Automation workflow triggers and actions

An automation is a predefined sequence that a subscriber enters when they take particular actions. Triggers represent the type of subscriber event that instigates the automation, and actions are further extensions of those triggers. (Note: Actions are also referred to as nodes.)There are countless ways that you can customize your subscriber’s experience using beehiiv automations. 

A welcome email series is a good example of an automated journey, to see how this is done, check out the video tutorial in this article. 

Here’s what each of the triggers and actions/nodes controls in an automation: 

Types of triggers and actions 

Subscription event triggers

• Signed Up: When a new user signs up, the subscriber is added to the automated sequence, and the workflow begins.
  • Note: Subscribers imported via API or the import tool are, by default, not captured by the Signed Up trigger. The automation must include a manual import option and subscribers added at import.
• Email Submitted: When a user submits their email via all or specific subscribe forms. (While the Signed Up trigger only enrolls new subscribers via subscribe form, the Email Submitted trigger allows existing subscribers to be enrolled as well). 
• Survey Submitted: When a subscriber submits any or a specific survey form, they are added to the automation sequence, and the workflow begins.
  • Click here for more information on using survey forms.
• Poll Response: Triggered when a subscriber submits a poll response. 
• Referral Action: Triggered when a subscriber reaches a number of referrals or hits a milestone. 
• Segment Action: Triggered when a subscriber enters or exits a segment. You can also add conditions. 

Premium subscription triggers

• Upgraded: When a user purchases a premium subscription, the subscriber is added to the sequence, and the workflow begins.
• Downgraded: When a user cancels their premium subscription but stays subscribed to the free tier, this workflow begins.

Other Triggers 

• Added by API: When you want to create a segment based on subscribers or information added by API.
• Manual: When you want to create a segment and manually add all subscribers in that segment to an automation.
• Unengaged: When a subscriber has not opened or clicked an email for a specified amount of time, they are added to the automated sequence, and the workflow begins.

Trigger Actions

Messages

• Send Email: This allows emails to be sent to the specified subscriber in the automation workflow. The stats for these emails are shown in the Overview tab of your automation.
  Note: Some functionalities, like polls, are not available when using the Send Email node.

Data

• Update Subscription: This node allows for subscription details such as status and custom fields to be updated to the specified values.
  • Click here for more information on updating subscription details.

Delays

• Wait Until: This node allows for scheduling other automation nodes and actions to take place at a specified day, time, and timezone.
  • Click here for more information on using the Wait Until node. 
• Time Delay: Allows you to add a time delay to the trigger as minutes, hours, or days. You'll also need to toggle it on to active it. 

Flow Control

• True/False Branch: This node allows for the automation workflow journey to be sectioned into true and false paths based on whether specified conditions are met.
  • Click here for more information on the True/False Branch.
• Enroll in Automation: You can enroll those in the workflow in your other automations. 

Additional automation resources

• Everything you need to know about beehiiv automations 
• How to create a lead generation automation
• The 5 key parts of a re-engagement campaign
• All articles on automations