> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.messagesender.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Automate follow-ups with triggers and actions

> Build trigger-based workflows in Amplifi to send messages, update contacts, and move people between segments — automatically, without manual effort.

Automations let you define what happens when something occurs in Amplifi — a contact replies to your number, clicks a link, gets added to a segment, or completes a campaign. Instead of following up manually each time, you set the trigger once and configure the actions that should run automatically. Automations are a powerful addition to your outreach toolkit, best used once your core campaign and messaging workflows are running smoothly.

<Note>
  Automations are real and fully usable, but they are workflow automation tools — not the most polished surface in Amplifi. Campaigns, Polls, and the Conversations inbox are more refined day-to-day experiences. Start with those before building automation flows.
</Note>

## Available triggers

A trigger is the event that starts an automation. Each workflow begins with exactly one trigger.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="SMS received" icon="message-arrow-down">
    Fires when a contact texts your number. Use this to auto-reply when someone reaches out.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Link clicked" icon="cursor-arrow-rays">
    Fires when a contact clicks a tracked short link from one of your campaigns.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact created" icon="user-plus">
    Fires when a new contact is added to your organization, whether by import or manually.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact tagged" icon="tag">
    Fires when a specific tag is applied to a contact.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Added to segment" icon="users">
    Fires when a contact enters a saved segment.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Campaign completed" icon="circle-check">
    Fires when a specific campaign finishes sending.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduled trigger" icon="clock">
    Fires at a date and time you choose. Useful for time-based follow-up sequences.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Available actions

Actions are what your automation does after the trigger fires. You can chain multiple actions in a single workflow.

| Action                   | What it does                                                         |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Send SMS**             | Sends a text message to the contact                                  |
| **Send MMS**             | Sends a text message with an image attachment                        |
| **Add tag**              | Applies a tag to the contact                                         |
| **Remove tag**           | Removes a tag from the contact                                       |
| **Add to segment**       | Places the contact in a saved segment                                |
| **Remove from segment**  | Removes the contact from a saved segment                             |
| **Update contact field** | Sets a value on a standard or custom contact field                   |
| **Send webhook**         | Posts contact and event data to an external URL                      |
| **Wait**                 | Pauses the workflow for a specified time before the next action runs |
| **Conditional branch**   | Splits the workflow based on a condition — if/else logic             |

## Building your first automation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Automations">
    Navigate to `/automations` from the sidebar or your browser. The automation builder is a visual canvas where you connect triggers and actions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new workflow">
    Click **New Automation** (or equivalent create button). Give your workflow a name that describes what it does — for example, "Auto-reply on inbound text."
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a trigger">
    Select the event that should start your workflow. For a simple auto-reply, choose **SMS received**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add actions">
    Click the **+** on the canvas to add the first action. Choose **Send SMS** and compose the message you want to send back. Add additional actions as needed — for example, an **Add tag** action after the send to mark that the contact has been followed up with.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add wait or branching steps (optional)">
    If you want a delayed second message, add a **Wait** step between two Send SMS actions. To send different messages depending on a contact's data, add a **Conditional branch** step.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Activate the workflow">
    When you're satisfied with the flow, toggle the workflow to **Active**. You can pause or deactivate it at any time without deleting it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  A reliable starter automation: use the **SMS received** trigger, follow it with a **Send SMS** action to acknowledge the reply, then add an **Add tag** action to label the contact (for example, "Replied"). This gives you an instant touchpoint and a way to build a segment of responsive contacts for future campaigns.
</Tip>

## Managing your automations

Once created, each workflow appears in your automations list. From there you can:

* **Activate or pause** a workflow without deleting it
* **Edit** the trigger or any action
* **Delete** a workflow you no longer need

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can an automation send MMS messages?">
    Yes. The **Send MMS** action lets you attach a supported image to an automated message, the same way you would attach an image in a campaign or inbox reply.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are automated sends subject to quiet hours?">
    Automated outbound messages follow the same sending rules as campaigns. Quiet hours enforced at the organization level apply to automation-triggered sends.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does the Wait action do exactly?">
    The Wait action pauses the workflow for a duration you set — minutes, hours, or days — before proceeding to the next action. Use it to space out a multi-step follow-up sequence rather than sending everything at once.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does conditional branching work?">
    A conditional branch evaluates a condition about the contact — such as whether they have a specific tag or field value — and routes them down one of two paths: the "if true" branch or the "else" branch. Each branch can have its own set of actions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I trigger automations from campaigns?">
    Yes. The **Campaign completed** trigger fires when a specific campaign finishes sending, which lets you chain follow-up actions to any campaign outcome.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Warning>
  Automations consume credits for each message sent, the same as a manual reply or campaign send. Make sure your account has sufficient credit balance before activating high-volume workflows.
</Warning>