What are workflows, and how do I request a change to one?

Workflows are the automated actions that run behind the scenes in each GovPilot module, such as sending a confirmation email when an application is submitted or notifying a department when a record is approved. Our team builds and maintains them for you. Any system administrator can view the workflows configured for a module. This article explains how workflows work, where to see them, and what to include when you ask us to change one.

How a workflow works

Every workflow has a trigger and one or more actions. When the trigger happens, the actions run on their own. No staff action is needed.

There are two kinds of triggers:

Field change. The workflow runs when a specific field on a record changes to a specific value and the record is saved. For example, when the Status field changes to "Approved," the applicant receives an approval email. This is the most common type and covers most automated emails.
Scheduled check. The workflow runs based on a date, such as 30 days before an expiration date or on the day a deadline passes. These checks run automatically on a set schedule, usually nightly, and apply to every record that meets the date condition. Renewal reminders, payment due notices, and overdue alerts use this type.

The actions a workflow can take include:

Send an email using one of your module's letter templates, to the applicant, specific staff, a department, or any email address
Update a field on the record, such as stamping a date or setting a status
Assign a serial number, such as a permit or reference number, usually on initial submission so the applicant receives it in their confirmation email
Send an in-app notification to selected users or titles, which appears on their My Tasks page
Send a text message to a phone number on the record, where your municipality has text messaging set up

A single workflow can have several actions that all run together.

Things to know

Each module has its own workflows. A change to one module does not affect any other module.
A field change workflow only runs when the record is saved. If you change a status and then close the record without saving, nothing is sent.
Workflows do not calculate fees or late fees. Fee logic is set up separately. If a fee is not calculating correctly, reach out to our support team with the module name, which fee should apply, and a screenshot of the record.
Once a workflow is built, its trigger field cannot be changed. If you need a workflow to run on a different field, we create a new workflow for you.

View the workflows on a module

Go to Account Settings and click Module Configuration.
Select the module from the left panel.
Click the Workflows tab. Each workflow is listed by name.
Click a workflow name to read its description. This tells you what triggers it and what it does.

[Screenshot needed: Module Configuration with the Workflows tab open and a workflow description panel showing]

This view is read-only. You can see what is configured, but changes are made by our team.

Request a new workflow or a change

Reach out to our support team and include:

The module name
The workflow name as it appears in the Workflows tab, if you are asking for a change
What the workflow does now and what it should do instead, such as a different recipient, a different trigger status, or new wording in the email
For a new workflow, what should trigger it and what should happen when it runs
A record number where we can see an example, if the request is about a specific case

✅ Pro Tip: If you only need to add or remove a person from a notification that goes to a title, you can often do that yourself under Account Settings, User Role Management, Title Management. Click the workflow name in the Workflows tab to see whether the notification goes to a title or to a fixed email address.

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