Step Types Explained

Understanding Step Types

Tallyfy offers five step types to match the different kinds of work in your processes. Choosing the right type makes processes clearer and more efficient.

Task (Standard)

The most common step type. Used for general work that needs to be done.

• Requires the assignee to click Complete
• Can include form fields to collect data
• Can have subtasks via checklist fields
• Supports file attachments and comments

Approve/Reject

Used when a decision needs to be made. The assignee sees two buttons:

• Approve - Accept and move the process forward
• Reject - Decline and stop or return the process

Use automations to trigger different actions based on the Approve or Reject choice. Perfect for budget approvals, document reviews, and sign-offs.

Expiring

A task that auto-completes at the deadline if not done manually:

• Useful for tasks that are helpful but not critical if missed
• Auto-completes when deadline passes, preventing overdue buildup
• Perfect for FYI updates, optional resources, or status reports
• Prevents task debt from accumulating

Email Draft

Creates an email draft for review before sending:

• Write the draft content in the template
• Assignee reviews, edits, and clicks Send manually
• Use when emails need human review before sending
• Can include merge fields for personalization

Email Auto-Send

Sends a pre-written email automatically:

• Define recipients (fixed or from form fields)
• Set subject and body with merge fields
• Sends automatically at deadline (or earlier via Send Now button)
• Use for scheduled reminders and notifications

Snippets for Reusable Content

While not a step type, snippets are reusable content blocks:

• Create once, use in multiple templates
• Update the snippet, all templates reflect changes
• Perfect for standard instructions, policies, or disclaimers
• Rich text with formatting, images, and links

Choosing the Right Step Type

Scenario	Step Type
Complete a task and collect data	Task (Standard)
Get approval or rejection decision	Approve/Reject
Optional action that can auto-complete	Expiring
Email needing human review first	Email Draft
Automatic scheduled notification	Email Auto-Send