{"id":4363,"date":"2026-08-26T11:53:43","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T03:53:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/?post_type=help-centre&p=4363"},"modified":"2026-08-28T16:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T08:53:31","slug":"how-to-create-and-manage-automations","status":"publish","type":"help-centre","link":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/help-centre\/how-to-create-and-manage-automations\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create and Manage Automations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

SafeTalk Automations<\/strong> let you automatically assign tasks, send chat messages, and create case notes for clients based on events in their care journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can trigger an automation when a client joins your practice, before or after a session, or after a specific number of completed sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u26a0\ufe0f Automations are currently in beta<\/strong>. We’re actively improving the feature based on how practices use it. If you have feedback, suggestions, or run into any issues, we’d love to hear from you. Your feedback helps us make Automations better.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Before You Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

\u26a0\ufe0f Important:<\/strong> If you use the Auto-assign Intake Form<\/strong> or Auto-assign Consent Form<\/strong> settings in My Practice \u2192 Settings<\/strong>, automations can cause clients to receive the same form twice. Review these settings before creating an automation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Create an Automation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Go to Automations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Go to My Practice<\/strong> and select Automations (BETA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Create a New Automation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Click + New Automation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Start from scratch<\/strong> \u2014 Build the automation yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Use a template<\/strong> \u2014 Start with a pre-configured automation and adjust it to your needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Available templates may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Template<\/th>Trigger<\/th>Actions<\/th><\/tr>
    Intake & Consent Form<\/strong><\/td>New Client Intake<\/td>Assign Intake and Consent Forms<\/td><\/tr>
    Session Feedback<\/strong><\/td>After Each Session<\/td>Assign Feedback Form<\/td><\/tr>
    Session Prep Reminder<\/strong><\/td>Before Each Session<\/td>Assign Preparation Form<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Select a template or start from scratch to open the Automation Builder<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Configure Your Automation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Automation Builder contains the automation settings on the left and a What this automation does<\/strong> panel on the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The panel provides an overview of your automation. You can click an item in the panel to jump directly to that section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Automation Title<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Give your automation a clear name that describes what it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example:
    Couple’s Counselling Intake<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Choose a Trigger<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    The trigger determines when the automation runs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Available triggers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Trigger<\/th>What you can configure<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    New Client Intake<\/strong><\/td>Delay after intake + selected services<\/td><\/tr>
    Before Each Session<\/strong><\/td>How many hours before the session + selected services<\/td><\/tr>
    After Each Session<\/strong><\/td>How many hours after the session + selected services<\/td><\/tr>
    After Every X Sessions Completed<\/strong><\/td>Session number + selected services<\/td><\/tr>
    Manual Trigger<\/strong><\/td>Run manually for selected clients<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Apply to Specific Services<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    For New Client Intake<\/strong>, Before Each Session<\/strong>, After Each Session<\/strong>, and After Every X Sessions Completed<\/strong>, you can choose which services the automation applies to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you want the automation to apply to all services<\/strong>, simply enable the Apply to all services<\/strong> toggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the toggle is disabled, you can select one or more specific services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, if you offer Individual Therapy<\/strong> and Couples Therapy<\/strong>, you can create a pre-session automation that only applies to Individual Therapy<\/strong> clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This gives you more control over which clients receive an automation based on the service they’re receiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Manual Trigger<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    A Manual Trigger<\/strong> automation does not run automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Instead, it allows you to create a predefined set of actions that you can manually run for a specific client whenever needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is useful for workflows that don’t happen on a predictable schedule or aren’t tied to a specific session event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For example, you could create a Couple’s Counselling Intake<\/strong><\/strong> automation that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Assigns the required documents<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Sends a chat message with relevant information<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Creates a case note<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      If an existing client starts Couple\u2019s Counselling<\/strong>, you can manually run the Couple\u2019s Counselling Intake<\/strong> automation for them, instead of setting up the same actions individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Add Actions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Actions determine what SafeTalk does when the automation runs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Click + Add Action<\/strong> to add one or more actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      There are three types of actions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Assign a Task<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Assign a task to the client that they can complete from their SafeTalk account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When assigning a task, choose the resource type:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • SafeTalk Form<\/strong> \u2014 Select a form template from your available forms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • File<\/strong> \u2014 Upload a file for the client.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Link<\/strong> \u2014 Provide a URL for the client to access.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        You can also add an optional Note<\/strong> to provide additional instructions or context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Set when the task is due using:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Due Before Session<\/strong> \u2014 Set how many hours before the session.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Due After Session<\/strong> \u2014 Set how many hours after the session.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Send Chat Message<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Automatically send a chat message to the client when the automation runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          You can use variables in your message to automatically insert names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Available variables include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Client First Name<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Client Full Name<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Therapist First Name<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Therapist Full Name<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            For example, you can write:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n

