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How automations work in Clustdoc
Updated over a month ago

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In this article we will discuss the topics below, scroll to the right section to keep reading.

1. The power of automation

2. How to create an automation

3. Triggers

4. The actions

5. Other options: Conditions & Pauses

6. Examples of automation you can copy today

1. The power of Automations

Automations are a powerful tool when it comes to triggering notifications or specific actions. Here are all the things you can achieve automatically using Clustdoc automation feature. You can combine the triggers and actions below to automate your work.

You can create simple automation or multi-steps automation. A simple automation would require at least a "trigger" and an "action, a more complex automation may include "conditions' and "pauses' as well.

We're showing in this article an example of automation: automatically assigning a stakeholder

2. How to create an automation

  • Select one of your processes

  • From the sidebar, click on Automation

  • Click on the New automation blue button to get started,

  • Name your automation and click confirm. You'll land on the builder

  • Drag and Drop the automation buckets from the sidebar menu

3. List of Triggers you can use

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Trigger

Explanation

When a contact is invited to start an application

When someone from your team invites a contact to start or join a process

When a contact registers on a portal

When someone online registers on one of your portals to start a process

When a contact clicks on button <I’ve finished>

Your end-user may click this button to let you that the submission made through the application is ready for approval.

When an application is created

Applications can be created manually (invite), automatically (portal or API)

When an application status is updated

Your application would progress from missing to Ongoing right after one of your contact completes the checklist for example.

Status refers to system statuses (not customizable)

When an application progress stage is updated

This relates to custom stage that you can define based on your needs.

For example, the application would progress from Onboarding docs to Audit pending

When an application task has been completed

This relates to the team todo list being completed.

For example, if you've listed several tasks that must be completed by team members during the review phase.

When a step status is updated in the checklist

Eg: Valid ID moves from missing to pending review

When a step progress stage is updated

This relates to custom stage that you can define based on your needs for each step of your checklist.

For example, the ID you've listed in your checklist would progress from ID OK to Sent to Compliance

When a step task is completed

This relates to the internal todo being completed for a specific step of the onboarding process.

Eg. On a form that needs to be filled, a user could mark the task form printed as completed

When a new step is added to the application checklist

This means that you would trigger an automation based on when you request additional items as part of your checklist.

When a message is sent to an end-user

When an attachment is added to a live application

For example, if you attached a brochure to an existing application

When a shortcut button is clicked

Shortcut buttons are added on the application page header. Read this

When an application is prevalidated

It allows you to trigger an automation based on when/once your client application is pre validated.

When all steps of a specific section are submitted or approved

Trigger any action you need once a specific section has been completed by a new contact or approved by your team.

When a file is uploaded for a step in the checklist

This means that you would trigger an automation based on when your end-user added a file to a step of a checklist

4. List of Actions you can leverage

action_screen.png

Action

Explanation

Notify concerned contact (when applicable)

Eg. 'Concerned contact' is the person already mentioned in your triggers. If your trigger doesn't include a notion of Contact, use the action below instead.

Notify owner of application

Will send an email of the team member who is assigned as the owner of the application

Notify several stakeholders

Eg. You'll select which person(s) must be notified based on your trigger

Notify team members

Will send an email to other team members

Notify specific email addresses

Eg. You'll list which emails should get notified here (if they don't have access to Clustdoc, they may not be able to see the content you're planning to share)

Update application status

Eg: Move application from 'On going' to 'Closed'

Progress application to custom stage

Eg. Move application to a stage you created

Update application deadline

Eg. Extends deadline by X additional days

Assign a stakeholder

Create a new stakeholder automatically

Apply tags to applications

Applies tag 'VIP clients' to related application

Export application to an email

Will send the content of an application to an external email as a ZIP or Unique PDF

Update step status in checklist

Eg. Marks step as 'Approved'

Update step custom stage in the checklist

Will progress a step within the checklist from stage A to stage B

Generate step files

Will force the build of a form or an e-contract and generate step files

Start a new application

Launch a new process with the same contact as current application or someone else

Changing owners of an application

Will change the owner of an application

Updating step visibility for stakeholders

E.g change the visibility of a specific step of the application once a stakeholder has completed it.

Show / Hide attachment

Show or hide an attachement from the File sharing tab in the client portal.

Send HTTP request

Send an HTTP request to an external web service. Read this article to know more.

Delete or add a step to your process

Delete the form step once it's completed

5. Additional Settings: Conditions & Pauses

To take your workflow automation to the next level, you can also leverage additional parameters such as conditions and pauses. Let more below.

Conditions

They allow you to run your automation workflow once a specific condition is met. E.g; send an email to Compliance director if the form field called 'Number of company employees ' is above '50'.

Pauses

A pause allows you to add some buffer time in your workflows. This way, you can also use time as one factor for triggering a specific flow. E.g; When an application is created, wait 1 day before sending a welcome message.

6. Testing automations with pause

Sometimes, you need to build an automation which includes a Pause step but you don't want to wait several days to see if it works.

Eg: Send a reminder 3 days before the deadline of the application.

We have built a tool that allows you simulate these automation.

This link will simulate the execution of any automation action planned on the provided date. For instance, if your application ID is 111111, your deadline is 2022-10-21 and you want to send a reminder 3 days before, open the link https://clustdoc.com/test/execute-automations/2021-10-07/111111 . Any action linked to the Pause step in your automation will be executed.

7. Automation examples you could leverage today

Check out this article where we list some of our best automation examples. Use these to create yours!

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