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Automation Lesson 2

Triggers, Actions, and Conditions

Learn the core building blocks of workflow systems.

Foundation25 min

Lesson Guide

Triggers start the work

A trigger is the moment a workflow begins. It can be a form submission, webhook event, new database record, uploaded file, or a scheduled time.

  • Event triggers react to something that happened.
  • Scheduled triggers run at a fixed time.
  • Manual triggers let a user start the flow intentionally.

Actions do the work

An action is a step that changes something, sends something, saves data, formats text, calls an API, or asks AI to produce structured output.

  • Keep each action focused.
  • Name actions clearly.
  • Handle failed actions with retries or alerts.

Conditions control the path

Conditions let the workflow choose a route. For example, a high-value lead can go to sales while a support request goes to a helpdesk queue.

  • Use simple if/else rules first.
  • Branch only when the cases are truly different.
  • Add a human review branch for uncertain results.

Practice Task

Sketch a workflow for a contact form. Add one trigger, three actions, one condition, and one human review point.

Ready Checklist

  • The trigger is specific.
  • Every action has a clear purpose.
  • Branches are easy to understand.
Triggers, Actions, and Conditions | Automation Learning | ThutaTech