Automations Guide

Triggers

Triggers are the events that start your workflow. Some fire automatically (for example, "A contact is created"). Others need options, like which fields must change before the trigger fires.

Contact triggers

Company triggers

Conversations AI triggers

Other triggers

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Conditions

Conditions work alongside triggers to control exactly when a workflow runs. Add them so the automation doesn't fire every time — only when the contact or company matches your criteria. You can filter on tags, contact fields, company fields, account location, and more.

For example: only run when the contact has the tag "New Lead," or only when the company's City equals "Austin."

AND vs. OR

When you add multiple conditions, choose how they combine:

You can group conditions and combine the groups — for example, an OR group of tags joined by AND to a location condition.

Field descriptions

When you pick a CRM field for a condition, its description appears below the field selector. This helps you confirm you've chosen the right field, including any expected format or unit. Descriptions only show for fields that have one — add or edit them in Administration > CRM Objects.

Best practices

• Use AND when every criterion must be met, and OR when any one is enough
• Keep conditions simple and testable
• Write down the logic behind complex conditions (the automation's Notes field works well for this)
• Review your conditions regularly as your business changes

Steps

Steps are what happen after a trigger fires. You can add as many as you need, and they run from top to bottom. There are two types, color-coded in the builder:

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Common logic steps

Delay

Pauses the automation for a set amount of time before the next step. Use it when timing matters — like waiting a day before a follow-up.

Delay until an event happens

Pauses and waits for a specific event before continuing, instead of waiting a fixed time. You set a maximum wait, and the workflow splits into two paths depending on whether the event happened.

If/Else branch

Splits the workflow into different paths based on conditions you define. You start with two branches and can add more:

• If branch — runs when its condition is true (for example, contact tag equals "Call," or city equals "Austin")
• Else branch — the fallback when no other condition is met

Each branch can have its own steps.

End This Automation

Immediately stops the current run. It's most useful inside an If/Else branch when one path should continue and the other should stop.

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Step reference

Contacts, companies & users Action

Getter steps Action

Getter steps pull in related records so later steps can use them. For example, if your trigger gives you a contact, Get company from contact lets you update or email that contact's company.

Messaging & calls Action

Campaigns & email Action

Activity & tasks Action

Advanced & integrations Action

Logic steps Logic

Automation settings

Each automation has a Settings tab where you control how and when it runs. These settings help you avoid duplicate runs, handle errors gracefully, and make sure automations behave as expected.

1. Go to DFM > Automations.
2. Open an automation.
3. Select the Settings tab.

Entry settings

Many triggers can fire more than once for the same record — for example, a payment trigger fires every time a customer attempts a payment. Entry settings decide whether the automation runs only the first time or every time.

Error handling

Decides what happens when a step fails — for example, a required field is missing or an outside service times out.

Timezone

Set the timezone used for scheduled triggers and time-based steps.

Error notifications

Subscribe to get alerted whenever the automation runs into an error.

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Automation activity

The Activity tab inside each automation shows what ran, when it ran, and whether it succeeded. Use the entity search and filters to narrow down to a specific contact or time.

Reading the activity log

Each row is one step in a run:

Common statuses include Entered automation (the run started), Running (in progress — updates in real time), Automation completed (finished successfully), and step-specific results like Sent webhook or Created opportunity.

Troubleshooting: "My automation didn't fire"

Check these in order:

1. Is it on? The automation must be Running — not Stopped or Paused.
2. Did the trigger event happen? Confirm the contact was created, the form was submitted, etc., when you expected.
3. Do the conditions match? The record's tags or field values may not meet your criteria.
4. Is the trigger set up correctly? Make sure you picked the right event and mapped any required fields.
5. Was there an error? Check the Activity tab for errored or skipped steps around that time.

