Automations overview: Triggers, actions, and builder features

Automations let you build subscriber journeys that run automatically based on behavior, events, or data. Each automation starts with a trigger (the event that enrolls a subscriber) and continues with a sequence of actions that send emails, update data, introduce delays, or route subscribers down different paths.

This article explains the building blocks of beehiiv automations: what triggers and actions are available, how branches work, and what builder tools are available to help you build and manage workflows. For a step-by-step walkthrough of creating an automation from scratch, see How to create automation workflows for your subscribers.

Types of triggers

Every automation begins with at least one trigger. Triggers define which subscribers enter the workflow and when.

• Triggers are set at the start of the workflow and cannot be added later in the flow.
• You can add up to three triggers per automation/workflow.
• Each trigger can have optional conditions applied.
• Multiple triggers create an OR relationship, where a subscriber only needs to meet one trigger to enter.

Triggers are grouped into the following categories:

Subscription event triggers

• Signed up: Triggers when a new user signs up and adds them to the automation. Good for welcome flows that should only run for brand-new subscribers at the moment they join.

• Email submitted: Triggers when a subscriber submits their email through any — or a specific — subscribe form. This trigger can enroll existing subscribers as well as new ones when re-entry is enabled.

• Survey submitted: Triggers when a subscriber submits any survey or a specific beehiiv survey.

• Poll submitted: Triggers when a subscriber submits a poll response.

• Referral action: Triggers when a subscriber reaches a referral count or hits a referral milestone.

• Segment action: Triggers when a subscriber enters or exits a segment. Optional conditions can be added to further refine enrollment.

Paid subscription triggers

• Upgraded: Triggers when a subscriber purchases a paid subscription.

• Downgraded: Triggers when a subscriber cancels a paid subscription but remains subscribed to the free tier.

• Product purchased: Triggers when a subscriber buys a digital product.

Other available triggers

• Added by API: Triggers when subscribers are added via the API.

• Manual: Used to manually enroll subscribers from a selected segment into an automation.

• Unengaged: Triggers when a subscriber hasn't opened or clicked an email for a specified period of time.

• Podcast episode published: Triggers when a podcast episode is published.

Types of actions

Actions are the steps that make up your workflow after a trigger fires. To add an action, click the + icon on the canvas to open the action list.

When you add an action, the Properties panel opens on the right, where you configure its settings. After the automation is published, you can switch to the Activity panel to see which subscribers are waiting at or have completed each step.

Actions are grouped into the following categories:

Messages actions

• Send email: Sends an email to subscribers when they reach the step.

Data actions

• Update subscription: Automatically updates a subscriber's status, custom fields, or tags when they reach this step.

• Send webhook: Sends a payload to an external URL when a subscriber reaches this step.

Delays actions

• Time delay: Pauses the workflow for a set amount of time (minutes, hours, or days) before moving to the next step.

• Wait until: Pauses the workflow until a specific day and time.

Flow control actions

• True/false branch: Splits subscribers into two paths based on conditions you define.

• Multi-split branch: Splits subscribers into up to 5 parallel paths based on conditions.

• Random cohort branch: Randomly distributes subscribers across 2-5 paths based on percentages you set.

• Enroll in automation: Moves subscribers into another automation, bypassing that automation’s triggers and conditions.

Builder features

• Drag and drop nodes: Most action nodes on the canvas can be dragged to a new position in the workflow.

• Bulk Actions: You can select multiple steps at once and delete or manage them together.

• Canvas Controls: Use the controls at the bottom left of the canvas to zoom in and out.

FAQs about using automations

• What's the difference between Multi-split branch and True/false branch? Multi-split branch lets you define up to 5 paths, while True/false branch routes subscribers down one of 2 paths based on a single set of conditions.

• How does first-match logic work in a Multi-split branch? Paths are evaluated in the order they appear; the first matching path is the one they enter.

• What happens if a subscriber doesn't match any path in a Multi-split branch? There is always an ‘All Others’ fallback path.

• What does the Exit automation node do? It ends a subscriber's journey at that point in the workflow.

• Can I A/B test emails in an automation? Yes, on any Send email step, toggle on A/B test to create your variants.