Automated Workflows — StudioM Platform Guide¶
Who this guide is for: Anyone who wants to automate follow-ups, reminders, and other repetitive tasks on the StudioM platform. Time to read: Approximately 15 minutes
What Are Workflows?¶
Workflows are automated sequences that run on your behalf — without you having to do anything manually. You set them up once, and the platform takes care of the rest.
Every workflow has two parts: 1. A trigger — the event that starts the sequence (e.g., a contact fills in a form) 2. Actions — what happens next (e.g., send an SMS, create a task, move a deal to the next stage)
Example: A new lead fills in your website contact form → they immediately get a personalised SMS → 1 day later they get a follow-up email → a task is created for your sales team to call them.
That entire sequence runs automatically, every time, for every lead.
How to Get There¶
Navigate to: Automation → Workflows (left sidebar)
The Workflow Builder¶
When you create or open a workflow, you're taken into the workflow builder. You'll see your workflow laid out as a series of connected steps, starting with the trigger at the top.
- Click any step to configure it (a settings panel opens on the right)
- Click + Add Action to add the next step
- Click the branch icon to add an If/Else condition that splits the path
- Save and Publish when you're ready to make it live
Starting from a Template¶
The fastest way to get started: 1. Click + New Workflow 2. Choose Browse Templates 3. Search by use case (e.g., "appointment reminder," "new lead," "review request") 4. Select a template and customise it for your business 5. Save and Publish
Building with AI¶
Describe what you want in plain English and the platform builds the workflow for you: 1. Click + New Workflow → Build with AI 2. Type your intent — for example: "When a contact books an appointment, send a confirmation SMS immediately, then send a reminder the day before" 3. The platform generates the workflow 4. Review, adjust, and publish
Version History¶
If you ever need to go back to a previous version: - Open the workflow → three-dot menu → Version History - The platform keeps the last 10 saved versions (up to 30 days) - Click any version to restore it
What Can Trigger a Workflow?¶
Contact Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Contact Created | A new contact is added (from a form, import, or manually) |
| Tag Added | A specific tag is applied to a contact |
| Tag Removed | A specific tag is removed from a contact |
| Birthday Reminder | Fires on the contact's birthday |
| Contact Updated | Any field on the contact record changes |
Form & Survey Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Form Submitted | A contact fills in and submits a form |
| Survey Submitted | A contact completes a survey |
Appointment Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Appointment Booked | A new appointment is created |
| Appointment Status Changed | Status changes to Confirmed, Showed, No-Show, or Cancelled |
| Appointment Reminder | Fires X hours or days before an appointment |
Deal / Pipeline Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Opportunity Created | A new deal is added to the pipeline |
| Opportunity Stage Changed | A deal moves to a different stage |
| Opportunity Status Changed | A deal is marked Won, Lost, or Abandoned |
Payment Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Payment Received | An invoice is paid or an order is completed |
| Invoice Sent | An invoice is delivered to a contact |
| Subscription Created | A new subscription is started |
| Subscription Cancelled | A subscription is cancelled |
Communication Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Email Opened | A contact opens an email you sent |
| Email Link Clicked | A contact clicks a link in your email |
| Inbound SMS | A contact sends you an SMS reply |
| Missed Call | An incoming call wasn't answered |
| Voicemail | A contact left a voicemail |
Date-Based Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Specific Date/Time | Fires at a set recurring time (e.g., every Monday at 9am) |
| Custom Date Field | Fires X days before/after a date stored on the contact (e.g., contract renewal date) |
Other Events¶
| Trigger | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Review Received | A new Google or Facebook review is posted |
| Task Completed | A task linked to a contact is marked done |
| Chat Started | A visitor starts a live chat conversation |
Adding Trigger Filters¶
Most triggers can be narrowed down with filters — conditions that must also be true for the workflow to fire.
Example: Trigger = Form Submitted, Filter = Form Name = "Free Consultation Request"
Without the filter, the workflow fires for every form submission. With it, it only fires for that specific form.
To add a filter: 1. Click the Trigger block 2. Expand the Filters section 3. Add your conditions (you can combine multiple with AND/OR logic)
What Can a Workflow Do?¶
Send Messages¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Send SMS | Text message to the contact's phone |
| Send Email | Email to the contact |
| Send WhatsApp | WhatsApp message |
| Send Internal Notification | SMS or email to a team member (not the contact) |
| Send Review Request | Sends your review link via SMS or email |
Update Contact Data¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Add Tag | Apply a tag to the contact |
| Remove Tag | Remove a tag from the contact |
| Update Contact Field | Change any field value on the contact record |
| Assign User | Assign the contact to a team member |
Manage Deals¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Create Opportunity | Add a new deal to a pipeline |
| Update Opportunity | Change the stage, value, or status of a deal |
Create Tasks and Notes¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Create Task | Assign a to-do to a team member |
| Create Note | Add a note to the contact's record |
Create Invoices and Documents¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Create Invoice | Generate an invoice for the contact |
| Send Document | Send a contract or document for e-signature |
Control the Flow¶
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Wait | Pause before the next step |
| If / Else | Split the path based on a condition |
| Add to Workflow | Enrol the contact in a different workflow |
| Remove from Workflow | Remove the contact from this or another workflow |
Wait Steps — Controlling Timing¶
Wait steps are one of the most important tools in any workflow. They control when each action happens.
