{"Status":true,"Message":"","Response":{"post":{"postuid":"kthrqu64p0","tenantuid":"d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2","projectuid":"239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0","title":"Design an Automation","slug":"article/kthrqu64p0-autopilot-designer","html":"\u003Cp\u003EThe automation designer is a drag-and-drop designer used to visually build automations.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAutomations are located inside a campaign and built with three elements: \u003Ca href=\u0022/article/pffq9y943p-autopilot-triggers\u0022\u003ETriggers\u003C/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022/article/a31o2hmlge-autopilot-actions\u0022\u003EActions\u003C/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022/article/k9nzwqmzxa-autopilot-conditions\u0022\u003EConditions\u003C/a\u003E. Collectively, these are called blocks in the Automation Designer.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/article/pffq9y943p-autopilot-triggers\u0022\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETriggers\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E - blocks that start a workflow. For example, when a form is completed.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/article/a31o2hmlge-autopilot-actions\u0022\u003E\u003Cb\u003EActions\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E - blocks that do something. For example, send an email.\u003C/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/article/k9nzwqmzxa-autopilot-conditions\u0022\u003E\u003Cb\u003EConditions\u003C/b\u003E\u003C/a\u003E - blocks that evaluate something. For example, was an email clicked.\u003C/li\u003E\u003C/ul\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022warning\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003EWarning\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn automation must be assigned to a campaign and must always start with a Trigger.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Ciframe src=\u0022https://player.vimeo.com/video/868759798\u0022 width=\u0022640\u0022 height=\u0022360\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C/iframe\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBelow is an example of DailyStory\u0027s 21-day trial automation that drips a set of emails over time to people who start a trial:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/b83f16fef70a8321f043b4fc9a42f7f3.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe automation example above starts with the trigger: \u003Ci\u003EWhen added to campaign,\u003C/i\u003E then is followed by an action to immediately \u003Ci\u003ESend an email,\u003C/i\u003E then waits a period of time as a condition, before the next action of sending the next email.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022recommended\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003ERecommended\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAutomations are always associated to a campaign, while triggers are always applied to leads within the campaign. For example, a trigger that starts when a pop-up is completed is associated with pop-ups within that campaign.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EDrag-and-drop Blocks\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo add blocks to the design canvas, simply drag-and-drop them. When you mouse over a block, the mouse cursor will change to a move arrow:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/8b20ada1ad4dba12eaace95000540167.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClick and hold a block and drag it onto the design surface. When you drop a block, it can either be the first block \u2014 which can only be a trigger \u2014 or it can snap to a parent block.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a block can snap to a parent block a blue dot will highlight this:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/6cf86de24df5c0efa69c4c86a0b668db.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReleasing the mouse button will snap the blocks together, as seen below:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/3531e8c3a9dda31a4de0d35d96967efe.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022recommended\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003ERecommended\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENote: Some blocks can only connect to other blocks. When this is the case you\u0027ll receive a message in the designer.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ERemove a Block\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are two ways to remove a block:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E1. Select a block and drag it apart from its parent. This visually \u0022breaks\u0022 the connection between the two blocks and once release the dragged blocks are removed.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2. Select \u003Cb\u003ERemove\u003C/b\u003E in the block\u0027s properties:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/6c59fdb1840c0113e1ccc8b168f60c6e.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022warning\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003EWarning\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWarning: Either action will also remove the block\u0027s child elements.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERemoving a block will remove all the block\u0027s children too. In a future update, the Remove button will only remove the selected block.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EBlock Properties\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a block is selected on the designer (outlined in blue), a menu on the right side of the screen will open with additional properties for that block.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBelow the Send an Email block is clicked and properties relevant to this action can be configured:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/a3b88d1b71944a7b70a7fc6d7b43727e.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EPreview an asset\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWithin the automation, you can now Create an Email, Edit an Email or Preview an Email within the automation:\u003C/p\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/2d6d8a5eb6d24968757137ea14089faf.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/d5e6cc851e3cf9b98cb1e49ffe1e8cdc.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ESave, Reset, or Delete\u003C/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe buttons on the top right of the designer are used to save the current copy automation your are editing or to delete the automation. You can also reset the designer, which removes all the blocks.\u003C/p\u003E\u003Ccite class=\u0022recommended\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022title\u0022\u003ERecommended\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENote: When a new automation is first created, it is disabled by default. You need to enable the automation to start using it, and we also encourage you to an Automation Schedule to avoid sending SMS messaging late at night or early in the morning.\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/cite\u003E\u003Cimg class=\u0022lazy-load\u0022 data-src=\u0022https://graffiti-auf7e6dwhxhcbwek.z03.azurefd.net/d8b744fc-2e70-4089-bb80-dd1d08f6c7b2/239698c5-f7eb-4574-8cc8-c6568f08b3a0/ebd7e9792b425f5781aef7f865cb9c33.png\u0022 style=\u0022\u0022 alt=\u0022\u0022/\u003E","publish_status":0,"post_type":"Article","authoruid":"3dde8c16-763a-4a2b-ae0b-1d8c50c62e3d","author":{"authoruid":"3dde8c16-763a-4a2b-ae0b-1d8c50c62e3d"},"featured_image_updating":false,"display_toc":true,"has_workingcopy":false,"allow_indexing":true,"sort_order":2,"total_views":1010,"date_published":"2025-05-20T17:24:58.923","date_updated":"2025-05-20T17:24:58.943","date_created":"2025-04-24T15:03:18"}}}