How to Build an Automation Rule from Scratch in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the Workflow Automation add-on and the permission to add automations. Actions are covered separately in How to Configure Automation Actions.
Availability: All editions. Requires the Workflow Automation add-on and the permission to add automations. Actions are covered separately in How to Configure Automation Actions.
Overview
The rule builder lays a rule out as a Flow on the left, with one card for When, one for If and one for each action, and a panel on the right where you set up whichever card you have clicked. A sentence above the flow reads your rule back in plain words. Cards say Needs setup or Ready; the footer tells you what is unfinished, and Take me there jumps to it. A new rule starts Inactive.
How It Works
Name the rule → When → If → Then → Test run → Save
- When. Pick the Record type and the Trigger (Record is created, or Record is updated). Everything below is scoped to the record type, so choose it first. Changing it later clears fields that no longer apply.
- If. Choose Only records matching conditions, where the rule runs only when all the conditions are true, or Every record of this type, with no filtering at all. "Every record" is a deliberate choice, not what you get by leaving the conditions empty: a rule set to "matching conditions" with none is refused when you save it. On a busy record type, "every record" means a notification or webhook for every single record.
- Conditions are always combined with AND. Every one must be true for the rule to run. There is no OR. To get "either/or", write two rules.
- Each condition is a field, an operator and, for most operators, a value.
Condition operators
| Operator | True when the record's field... | Needs a value |
|---|---|---|
| is equal to | matches the value exactly. Text is compared as written, so "Urgent" and "urgent" differ; use the picker where there is one | Yes |
| is not equal to | does not match | Yes |
| is greater than / is less than | is a number above / below the value. A field or value that is not a number never matches | Yes |
| contains | holds the text anywhere inside it, ignoring capital letters | Yes |
| is empty / is not empty | has no value / has some value. A zero is a value, not empty | No |
| changed | was changed by this save | No |
| changed to | was changed by this save to the value | Yes |
Changed and changed to look at what this save altered, so they are offered only on the Record is updated trigger. Test Run cannot judge them either, because the record you test against was not just saved.
Where a field has a known list of values, such as a status, a source, a pipeline stage or a person, the value box becomes a dropdown so you pick rather than type an ID. A field whose list is empty for your company yet, for example no ticket groups, is shown disabled.
Which fields can you test?
The list is set for your account, per record type, and is deliberately short: fields where you can pick a value rather than type one. On a standard setup you can test:
| Record | Fields |
|---|---|
| Lead | Status, Source, Category, Lead owner, Client |
| Deal | Pipeline stage, Lead, Agent, Category |
| Client | Category, Sub category, Country |
| Task | Status, Priority, Project, Client, Deal, Task category, Billable |
| Ticket | Status, Priority, Agent, User, Type, Group, Project |
| Proposal | Status, Deal, Solar site, Send status |
| Invoice | Status, Payment status, Client, Project, Send status |
| Project | Status, Client, Category, Team, Project admin |
Your list may differ if it has been changed for your account. Custom fields you have defined for a record type are also offered. Custom fields are read after the record is saved, so editing a custom field on its own does not trigger a rule; something else on the record has to change in the same save.
When an update rule is evaluated
A rule on Record is updated only wakes up when it should. If a rule's conditions look at the pipeline stage, it is evaluated only when a save actually changes the pipeline stage. Saving the same deal again with a new note does nothing and no run is recorded, so "when a deal is Won" does not fire again on every later edit. A rule with no field conditions (every record, or custom fields only) is evaluated on every save.
Limit a rule to one workspace
If your company uses several workspaces, the Advanced section (top right of the builder) has an Organization picker. Leave it empty and the rule applies to every workspace; choose one and it applies only to records in that workspace. Tickets and Projects are not split by workspace, so the picker is not offered for them and those rules always run company-wide. You can only pick workspaces you have access to.
Prerequisites
- The add-on is available, and you hold the permission to add automations.
- A written statement of what should happen and when, so the rule is built around a real trigger and condition.
For Administrators
Step 1: Open the builder
What to do: Choose Add automation, then the arrow beside it, then Start from scratch. To change an existing rule, choose Edit on its row.
What to verify: The Flow and the right-hand panel appear.
Step 2: Name it
What to do: Give the rule a name, which is required and must be unique within your company. Add a description if you like; it shows under the name in the list.
What to verify: The name is accepted.
Step 3: Set When and If
What to do: Choose the record type and trigger, then choose matching conditions or every record, and add your conditions.
What to verify: The plain-words sentence above the flow describes the rule you intended.
Step 4: Add actions
What to do: Add at least one action. See How to Configure Automation Actions.
What to verify: Every card shows Ready.
Step 5: Run a test
What to do: Before saving, choose Test Run, pick a record from the Against list (your five newest of that type), and read the result. It tells you which condition passed or missed and what the record actually held, and whether the rule would run or would not run.
What to verify: The verdict matches what you expect for that record. Nothing is saved and no action is performed. Conditions using changed or changed to are reported not testable.
Step 6: Save
What to do: Save the rule. Saving checks everything at once and lists what to fix.
What to verify: The rule appears in the list. It is Inactive until you switch it on.
Expected Result
A saved rule with a clear trigger, conditions and at least one action, tested against a real record, waiting in the list for you to switch it on.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Besides missing fields, a save is refused if: the rule is set to "matching conditions" with no conditions; you are over your plan's number of conditions or actions per rule; making it Active would exceed your plan's number of active rules (the rule can still be saved Inactive); a webhook address is private or cannot be reached; or an action is not available for the record type or has been switched off for your account.
- The Advanced section also holds a Visual / Form / Canvas switch. All three edit the same rule; Form is a plain long form and Canvas draws the rule as a diagram.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Save is refused: no conditions | The rule is set to matching conditions but has none | Add a condition, or choose Every record of this type. |
| Changed and changed to are not offered | The trigger is Record is created | Switch the trigger to Record is updated. |
| A field you want is not in the list | The list of testable fields is limited for your account | Choose another field, or contact CrmLeaf support. |
| An update rule never fires when you edit a note | Its conditions look at specific fields, and none of them changed | This is expected. The rule fires when one of its condition fields changes. |
| Editing a custom field did not fire the rule | Custom fields are read after the save | Something else on the record must change in the same save. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use OR?
No. Conditions are all combined with AND. Write one rule per alternative.
Does an update trigger fire on every edit?
Only if the rule has no field conditions. With field conditions it fires when one of those fields changed.
Can the same rule fire twice for one change?
One evaluation is recorded per save. A rule is never re-run for the same record by its own action.
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