            Hi {{Client First Name}}, please complete the form before your upcoming session.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

            SafeTalk will automatically replace the variable with the client’s name when the automation runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Write a Case Note<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            Automatically create a case note when the automation runs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            You can choose a case note template from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Your personal templates<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Organization templates<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              When you select a template, SafeTalk automatically pre-fills the case note using the template and attaches it to the relevant session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Alternatively, you can leave the template blank. SafeTalk will create a blank case note that you can complete later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Action Status<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

              Each action has its own Running \/ Not running<\/strong> setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • Running<\/strong> \u2014 The action runs when the automation runs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Not running<\/strong> \u2014 The action is saved but will not run.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                This allows you to keep an action configured without enabling it immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Save the Automation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                When you’re finished, click Create<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                When editing an existing automation, click Save Changes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For automatic triggers, SafeTalk will run the automation when the selected trigger occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For a Manual Trigger<\/strong>, the automation will remain available for you to manually run for selected clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Important Things to Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Automations Don’t Apply Retroactively<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                Automatic triggers only affect clients who meet the trigger conditions after the automation is created and active<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Existing clients are not automatically processed when you create a new automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                If you want to run an automation for an existing client, you can use a Manual Trigger<\/strong> automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                See How to Manually Run an Automation for a Client<\/strong> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Multiple Automations Can Run<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                You can have multiple active automations at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                For example, a client could receive:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                • An intake form when they join your practice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • A preparation form 24 hours before their session<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • A feedback form after their session<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Each automation runs independently when its trigger conditions are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Each Action Can Be Disabled<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  An automation can contain multiple actions, and each action can be activated or deactivated independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  This lets you temporarily disable an individual action without removing it from the automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Deleting an Automation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

                  Deleting an automation also cancels any pending actions that were created by that automation but have not yet been executed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Automation Queue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  After automations begin running, you can view their scheduled and completed actions in the Automation Queue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The queue lets you see which clients have been affected, what actions were created, when they are scheduled to run, and their current status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Automatic vs Manual Automations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  SafeTalk supports two ways for an automation to run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Automatic Trigger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  SafeTalk waits for the configured trigger and runs the automation automatically when the conditions are met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Manual Trigger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  The automation does not run by itself. You choose when to run it and which client it applies to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Manual triggers are useful for predefined workflows such as Client Termination<\/strong>, Discharge<\/strong>, or other situations where you want a consistent set of actions without relying on an automatic event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  See How to Manually Run an Automation for a Client<\/strong> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  SafeTalk Automations let you automatically assign tasks, send chat messages, and create case notes for clients based on events in their care journey. You can trigger an automation when a client joins your practice, before or after a session, or after a specific number of completed sessions. \u26a0\ufe0f Automations are currently in beta. We’re actively […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"tags":[],"help_centre_category":[201,184,128],"class_list":["post-4363","help-centre","type-help-centre","status-publish","hentry","help_centre_category-automations","help_centre_category-files-tasks","help_centre_category-resources-for-therapists"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/help-centre\/4363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/help-centre"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/help-centre"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4363"},{"taxonomy":"help_centre_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/safetalk.space\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/help_centre_category?post=4363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}