Getting Started With Workflows

SlickText’s powerful Workflows tool allows you to create custom journeys to better and more consistently engage with your audience. Workflows can send text messages, collect information, update contact records, change inbox statuses, and much more. This article covers the basics of how a Workflow functions, how to build a workflow, and how to manage your workflows once they are created. 

In this article:

Building a Workflow

Activating a Workflow

Managing Workflows

Example of a Workflow Build

Before We Begin

Workflows has a drag and drop interface where you can place objects in a straight sequence or create branches that send contacts down different paths based on how the workflow is configured. There are four object types: Triggers, Actions, Conditions, and Waits. These objects allow you to insert your contacts into a workflow, perform actions or delays, check statuses, or wait until a contact takes action.

Once you insert an object into your workflow, place your cursor over the object to reveal icons that allow you to edit its settings, connect it to another object, or delete the object from your workflow. When connecting objects, there may be more than one path available. 

Start with a workflow template to save time. Templates include all of the required steps for a workflow and give you a solid foundation to build upon.

Click here to learn more about Workflow Objects.

Building a Workflow

You can build a workflow from scratch or start from a template. Just choose the template that is closest to your needs and change or expand it from there. Here are the steps to building a workflow: 

1. From the Dashboard, click on Workflows in the left-hand navigation panel. 
2. Click Create Workflow.
3. Under (1) Setup, give the workflow a name and description. For “Contacts Can be In This Workflow” select one of the following:
   1. Only Once Ever — if a contact has ever entered the workflow, they can never re-enter. 
   2. Once at a Time — a contact cannot enter if they are currently in the workflow, but they can re-enter after they exit the workflow.
   3. Multiple Times — a contact can enter the workflow anytime even if they are currently or ever have been active in the workflow.
4. Under (2) Build, create your workflow by dragging an object from the left to the canvas on the right. There are dozens of objects to choose from across four object types: Triggers, Actions, Conditions, and Waits.
5. After dragging an object to the canvas, you need to configure it. Objects have different configuration requirements. To configure an object, hover over it and then click on the gear icon in the top right-hand corner. If the object does not have a gear icon, there is no configuration required. When you click on the icon, a form will slide out from the left. Complete this form. Remember to click Save on the configuration form.
6. After configuring the object, you will want to connect it to the next object in the workflow. Hover over the object and then click the arrow on the right-hand side and drag it to the next object in the path. Some objects have more than one path they can take. For these objects, you will see a multi-select menu as you drag the arrow. Connect these to different objects to create alternative paths.
7. Click Save. 

Activating a Workflow

Workflows are not live until you activate them. You can activate and deactivate them anytime. You can edit a workflow even if it is active.

 Before activating a workflow, it’s important to understand the two views and how they are used.

• Build View — Allows you to create and edit workflows.
• Live View — Allows you to track contacts as they flow through the workflow.

1. To activate a workflow, click the Active toggle on. To deactivate the workflow, just toggle it off.
2. You can test a workflow before you activate it. From the Live View, click on the beaker icon. Enter the mobile number to test and then select where in the workflow you want the test to start by choosing a trigger.
3. You can clear contact tracking data from the workflow before activating it or at any time. From the Live View, click the paintbrush icon.

Managing Workflows

 Once you’ve created Workflows, they can be managed from the Workflows tab in the left-hand navigation panel. Your workflows are presented in a list view where you will see the following:

• The name of your workflows.
• The description of their functions.
• How many contacts have entered your workflows.
• If the workflow is Active or Inactive.

There is additional functionally stored under the menu for each workflow indicated by three vertical dots. These options include the ability to: 

• Edit the workflow. 
• Clone the workflow.
• Analytics
• Delete the workflow.

Example of a Workflow Build

As an example, let’s go step by step through building a simple workflow to request a contact’s email address after they join by texting a keyword. 

1. From the Dashboard, click on Workflows in the left-hand navigation panel. 
2. Click Create Workflow.
3. Under [1] Setup, give the workflow a name, description, and choose “Only Once Ever” under “Contacts Can be In This Workflow” to ensure the contact only goes through once.
4. Move on to section [2] Build. From the list of Triggers, drag the Contact Created trigger object onto the Build View canvas.
5. Hover over the Contact Created trigger object and click the gear icon in the top right corner of the object. Under Creation source make sure the Keyword source is toggled on. Click Save.
6. Next, click on Action to reveal the action objects. Drag in a Delay object. 
7. Click the gear icon on the Delay object, then set the delay drop-down to “For a certain amount of time” and set it to delay a few seconds. This is so your first workflow message and your Keyword’s auto-reply don’t arrive at the exact same time. Click Save.
8. Hover over the Contact Created trigger until you see an arrow. Click and drag the arrow to connect it to the Delay object.
9. Next, we need to create a message that will request the contact's email address. To do so, drag in a Send Message object. Drag the arrow from the Delay to the Send Message object.
10. Click the gear icon on your Send Message object. Enter a message name for your reference. The contact will not see the message name. Write a message that will request the contact’s email address. For example, “Thank you for joining our list. To serve you better, can we get your email address?” Click Save.
11.  Click on Waits, then drag a Message Received object onto the canvas. Connect the Send Message object to the Message Received object. This object stops the contact’s progress in the workflow until they either reply to the message or a period of time has elapsed.
12.  Click on the gear icon to configure the Message Received object to look for and collect an email address. For example:
    1. Under “Look for specific data in the message?” select Yes. 
    2. Under “Look For…” select An Email.
    3. Under “And save it to the contact Field…” select the Email field.
    4. Under the “Wait up to…” select at least one day. This will ensure that all willing contacts have a sufficient amount of time to share their email with you.
    5. Click Save.
13.  Next, we need to add our response. From the list of Actions drag in another Send Message object.
14.  Click the gear icon for this Send Message object, name the message, and enter your thank-you message. Click Save.
15.  Next, we need to connect our Send Message action object to our Message Received object. When you click on the arrow from the Message Received object you will see three options indicated by the multi-select menu. The options are Email Found, Email Not Found, and Message was Not Received. Drag the arrow selecting Email Found and connect it to the Send Message object.
16. You can then create additional paths for Email Not Found and Message Was Not Received by dragging in other objects.
17.  Click Save at the bottom left-hand side to save the workflow. 

This workflow is now ready to go. You can test it in Live view and then make it active to begin collecting email addresses.