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Creating Time-Based Automations

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Forest Myers
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Time-based action groups can be used to create automated events that are centered around a certain date and time. This article will provide an overview on how to create time-based automations, including an example situation of how to utilize time-based action groups in tandem with forms and emails to create a larger workflow for an event.


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Tying Automations Together

Consider the following: You have a webinar that you are hosting on 1 July. To generate interest for the webinar, you will need to send out webinar emails with forms. These forms, in turn, will need to have a way to register information to send reminder emails before the event and thank you emails after the event. Automated tasks are a valuable asset. After initial preparation and setup, automated tasks can quickly and efficiently handle this information and go about registering interested parties for the webinar.


Creating Custom Fields

Automations require specific information to correctly fire. Often, automations require specific information. This information can be gathered with default fields, or through more customized means. As the name implies, custom fields allow you to create a field that captures custom information for more specialized use. One of the more important custom fields is the DateTime Picker field. The DateTime Picker field allows you to have users pick a desired date and time from available options. This field is especially useful when setting up future events, and these events are predicated on the DateTime Picker field. To create a custom DateTime Picker field, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    User Settings > Settings.
  2. In the left panel, under Features, click Custom Fields.
  3. Click Add Field > Lead Field.
  4. Enter a name for the field in the Field Label text box.
  5. Click all of the checkboxes under the Field Label text box.
  6. Click the DateTime Picker radio button.
  7. In the Merge Variable Format drop-down menu, select the desired time format.
  8. Click Create Field. 
  

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Creating Landing Pages for Forms

To set this automation into motion, a lead will need to fill out a form. Forms are housed in landing pages. To create a landing page for a form, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring's top toolbar, click
    Content > Pages.
  2. Click  cog.png  Options > New Landing Pages. 
  3. Enter a funnel name.
  4. Select a funnel domain.
  5. Select the number of pages in the funnel.
  6. Click Create Funnel. 
    

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Important: The funnel domain cannot be changed after the landing page has been created.
 


Creating Forms for Action Groups

Forms take the field information a lead submits and attach that information to the lead’s Contact Record. Used in conjunction with forms, time-based automation can perform tasks before or after a lead interacts with a form. To create a form for use with time-based automation, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    Content > Forms.
  2. Create or edit a form.
  3. Click the Fields tab.
  4. Insert optional fields, as desired.
  5. Insert the required Email field.
  6. Modify form parameters, dynamic content, and design as desired.
  7. Click Save Changes.
  

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Adding Forms to Landing Pages

  1. In SharpSpring's top toolbar, click
    Content > Pages.
  2. Edit the created landing page.
  3. Click  plus2.png  Add Content.
  4. Click the Layouts tab.
  5. Select the desired layout.
  6. Click the Elements tab.
  7. Click Add Form.
  8. In the landing page editor, click a purple line in the section where the form will go.
  9. Click  12close.png  Close in the Add Content panel.
  10. Click the added form.
  11. Select the created form in the Select a Form drop-down menu.
  

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Creating Reminder Emails

When creating a future event, you may want to remind attendees some time before the event occurs. These reminders most often take the shape of reminder emails, which are sent out in advance of an event to remind attendees of the event, as well as providing information and relevant communication and attendance web links. To create a reminder email, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    Content > Emails.
  2. Create or edit an email.
  3. Add the following recommended content:

       •   A statement on how the user previously
            signed up for the event

       •   Details on what the event is about

       •   When the event is taking place

       •   Web links to the event
  4. Modify the email’s parameters, dynamic content, and design as desired.
  5. Click Save.
  

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Creating Thank You Emails

It is considered good business practice to re-engage with event attendees after an event ends to let them know that you are thankful for their attendance. This outreach can be done through an automated email. To create an email that thanks those who attended your event, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    Content > Emails.
  2. Create or edit an email.
  3. Add the following recommended content:

       •   A statement of thanks for attending
            the event

       •   A recap on what the event was about

       •   Web links to relevant websites, videos,
            or other content of the event

       •   References or web links to future events
  4. Modify the email’s parameters, dynamic content, and design as desired.
  5. Click Save.
  

