Overview
Automations are item-level triggers that execute immediately when a checklist item is answered. They enable real-time responses to inspection findings without waiting for submission completion. Key Characteristics:- Immediate execution: Triggers fire as soon as an answer matches conditions
- Item-level scope: Each automation is attached to a specific checklist item
- Single condition: Evaluates one condition per automation
- Multiple actions: Can trigger multiple actions from a single condition
For multi-condition logic that evaluates across multiple items, see Checklist Workflows.
Action Types
Automations support five action types:| Action | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
FOLLOW_UP_QUESTION | Show additional questions based on answer | Drill-down questions for “No” answers |
FLAG | Create a flag/issue automatically | Mark safety violations for review |
TASK | Auto-create a task | Immediate corrective actions |
NOTIFICATION | Send alerts (email, SMS, push, WhatsApp) | Alert managers of critical findings |
IMAGE | Require photo capture | Document evidence for flagged items |
Condition Operators
| Operator | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
eq | Equals | Answer equals “No” |
not | Not equals | Answer is not “Pass” |
lt | Less than | Score less than 70 |
lte | Less than or equal | Score at most 50 |
gt | Greater than | Temperature above 100 |
gte | Greater than or equal | Rating at least 4 |
btw | Between (inclusive) | Value between 10 and 20 |
nbtw | Not between | Value outside 10-20 range |
contains | Contains substring | Notes contain “urgent” |
not_contains | Does not contain | Notes don’t contain “N/A” |
is_empty | Is null/empty | No answer provided |
is_not_empty | Has value | Answer was provided |
Create Automations
Create one or more automations for checklist items.| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
automations | array | Yes | Array of automation configurations |
automations[].EntityId | string | Yes | Checklist item ID to attach automation to |
automations[].ChecklistId | string | Yes | Template ID |
automations[].entityType | string | Yes | Type identifier (use checklistItem) |
automations[].operator | string | No | Logic operator for multiple conditions (AND/OR) |
automations[].conditions | array | Yes | Trigger conditions |
automations[].conditions[].logic | string | Yes | Condition operator |
automations[].conditions[].value | any | Yes | Value to compare against |
automations[].actions | array | Yes | Actions to execute |
automations[].actions[].type | string | Yes | Action type |
automations[].actions[].data | object | No | Action-specific configuration |
Action Configuration Examples
Flag Action
Automatically flag items for review.Notification Action
Send multi-channel notifications.Task Action
Auto-create a corrective action task.Follow-up Question Action
Show additional questions based on answer.Image Capture Action
Require photo documentation.Get Automations
Get Automations for a Checklist
Update Automations
To update existing automations, include theid field in the automation object.
Delete Automations
Execute Automation (Internal)
When a checklist item is answered, automations are executed automatically. This endpoint is typically called internally but can be used for testing.Common Workflows
Auto-Flag Safety Violations
Conditional Follow-up Questions
When an inspector answers “No” to a compliance question, show follow-up questions to gather more details.Temperature Alert System
Alert managers when temperature readings exceed thresholds.Best Practices
Use appropriate action combinations
Use appropriate action combinations
Combine actions strategically. For critical issues, use FLAG + NOTIFICATION + TASK together to ensure visibility and action.
Keep conditions simple
Keep conditions simple
Automations work best with single, clear conditions. For complex multi-condition logic, use Checklist Workflows instead.
Test automations before publishing
Test automations before publishing
Create a test submission to verify automations trigger correctly before publishing the template to production.
Use flag categories for organization
Use flag categories for organization
Define clear flag categories to help managers quickly identify and prioritize issues.
Consider notification fatigue
Consider notification fatigue
Be selective with notifications. Over-notification can lead to alert fatigue and important issues being missed.
Document automation purposes
Document automation purposes
Maintain documentation of what automations exist and why, especially for complex templates with many triggers.
Permissions
| Action | Required Permission |
|---|---|
| Create/Update automations | CAN_MANAGE_CHECKLIST |
| Get automations | — (read-only) |
| Delete automations | CAN_MANAGE_CHECKLIST |
Related Guides
- Checklist Workflows - Multi-condition logic
- Template Management - Create templates with automations
- Corrective Actions - Handle flagged items
- Submission Workflow - Complete inspections