Troubleshooting: "The automation ran but a step failed"

Find the run in the Activity tab and read the failed step's details — they usually explain the problem. Common causes:

• Missing data — a required field was empty (phone for SMS, email for email steps)
• Sign-in expired — a connected integration needs to be reconnected
• Outside service issue — the other app was down or timed out; try again later
• Wrong data format — for example, a number where text was expected; check your field mappings

Troubleshooting: "The automation is stuck on Running"

• It's waiting on a delay — the run continues when the delay ends
• It's waiting for an event — a "Delay until an event happens" step is paused until something happens; check whether that can still occur
• Rate limiting — during heavy use, runs may pause briefly and resume on their own

Dynamic content

Dynamic content is a placeholder in your message — like an email body or SMS — that's replaced with real data when the automation runs. Insert a contact's name, a task ID from the trigger, or a form answer, and every message stays personal and accurate without typing each value.

How to insert it

In any step that sends or displays text (Send SMS, Send a plain text email, and other messaging steps), click the Insert dynamic content button in the message field. Browse the available values and pick one, or type the syntax directly.

You can insert automation details (like the date and time it ran) or data from the trigger. For example, if the trigger is "A company is added to a list," you can insert the company ID or the list ID.

How the syntax works

Dynamic content uses dot notation — think of it as an address with three parts:

Put together: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.task_id} — look at the trigger event and grab its task ID. When the message sends, the placeholder becomes the actual value (for example, "TSK-4821").

When you pull a value from an earlier step instead of the trigger, the step appears as an ID rather than a name — for example, {.WorkflowStep.773dcc25-db4c-…​.response}. Turn on Step references (below) to see which step that ID belongs to.

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Navigating the canvas

Once an automation grows past a handful of steps, it gets hard to scan. The builder has three tools in the toolbar on the right edge of the canvas. They only change what you see — they never alter your automation, and there's nothing to save.

Search for steps

Press Cmd+F (Mac) or Ctrl+F (Windows) inside the automation editor. Type any keyword — a step name, action type, or phrase like "email" or "update contact" — and matching steps are highlighted.

• Search isn't case-sensitive
• It searches every trigger and step
• Use the arrow keys or Enter to move between matches, or click a highlighted step to jump to it

Step references

Click the step references icon (between search and minimap) and the canvas draws colored dotted lines from each step that produces data to each step that uses it — a different color for each source step. Click it again to hide the lines.

Use it to:

• Trace where a dynamic content value came from without opening each step
• See what would break before you delete, move, or reorder a step
• Get oriented in an automation a teammate built

Minimap and zoom

The minimap is a scaled-down view of the whole workflow in the bottom-left corner. A highlighted box shows the part you're viewing — click anywhere on the minimap to jump there. Toggle it with the minimap icon at the bottom of the toolbar.

Use − and + to zoom, or the expand icon to fit the whole automation on screen. Zooming out and then clicking into a section of the minimap is the fastest way around a large, branching automation.

Scheduled automations

The On a schedule trigger runs automations at times you choose — no event needed. It's ideal for routine work like team reminders, weekly check-ins, or daily AI-generated reports. The trigger also shows when the automation will run next, so you can confirm the schedule at a glance.

Set it up

1. Go to DFM > Automations.
2. Click Create Automation or open an existing one.
3. In the trigger picker, find Time-based and select On a schedule.
4. Choose your schedule options (below).
5. Add your steps and save.

Schedule options

Start and end dates

• Start date — the earliest date the schedule can run
• End date (optional) — the schedule stops after this date

Timezone

All times use your automation's timezone setting (in the Settings tab).

Examples

Troubleshooting

• Didn't run at the scheduled time? Make sure the automation is on, today is between the start and end dates, and the timezone is correct.
• Schedule options look wrong? Select at least one day for weekly or monthly schedules. Day 31 only runs in months that have 31 days.
• Running at unexpected times? Double-check the timezone, and remember daylight saving time can shift local run times.

Review request automations

DFM includes a built-in Review Request automation that emails customers after a purchase, visit, or other interaction — so you never have to send requests one by one.