Wait Types¶
| Type | Example Use |
|---|---|
| Time Delay | Wait 2 hours, 1 day, 3 days |
| Until a Specific Time | Wait until 9am before sending (so messages don't go at 2am) |
| Until a Condition Is Met | Wait until the contact replies, or until an appointment is booked |
Smart Delivery Timing¶
Enable this on a Wait step to make sure messages only go out during business hours: 1. Click the Wait step 2. Enable Smart Timing 3. Set your allowed hours (e.g., 9am–6pm, Monday–Friday)
The workflow will wait until the next available window before continuing.
If/Else — Branching Your Workflow¶
If/Else lets you send contacts down different paths based on conditions.
Example: - If the contact has the tag "Hot Lead" → send a call task to the sales team immediately - If they don't → send a nurture email sequence instead
To add an If/Else: 1. Click + Add Action and choose If / Else 2. Set the condition (e.g., "Contact has tag = Hot Lead") 3. Add actions for the YES path (condition is true) 4. Add actions for the NO path (condition is false)
Workflow Settings¶
Re-Enrollment¶
- Don't re-enrol — a contact can only go through the workflow once
- Re-enrol — a contact can go through again if the trigger fires again
Stop on Response¶
Enable this for follow-up and lead nurture sequences — when the contact replies to your message, the workflow pauses so you don't keep sending automated messages to someone who's already engaged.
Publishing Your Workflow¶
A workflow must be Published to run. Until then, it's in Draft mode and won't do anything.
- Click Save (top right)
- Click Publish
- The status indicator turns green — the workflow is now live
To pause a workflow: toggle it back to Draft. Contacts already in the workflow will continue to their next step, but no new contacts will enrol.
Viewing Workflow History¶
See which contacts have gone through your workflow and what happened:
- Open the workflow
- Click Execution History
- See each contact's status: Active, Completed, Failed, or Stopped
- Click any row for step-by-step detail
Three Common Workflow Examples¶
1. New Lead Follow-Up Sequence¶
Trigger: Form Submitted (your contact form)
- Wait 5 minutes → Send SMS: "Hi [Name], thanks for reaching out! We'll be in touch shortly."
- Wait 1 day → Send Email: Introduce your services, share a testimonial
- Wait 2 days → Send SMS: "Just checking in — happy to answer any questions"
- Wait 3 days → Send Email: Case study or offer
- Create Task: "Call this lead" (assigned to sales team)
2. Appointment Reminder Sequence¶
Trigger: Appointment Booked
- Send SMS immediately: Booking confirmation with appointment details
- Wait until 24 hours before → Send SMS: "Reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at [time]"
- Wait until 2 hours before → Send SMS: "See you in 2 hours!"
- Second trigger: Appointment Status = No-Show → Send SMS: "We missed you! Want to reschedule?"
3. Post-Purchase Thank You Sequence¶
Trigger: Payment Received
- Send Email immediately: Thank you + what happens next
- Add Tag: "Customer"
- Create Task: "New customer check-in call" (due in 3 days)
- Wait 7 days → Send Email: Tips for getting the most out of your purchase
- Wait 30 days → Send Review Request
Troubleshooting¶
| Issue | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Workflow not starting | Confirm it's Published; check that the contact meets the trigger conditions and any filters |
| Messages going at wrong times | Check Wait step Smart Timing settings |
| Workflow keeps sending even after contact replies | Enable "Stop on Response" in workflow settings |
| Workflow stops mid-sequence | Check Execution History for failed steps; SMS issues may be related to phone number setup — contact StudioM Support |
| If/Else not routing correctly | Re-check the condition logic; test with a contact that clearly meets the criteria |
| Contact going through the same workflow twice | Check Re-Enrollment setting |
Need StudioM Support for This? If your SMS messages aren't sending through workflows, this is usually a phone number or carrier compliance issue that StudioM manages on your behalf. Contact us and we'll investigate.
Common Questions¶
Q: Do workflows run 24/7? Yes — unless you set Smart Timing on your Wait steps to restrict delivery to business hours.
Q: Can I test a workflow before publishing? Yes — you can use the test/preview mode to simulate what would happen, or manually enrol a test contact. Always test before going live with a new workflow.
Q: What happens if a contact is already in the workflow and triggers it again? This depends on your Re-Enrollment setting. If it's off, they won't re-enter. If it's on, they'll start again from the beginning.
Q: Can I have multiple workflows running for the same contact at the same time? Yes — a contact can be enrolled in multiple workflows simultaneously.
Q: How do I stop a workflow for a specific contact? Open the contact record → find the active workflow in their profile → click Remove from Workflow.
Need Help?¶
Contact StudioM Support any time.
- Email: support@makoa.us (update with your actual support email)
- Live Chat: Available inside the platform
Related guides: Contacts and CRM · Calendars and Appointments · Reputation Management