Add Workflows to Deal Stages

Overview

Adding workflows to deal stages allows you to automate a series of actions that happen when you move deals from one stage to another. This powerful automation feature helps streamline your sales process by automatically triggering tasks like sending emails, creating to-dos, updating contact information, or assigning team members when a deal progresses.

Key Benefits:

Ensures consistent follow-up actions for every deal progression
Saves time by automating repetitive tasks
Reduces human error in your sales process
Creates standardized processes across your team
Helps maintain momentum in your sales pipeline

When you set up a workflow for a deal stage, the automation will trigger every time a deal is moved into that specific stage, ensuring no important steps are missed in your sales process.

Workflows in Deal Stages: Video

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Navigate to Deal Settings

Go to Deals, then click Deal Settings.

2. Select Your Deal Type

Choose the Deal Type you want to configure from the available options.

3. Access Deal Stages Configuration

Click Configure in the Deal Stages section.

4. Edit the Desired Stage

Click the pencil icon next to the deal stage where you want to add workflow automation.

5. Configure the Workflow

Click the Triggers Workflow checkbox to enable workflow automation for this stage. Then:

Choose the specific Workflow you want to run from the dropdown menu
Select whether to run the workflow for the Primary Contact or All Related Contacts
Click Save to confirm your settings

Important Notes:

Workflow Execution: Workflows will run only once when a deal is moved into the configured stage. Moving the same deal into the stage multiple times will not trigger the workflow again.

Visual Indicators: After setting up workflows, you'll see a magic wand icon next to deal stages that have workflows attached. This makes it easy to identify which stages have automation configured.

Contact Scope Options:

Primary Contact: The workflow runs only for the main contact associated with the deal
All Related Contacts: The workflow runs for every contact connected to the deal

Workflows in Deal Stages: Questions and Answers

Q: Can I add multiple workflows to the same deal stage?

A: No, each deal stage can only have one workflow attached. However, your workflow can contain multiple steps and actions to accomplish everything you need for that stage.

Q: What happens if I move a deal back to a previous stage?

A: If you move a deal backward to a stage that has a workflow, the workflow will trigger again since you're entering that stage. Workflows trigger based on entry into a stage, regardless of direction.

Q: Can I see which deal stages have workflows without opening each one?

A: Yes! Look for the magic wand icon next to deal stage names. This visual indicator shows you which stages have workflows configured.

Q: What's the difference between running a workflow for Primary Contact vs All Related Contacts?

A: Primary Contact runs the workflow only for the main person associated with the deal, while All Related Contacts runs the workflow for every person connected to that deal. Choose based on whether you want to communicate with just the primary decision-maker or everyone involved.

Q: Can I edit or remove a workflow from a deal stage after it's set up?

A: Yes, you can always return to the deal stage configuration and either change the workflow, modify the contact scope, or uncheck the Triggers Workflow box to remove automation entirely.

Q: What types of actions can I include in deal stage workflows?

A: Workflows can include sending emails, creating to-dos, adding tags, scheduling appointments, sending text messages, updating contact fields, and many other automated actions. The specific actions available depend on your account features.

Q: Do deal stage workflows work with all deal types?

A: Yes, you can configure workflows for any deal type in your system. Each deal type can have its own unique set of stage workflows to match your different sales processes.

Q: What happens if I delete a workflow that's attached to deal stages?

A: If you delete a workflow that's currently assigned to deal stages, those stages will no longer have automation. You'll need to either assign a different workflow or create a new one to restore the automation.

Video Transcript

When your Deals move from one stage to the next, you can have the system automatically trigger a Workflow.

A workflow is group of several client related actions.

Here's how it works.

We have a Deal set up here that tracks your software sales.

When I first add a contact to this Deal, I will put them in the first stage called ‘Interested’.

When I have someone who’s interested, I want several things to happen.

I want to change the Category of the contact to Prospect.

I want to Add a Note to the contact.

I want to start the contact on an Autoresponder.

Then I want to start a To-Do Plan that has my demo coordinator and team member following up to get a demo scheduled.

Finally, I want to notify my assistant that we have a new Deal in the works.

Fortunately, I have already set up a workflow to group all of these activities together.

It's called ‘Interested Prospect Start’ and here it is.

Now I want to tell the system that whenever a Deal is moved into this stage, to run this workflow.

So I go to Deal Settings, select the right Deal Type, and then I’ll click Configure.

I'll edit this stage and attach the Workflow to it, like this.

Here I would decide if I want to run this Workflow, just the primary Contact or for the primary contact, plus all the related contacts.

By the way, Workflows are run at the time you move the Deal into that stage.

If at that time you don't have any contacts associated with that Deal, some of your actions might not be able to run.

For instance, if one of your actions is to start a contact on an Autoresponder and you don't have a contact on that Deal, nothing will happen.

Then if you add a contact to that Deal later after you have moved the Deal into that stage, still nothing will happen.

Remember, workflows are run one time, when you move the Deal into that stage.

Back to the Deal Stages, when I click save, the workflow is now attached to this Deal Stage.

Here is a little magic wand indicator reminding you that there's a workflow attached.

In my Deal Stages, not only do I have the workflow I just set up, you see here I also have a different workflow attached to the Demo Stage.

So now when I move this Deal to the Demo Stage, this box will pop up and I have a couple of choices on how I want to proceed.