Set it up

1. Go to DFM > Automations and find the Review Request card.
2. Click Edit to open the configuration page.
3. Customize the email template — subject line, optional preview text, and content. Use {{ business_name }} to insert your business name automatically.
4. Choose which review sites to include (Google, Facebook, and others). Only the sites you turn on appear in the email.
5. Set the timing — how many days after an interaction to send, and optionally the time of day.
6. Choose the customer list — all customers or a specific segment.
7. Click Send Test Email, enter an address, and preview it.
8. Toggle the automation On at the top of the page.

Which business address appears in the email

Review request emails include a business address, chosen like this:

• If Use physical address override is on under Administration > Email Configuration > Display Address, the email shows that override address.
• If the override is off, the email follows your Business Profile:
  • Service area business off → shows your physical address
  • Service area business on → shows your service area instead, or leaves the address out if there's nothing to show

Changes to either setting apply to review requests sent afterward — no extra steps needed.

Review activity analytics

Once the automation is on, the Review Activity section shows how many emails were sent, opened, and clicked through to review sites, how often they led to a review, and the ratings of reviews that came from the automation.

Zapier integration

Zapier connects thousands of apps. Its automated workflows are called Zaps — each has a trigger in one app and one or more actions in others. With DFM's Zapier integration, you can connect your DFM automations to the tools you already use, with no coding.

Connect DFM to Zapier

You'll need a Zapier account. A free account works for basic Zaps; more complex multi-step Zaps may need a paid plan.

1. In DFM, go to Administration > Integrations.
2. Find the Zapier tile.
3. Copy your Account ID, then click Connect on Zapier.
4. On the Zapier page, click the button to connect.
5. When prompted, enter your Account ID and continue to grant access.

You only do this once — the same connection works for all your Zaps.

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DFM → Zapier: send data out

When something happens in DFM, push the details to Zapier so it can act in another app.

Part 1: Set up the webhook in Zapier

1. Log in to Zapier and click Create Zap.
2. For the trigger app, search for and select Webhooks by Zapier.
3. Choose Catch Hook as the trigger event and click Continue.
4. Optionally enter a key in Pick Off A Child Key to receive only part of the data, or leave it blank for everything. Click Continue.
5. Copy the webhook URL Zapier generates.

Part 2: Connect the webhook in DFM

1. Go to DFM > Automations and open or create an automation.
2. Set a trigger — for example, A company is created or modified.
3. Add a Send a webhook step (under Advanced in the step picker).
4. Paste the Zapier webhook URL into the URL field.
5. Expand JSON Body and add the data to send. For each entry, enter a Key (a descriptive name like "Company Name") and a Value using dynamic content (like the company name from the trigger).
6. Save and turn the automation on.
7. Trigger it once — for example, create a test company — so Zapier receives sample data.

Part 3: Finish the Zap

1. Back in Zapier, click Test trigger, select the most recent request, and click Continue with selected record. You'll see the keys and real values you sent.
2. Add the action you want — for example, Create a Customer in QuickBooks Online — and map the fields.
3. Name the Zap, test it end to end, and turn it on.

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Zapier → DFM: run an automation from another app

When something happens in another app — a new QuickBooks payment, a booking, a form response — Zapier can fire one of your DFM automations.

Part 1: Set up the automation in DFM

1. Go to DFM > Automations and create or open an automation.
2. Set the trigger to Triggered via Zapier (under Advanced in the trigger picker).
3. In the trigger's side panel, note your Account ID and Automation ID.
4. Define the Payload data Zapier will send. For each item, enter a descriptive Key name (like company-name) and choose a Type that matches how DFM uses it — for a company, choose Company Id. Add more values if you need them.
5. Add your steps. In this example, the payload only has a company, so add Get contact from company first, then Send a plain text email via Conversations.
6. Turn the automation on.

Part 2: Configure the Zap

1. In Zapier, create a new Zap and choose the trigger app and event — for example, Google Forms › New Form Response. Any Zapier app works.
2. For the action, choose the DFM app you connected earlier and select Run Automation.
3. In the Account field, select your connected DFM account (or sign in with your Account ID if prompted — you only do this once).
4. In Automation ID, search for and select the automation from Part 1 by name.
5. Map each payload field that appears to the matching value from your trigger app — for example, map company-name to the form question asking for the company.

