • Select this option if you want to limit the number of times the same customer will be a part of this automation and receive its messaging.

4. Limit the number of times a contact may enter the workflow to a number of time(s) every a number of time frame(s). ('a number of' in both places and 'time frame(s)' are clickable options)

  • Select this option if you want to limit the number of times, in a certain time frame during which, the same customer will be a part of this automation and receive its messaging. e.g. Send Mr. X this email or any other action once in every X months.


Notes
Note: If you don't set the throttling option, the workflow will be automatically disabled.

Important Notes

  • Workflows start only when the selected trigger condition is met. Ensure triggers are configured correctly before activating.
  • Filters are optional but recommended to target the right audience and avoid irrelevant communication.
  • A contact will proceed in the workflow only if all filter conditions are satisfied.
  • You can combine multiple actions to create a multi-step customer journey across Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Web Push.
  • Ensure required channels (Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Push) are properly configured and have sufficient credits before using them in workflows.
  • WhatsApp messages require approved templates as per Meta guidelines.
  • Use delay actions to space out communication and prevent overwhelming customers.
  • Avoid sending too many messages in a short time to prevent customer fatigue or unsubscribes.
  • Throttling settings should be configured to control how often a contact enters a workflow.
  • If the throttling settings are not properly set, the workflow may be automatically disabled.
  • A contact may re-enter a workflow depending on the selected throttling rules.
  • Always test workflows before making them live to ensure correct execution.
  • Changes made to an active workflow may affect contacts currently in the flow.
  • Ensure compliance with email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing policies before sending campaigns. 

Next⏭️



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