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Automate hiding or showing tasks

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Visibility actions explained

Section titled “Visibility actions explained”

Visibility actions let you Show or Hide specific steps based on conditions. They’re smart switches - users see exactly what they need, when they need it.

Visibility is one of five action types you can add to an automation. The others change deadlines, reopen steps, and update assignments.

Types of automations

Visibility
IF this THEN show/hide that step
Assignment
IF this THEN assign someone
Deadline
IF this THEN shift the deadline
Status
IF this THEN re-open a task

Examples

Section titled “Examples”

Example 1 - CFO approval for big purchases:

CFO approval for big purchases

If

  • Purchase Amount is greater than $10,000

Then

  • Show step
    Apply to
    Approval by CFO

The CFO approval step appears automatically for purchases over $10k.

Example 2 - Skip irrelevant reviews:

Skip irrelevant reviews

If

  • Customer Type is Small Business

Then

  • Hide step
    Apply to
    Enterprise Security Review

Small business customers skip the enterprise security review entirely.

Example 3 - Adapt to user input:

Adapt to user input

If

  • Application Type is Mortgage

Then

  • Show step
    Apply to
    Credit Check
  • Show step
    Apply to
    Property Valuation
  • Show step
    Apply to
    Underwriting

Selecting “Mortgage” reveals all mortgage-specific steps at once.

Here’s what it looks like in action:

Automation rule builder with visibility action

Completing one step makes the next one appear. That’s visibility automation at work.

Hidden steps can’t be completed

Hidden steps have an internal status of auto-skipped and can’t be completed. Any automation checking “if step is complete” on a hidden step won’t trigger - unless another rule makes that step visible first.

Only create completion-based automations for steps users can actually see. You can also manually show or hide steps using the three-dot menu on any task.

Hiding tasks by default in a template

Section titled “Hiding tasks by default in a template”

All tasks show up when someone launches a procedure template. To keep certain tasks hidden until the right moment:

  1. Open your procedure template in the editor.
  2. Click on the step you want to hide initially.
  3. In the step’s settings panel, toggle Hide by default to Yes.
  4. Save the step.

Hidden steps stay out of sight until a Show automation brings them back.

Enforcing sequential task order

Section titled “Enforcing sequential task order”

Sometimes Task B shouldn’t start until Task A is done. You can force tasks to appear in sequence using hidden tasks and Show visibility actions in your automations2.

  1. Task A: Leave it visible by default.
  2. Task B: Set it to hidden by default.
  3. Task C: Set it to hidden by default.
  4. Create automation 1 (show Task B):
    • IF (Step Status) for Task A is Completed
    • THEN (Visibility) SHOW Task B
  5. Create automation 2 (show Task C):
    • IF (Step Status) for Task B is Completed
    • THEN (Visibility) SHOW Task C

The result:

  • Process starts - only Task A shows up
  • Complete Task A - Task B appears
  • Complete Task B - Task C appears

You can chain as many tasks as you need this way.

Section titled “Related articles”

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Footnotes

Section titled “Footnotes”

  1. All visible tasks can be completed simultaneously by different assignees without waiting ↩

  2. Sequential dependency ensures tasks complete in order, preventing race conditions ↩

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