A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Calendar Workflow

Review Your Calendar

The initial step in setting up a calendar workflow involves ensuring you have an existing calendar to integrate with your workflow. From the dashboard, navigate to "Calendars" and then to "Calendar Settings." Here, either create the required calendar or confirm the name of the calendar you plan to use. Once confirmed, click "Go Back" on the left menu to return to the main menu and select "Automation."

Building the Workflow

On the Automations page, click "Create Workflow" located in the upper right corner. You can either select from an existing campaign or start fresh with "Start from Scratch." Personally, I prefer to start from scratch to have full control over the workflow's construction. After making your selection, click the "Create New Workflow" button to begin. The first task in creating any workflow is to rename and save it.

Next, choose a trigger for your workflow. For this example, select "Appointment" as the trigger, and apply filters like "In Calendar" and "Appointment Status is" to ensure the workflow activates only for new appointments on your selected calendar.

Adding Key Features

Once your workflow is created, named, and the trigger is set, it’s time to add functionalities. Here are a few best practices:

1. Assign the Workflow to a User: This simplifies future tasks, such as filling out the "from" sections of email forms and affects how other workflow components operate. Rename the step to indicate the assigned user.

2. Add a System Tag (if needed): Use an appropriate tag and include it in the step's name to quickly identify its purpose without needing to open it.

3. Send an Internal Notification: Notify the assigned user (this is why the workflow was assigned to a user first) about the new appointment on their calendar.

Finalizing the Workflow

Congratulations on reaching this stage! There are just a few more steps to complete.

1. Send a Confirmation SMS: Inform the contact that their appointment is confirmed by selecting "Send SMS," typing out your message, and saving it. Add a descriptive label like "To Contact" to the step’s name.

2. Insert a One-Minute Pause: Place a one-minute delay after the SMS step to prevent any issues with sending the SMS and email simultaneously. Label this step with " - One Minute."

3. Send a Confirmation Email: Select "Send Email," and label the step with " - Confirmation email to contact." Fill out the subject line and body of the email as needed, then save the step.

And there you have it—a basic appointment workflow that you can expand upon to meet more complex needs.

Final Thoughts

Remember to give each step a clear and descriptive name. While simple workflows are easy to follow, more complex ones will benefit from well-labeled steps, saving you time and reducing confusion. Assigning workflows to specific users can also streamline processes, such as sending emails and internal notifications. Finally, giving your workflow a meaningful name will help you manage multiple workflows efficiently, especially as your collection grows.