Create an automation

Tutorial: Creating an automation example

This tutorial provides a simple example of creating an automation rule in Tallyfy.

Basic concepts

Automation rules in Tallyfy use “if-this-then-that” logic:

• IF a specific event occurs (the Condition), like a task completion or a specific form field value…
• THEN Tallyfy automatically performs an action (the Action), such as showing a hidden step, assigning a task, or changing a deadline.

You can create rules based on various conditions, including task completion, form field answers, and approval decisions (from Approve/Reject steps).

Example scenario: In an Employee Onboarding process, you want to display different steps based on whether the new hire is a “Field worker” or an “Office worker”.

Form field example setup

Follow these steps to set up the automation for the example scenario:

1. Create the template: Start building your “Employee Onboarding” template. Step 1 should collect basic information. Make Step 2 “Field Training” and Step 3 “Office Orientation”.
2. Add the form field: In Step 1, add a form field asking for the employee’s role. Use the Radio Button type with two options: “Field worker” and “Office worker”.
3. Hide steps initially: In the template editor, configure both Step 2 (“Field Training”) and Step 3 (“Office Orientation”) to be hidden by default when the process starts.
4. Create automation rule 1 (for Field Worker):
   • Navigate to the Automations section within the template editor.
   • Create a new rule.
   • Set the IF condition: Check if the “Role” form field (from Step 1) Is “Field worker”.
   • Set the THEN action: Use a Visibility action to SHOW Step 2 (“Field Training”).
   • Name the rule clearly, e.g., “Show Field Training if Role is Field Worker”.
5. Create automation rule 2 (for Office Worker):
   • Create another new rule.
   • Set the IF condition: Check if the “Role” form field (from Step 1) Is “Office worker”.
   • Set the THEN action: Use a Visibility action to SHOW Step 3 (“Office Orientation”).
   • Name it clearly, e.g., “Show Office Orientation if Role is Office Worker”.
6. Launch the process: When you launch this process:
   • Only Step 1 will be visible at the start.
   • After the user selects the role in Step 1 and completes it, the automation rules trigger, showing only the relevant follow-up step (either Step 2 or Step 3).

Use clear automation names

Always give your automation rules descriptive names (like in the examples: “Show Field Training if Role is Field Worker”). Avoid generic names like “Rule 1” or “Field Check”. Clear names make it much easier for you and others to understand the purpose of each rule later without needing to examine its conditions and actions.

Once the process is launched:

• Only Step 1 will be assigned and visible at first.
• After the employee selects their role in Step 1, the relevant step (2 or 3) will be assigned and shown. The assigned person(s) will be notified accordingly.
• The assignee(s) can click on the task link in their email to complete the assigned step.

Related articles

Examples > Exclusive choice

A workflow automation system using radio button form fields and separate automation rules enables processes to automatically follow a single path based on exclusive user selections.

Templates > Automations

Tallyfy process automations are smart IF-THEN rules that automatically perform actions like task assignments deadline changes and step visibility based on defined conditions to reduce manual work and ensure consistent process execution.

Actions > Automate hiding or showing tasks

Visibility actions enable dynamic workflow customization by automatically showing or hiding specific process steps based on predefined conditions and task completion status.

Automations > Actions

Automation actions in Tallyfy execute the “THEN” portion of if-this-then-that rules and include four types: assignment actions for changing task responsibility deadline actions for adjusting due dates status actions for reopening completed tasks and visibility actions for showing or hiding steps based on conditions.