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Creating Time-Based Event Workflows

Once all of the necessary event content has been created, it can be tied together with a workflow. When configured, the workflow will facilitate the following:

   •   Log form fill information in Contact Records

   •   Send an email reminding leads of the event

   •   Send an email thanking event attendees

   •   Log custom field information in Contact Records 		  
Important: The Visual Workflow Builder is not supported in Internet Explorer 11. Use one of the other browsers supported by SharpSpring to create visual workflows.

To create a visual workflow that sets up event actions, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    Automation > Visual Workflows.
  2. Click Create > Visual Workflow.
  3. Enter a name for the workflow.
  4. Click OK.
  

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Creating Form Fill Workflow Actions

Once the workflow has been created, it will need to be populated with the appropriate triggers and actions. For this event, since attendance information depends upon attendees filling out a form, setting a form fill as the first trigger is key. To set up a form fill as the primary event trigger, do the following:

  1. In the created event workflow, directly under
    Start, click + Add > Trigger.
  2. In the window that appears, under Form, click fills out the form.
  3. Select the created event form.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Under the created trigger, click
    + Add > Action.
  6. In the window that appears, under Contact Edit Actions, click change contact field.
  7. Enter the created DateTime Picker field.
  8. Set the event’s date and time.
  9. Click OK.
  

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Creating Time-Based Action Groups

Sending automated content requires date and time parameters. This way, automated content can be sent at specific times before or after a fixed date. To create a time-based action group in the Visual Workflow Builder, do the following:

  1. In SharpSpring’s top toolbar, click
    Automation > Action Groups.
  2. Click New Action Group.
  3. In the window that appears, enter a name for the time-based action group.
  4. Click the Create a time-based action group with the custom date/time field checkbox.
  5. Select the created custom date/time field.
  6. Click OK.
  

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When creating time-based action groups, be aware that these groups differ from branches. Reusable action groups are a collection of standalone events that can be referenced within a visual workflow or be manually scheduled to a list.

Branches are not action groups. Branches refer to a collection of actions created for use only within a visual workflow. As the name implies, this collection of actions branch out from the action group and are dependent upon additional criteria in order to function. Branches will not be added as reusable, standalone action groups.


Creating Reminder Automation

Setting an event’s date and time creates a fixed point from which you can automate emails to be sent before the event. This way, you can automate reminder emails to be sent to attendees prior to the event taking place. To create reminder automation, do the following:

  1. In the Before date of interest section of the
    created action group, click +Add > Time Before.
  2. Enter the desired unit of time.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Above the created action, click
    + Add > Action.
  5. In the window that appears, under Communication, click send the email.
  6. Enter the name of the created reminder email.
  7. Click OK. 

As an example, if you enter 1 and select week, this action will take place a week before the event date.

  

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Note: Time delays in the visual workflow builder are structured around the timing of the prior event. The visual workflow builder does not use from start time delays. When adding time delays to a visual workflow, that delay is timing iterative from the previous event.


Creating Thank You Automation

In the same fashion as creating reminder email automation, you can create automation that sends emails thanking attendees for attending an event. This automation can be set to fire at any time after the fixed date and time for the event. To create automation that sends emails after an event, do the following:

  1. In the After date of interest section of the
    created action group, click + Add > Time After.
  2. Enter the desired unit of time.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Below the created action, click
    + Add > Action.
  5. In the window that appears, under Communication, click send the email.
  6. Enter the name of the created thank you email.
  7. Click OK.

As an example, if you enter 1 and select week, this action will take place a week after the event date. 

  

Click to enlarge.
Note: Time delays in the visual workflow builder are structured around the timing of the prior event. The visual workflow builder does not use from start time delays. When adding time delays to a visual workflow, that delay is timing iterative from the previous event.


Completing the Automation

Once the time-based automation has been created, you must set the automation to activate as part of the event workflow. To set the automation in the event workflow, do the following:

  1. In the created event visual workflow, under the change lead field action, click + Add > Action Group.
  2. Enter the created time-based action group’s name.
  3. Click OK.
  

Click to enlarge.

Once the time-based action group has been inserted into the visual workflow, the overall event automation process is complete. Now, when a lead fills out an event form, SharpSpring will automatically log the form fill and set the DateTime Picker field information in the lead’s Contact Record, send a reminder email at a specified date and time before the event, and send a thank you email at a specified date and time after the event.

This is only an example scenario. You can use time-based actions, workflows, emails, forms, and other SharpSpring features together in many other ways.

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