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Workflow Automation

Workflow Automation in Dispatch allows you to automate repetitive tasks based on events, reducing manual work and ensuring consistent operations.

Overview​

What are Workflows?​

Workflows are automated actions triggered by events:

  • When an event occurs (trigger)
  • The system performs an action (response)
  • Without manual intervention

Benefits​

Automation provides:

  • Reduced manual work
  • Consistent processes
  • Faster response times
  • Fewer errors

Workflow Components​

Triggers​

Triggers are events that start a workflow:

  • Order created
  • Shipment status changed
  • Delivery completed
  • Exception occurred

Actions​

Actions are what happens when triggered:

  • Send notification
  • Update status
  • Create task
  • Call external system

Trigger Types​

Order Triggers​

Events related to orders:

  • Order Created - New order received
  • Order Updated - Order details changed
  • Order Status Changed - Status transition
  • Order Cancelled - Order cancellation

Shipment Triggers​

Events related to shipments:

  • Shipment Created - New shipment generated
  • Shipment Collected - Picked up by carrier
  • Shipment In Transit - Moving through network
  • Shipment Out for Delivery - On delivery vehicle
  • Shipment Delivered - Successfully delivered
  • Shipment Exception - Problem occurred

Customer Triggers​

Events related to customers:

  • Customer Created - New customer added
  • Customer Updated - Customer details changed

Available Actions​

Notifications​

Send alerts when triggered:

  • Email notifications
  • Push notifications
  • SMS (if configured)

System Updates​

Update data automatically:

  • Change status
  • Add notes
  • Update fields

External Calls​

Integrate with other systems:

  • Webhook calls
  • API requests
  • Update platforms

Creating Workflows​

Step-by-Step Setup​

Create a workflow:

  1. Go to Settings > Workflows
  2. Click "Create Workflow"
  3. Select entity type (Order, Shipment, etc.)
  4. Choose trigger event
  5. Configure action
  6. Name the workflow
  7. Enable and save

Workflow Configuration​

Configure your workflow:

Trigger Settings​

  • Specific conditions to match
  • Status filters
  • Additional criteria

Action Settings​

  • What action to perform
  • Recipients (for notifications)
  • Message content
  • External URLs

Example Workflow​

Notify customer when shipment delivered:

  1. Entity: Shipment
  2. Trigger: Status changed to "Delivered"
  3. Action: Send email
  4. Recipient: Customer email
  5. Message: Delivery confirmation

Managing Workflows​

Viewing Workflows​

See all configured workflows:

  1. Go to Settings > Workflows
  2. View list of workflows
  3. See status and configuration

Workflow Status​

Workflows can be:

  • Active - Running and processing
  • Paused - Temporarily disabled
  • Inactive - Disabled

Editing Workflows​

Modify existing workflows:

  1. Click on workflow
  2. Make changes
  3. Save

Toggling Workflows​

Enable/disable quickly:

  1. Find workflow
  2. Click toggle
  3. Status changes immediately

Deleting Workflows​

Remove workflows:

  1. Open workflow
  2. Click "Delete"
  3. Confirm removal

Workflow Execution​

How Execution Works​

When a trigger fires:

  1. Event occurs in system
  2. Workflow engine detects trigger
  3. Conditions evaluated
  4. Action executed
  5. Result logged

Execution Logging​

View workflow history:

  • When executed
  • Trigger details
  • Action result
  • Any errors

Resume Workflow​

If a workflow stalls:

  1. View workflow status
  2. Identify issue
  3. Use resume function
  4. Workflow continues

Managed Workflows​

System Workflows​

Some workflows are pre-configured:

  • Essential system operations
  • Platform integrations
  • Default notifications

Viewing Managed Workflows​

See managed workflows:

  1. Go to Workflows
  2. Filter by "Managed"
  3. View but cannot delete

Conditional Workflows​

Adding Conditions​

Make workflows more specific:

  • Only for certain customers
  • Only for specific carriers
  • Only for certain regions

Condition Types​

Available conditions:

  • Status matches
  • Customer is X
  • Carrier is Y
  • Value exceeds Z

Best Practices​

Design​

  1. Keep simple - One purpose per workflow
  2. Clear naming - Descriptive names
  3. Document purpose - Notes on why
  4. Test thoroughly - Verify before live

Operations​

  1. Monitor execution - Watch for errors
  2. Review regularly - Workflows still needed?
  3. Update as needed - Adjust to changes
  4. Clean up - Remove unused

Performance​

  1. Avoid loops - Don't trigger cycles
  2. Limit volume - Be mindful of frequency
  3. External calls - Handle failures gracefully
  4. Prioritize - Critical workflows first

Troubleshooting​

Workflow Not Triggering​

Check:

  • Workflow is enabled
  • Trigger conditions match
  • Event is actually occurring
  • No errors in logs

Action Not Completing​

Check:

  • Action configuration correct
  • External services available
  • Permissions adequate
  • Error messages

Debugging​

Use logs to debug:

  1. View workflow execution history
  2. Check trigger details
  3. Review action results
  4. Identify failure point