Part 3: Test and publish

1. Use Zapier's test with a sample response. A Run Automation Successful message means it worked.
2. Name your Zap and publish it.

Use cases

Ready-to-build examples you can copy and customize for your business.

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Alert your team when a new lead comes in

The faster you respond to a new lead, the better your chances of winning it. These automations notify the right person the moment something happens.

Example: Text your rep when Web Chat captures a lead

1. Trigger: Web Chat captures a lead.
2. Step: Send an SMS message to a phone number — enter the number of the person handling leads.
3. Message: Use dynamic content to include lead details — for example, "Hi Sarah, you have a new lead! A task was created in the CRM and a link was emailed."

Example: Send a welcome email on form submission

1. Trigger: A form is submitted for a contact (choose your signup form).
2. Step: Send a plain text email via Conversations.
3. Message: Add a subject and body, personalized with the contact's name and form details.

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Text your on-call technician when a call is dispatched

An emergency call comes in after hours. Your AI Voice Receptionist screens it — who's calling, what the emergency is, and where service is needed — then calls your on-call technician. Sometimes they answer; sometimes it goes to voicemail. Either way, this automation texts them the full details so they can get on the road.

Set it up

1. Trigger: An AI-handled call is transferred. Use the Transfer outcome filter to choose when it fires (see below), or leave it empty to fire on every transfer.
2. Step: Send an SMS message to a phone number. For the phone number, insert {.WorkflowStep.trigger.transferred_to_number} — the number the call was sent to. If you have more than one on-call number, the text follows whichever one received the dispatch.
3. Message: Build the body from the trigger's fields:

After-hours dispatch: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.outcome}
Caller: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.caller_name}
Issue: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.reason_for_call}
Location: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.service_location}
Call back: {.WorkflowStep.trigger.caller_number}

Available fields

Insert these with the Insert dynamic content button in the message editor.

Choose which outcomes send a text

• Leave the filter empty to text on every transfer. The technician always gets the details in writing, and the text thread doubles as a dispatch log.
• Filter to Voicemail, No answer, Busy, and Failed to text only when the live call was missed. There's one dispatch attempt per call, so this is the safety net.

• Write clear on-call criteria so the AI knows what counts as an emergency
• Test by placing a call that matches your criteria and confirming the text arrives with details filled in
• Lead with the outcome and issue — the technician may be reading it on the way to their vehicle

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Pause campaigns when a lead's situation changes

If a lead books a meeting, bounces an email, or drops off a target list, continuing to send campaign messages can feel irrelevant — or hurt the relationship. These automations pause campaigns automatically.

When to use it:

• A contact books a meeting and no longer needs nurture emails
• An email bounces and you want to stop sending to that contact
• A company is removed from a target list
• A lead score drops below a threshold until the lead re-qualifies

Example: Pause a campaign when a company leaves a target list

You're running a "Winter Promo" campaign for Tier A companies. When a company is removed from your Tier A list, pause the campaign for that whole company.

1. Trigger: A company is removed from a list — select your target list.
2. Condition: list_id contains "Tier A."
3. Step: Pause campaign for company — select the "Winter Promo" campaign.

Contact-level vs. company-level pausing

You can combine both — for example, pause a contact's campaign right away on a bounce, and pause the company's campaign if every contact there has bounced.

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Follow up with contacts who open campaign emails

When a contact opens your campaign email, they're showing interest. A quick personal follow-up can turn that into a conversation.

1. Trigger: A contact is created or modified, with the field Last campaign email open date.
2. Condition (recommended): Tag the contacts you want to target ahead of time, and add those tags as conditions so it only runs for the right audience.
3. Step: Choose your follow-up:
   • Simple: Send a plain text email via Conversations to continue the conversation.
   • Multi-step: Send an email first, then follow up by SMS or notify your team if the contact doesn't respond.

After it runs, the automation's Activity tab shows every step that ran for each contact.