Trigger Types
- The three trigger types available: temporal, hook, and manual
- How each trigger type works and when to use it
- How to configure the trigger in the Gatilho section of the workflow form
A trigger (Gatilho) is the condition that starts your workflow. Every workflow has exactly one trigger, and you select it from the Tipo (Type) dropdown in the Gatilho section of the workflow creation form. There are three trigger types to choose from.
Temporal -- scheduled triggers
A temporal trigger runs your workflow on a schedule, similar to a cron job. Use this when you want your workflow to execute at a specific time or on a recurring interval.
Examples of temporal triggers:
- Run every weekday morning at 9:00 AM to send appointment reminders
- Run once a week on Monday to generate a summary report
- Run every hour to check for stale conversations
When you select the temporal trigger type, the form will display additional fields where you define the schedule. This typically includes options for setting the frequency, day, and time of execution.
Temporal triggers are ideal for recurring tasks that do not depend on a specific event happening in the system. Think of them as scheduled tasks that run like clockwork.
Hook -- event-based triggers
A hook trigger fires when a specific event occurs in the system. Use this when you want your workflow to react to something that just happened, such as a new message arriving or a client being created.
Examples of hook triggers:
- A new message is received in a conversation
- A new client is created in the database
- A conversation is opened from a specific channel
- An appointment or event is scheduled or updated
When you select the hook trigger type, the form will display fields where you specify which event the workflow should listen for. The data from the event is then available to your workflow steps as input variables like {{client.name}} or {{trigger.channel}}.
Hook triggers are the most common trigger type. They let your workflows respond in real time to events happening across the system, making them perfect for automations like welcome messages, notifications, and data updates.
Manual -- employee-triggered
A manual trigger means the workflow does not start automatically. Instead, an employee starts it by clicking the executeManual button on the workflow page. Use this when you want a human to decide when the workflow should run.
Examples of manual triggers:
- An employee runs a bulk data cleanup workflow when needed
- A team lead triggers a report generation workflow on demand
- A support agent manually fires a follow-up sequence for a specific client
When you select the manual trigger type, you can optionally define custom input fields that the employee fills in when they start the workflow. For example, you might ask the employee to enter a client ID or select a date range before execution begins.
Important: The executeManual button is only available after the workflow has been saved. While you are creating a new workflow, this button will appear disabled.
Manual triggers are great for workflows that require human judgment about when to run. You can also define custom inputs so the employee provides specific data each time the workflow is started.
Choosing the right trigger
| You want to... | Use this trigger |
|---|---|
| Run an automation on a fixed schedule (daily, weekly, hourly) | temporal |
| React to an event in the system (new message, new client) | hook |
| Let an employee decide when to run the workflow | manual |
Each workflow supports exactly one trigger. If you need the same set of steps to run for different events, create a separate workflow for each trigger type.