Create approval tasks automatically
To build automations that apply to all company contracts or utilize templates from shared template spaces, you must have user permissions to “Manage all contracts” enabled for your account, be the creator, or have shared “Manage templates” permissions in the specific source template space.
Configure the automation trigger
The first thing you need to do is set the trigger event for the automation to execute.
Click the Automations tab from the main navigation menu on the left side of the screen.
Click the blue Create new button in the top right corner of the page.
Select Contract is signed from the trigger drop-down menu.
Choose the Every contract drafted from a specific template option for the most efficient automation flow.
Search for and select the specific template you want to use. You can click the eye icon next to the template name to directly review it and ensure it is the correct version you want to use.
Select Final signature from the signature execution drop-down list to assign the new approval task only after the last signature in the contract is completed, or choose Every signature to start the automated flow every time a contract signee completes their signature.
Click the blue Save button to confirm and complete your settings for the signed contract that must start the automatic approval task creation.
Configure the action event
This step covers what will happen automatically when the action settings you add in the previous step occur.
Click the Add action button located below your saved trigger.
Search for and select Request approval from the drop-down options.
Note that the Document ID is automatically fetched from your selected template and populated by default at the top of this configuration window.
Type a clear task name in the Task title field and add detailed instructions in the Task description field. You can combine text input and dynamic variables, such as data fields, document signees’ or ownership details from your chosen trigger document.
Leave the Block the document from signing until the task is marked as done option disabled, as this automation flow is based on an already signed contract (for the example we configure).
If you use a contract draft status when creating your own automation trigger, you can enable this checkbox to ensure you block the draft from signatures until the task you configured is completed.
Type the email addresses to invite users in the Assignees and Followers fields, or select any dynamic contact variable associated with a signee or the document owner on a contract level to fetch stakeholder details automatically.
If you select the Signee type of a variable in the Assignees or Followers fields of the task setup, you can then pick the number of their signature in a set signing sequence on the contract.
Configure task due dates and alerts
Select the Manual or based on automation variable option from the due date type drop-down menu to base the deadline on a specific date data field in the contract (e.g., a "Start date"), or choose Based on execution time.
Click the Add alert button to configure additional task reminders. You can set the alert date type based on the task's due date or another automation variable, and add multiple notifications if needed.
Click the blue Save button to confirm your action setup.
Publish and test the automation
Before relying on the automation for your company workflows and external contracts, you should activate and test the published approval automation to ensure it runs correctly.
Click the Automation name field in the upper left corner to rename the workflow (e.g., "Approval automation - Employment contract").
Click the blue Publish button in the top right corner to activate the workflow.
Test the flow by saving the targeted template as a new draft, setting yourself as the only signee, and completing the signature process.
Check the Notifications bell icon at the top navigation bar to confirm if the automation ran successfully.
Review the generated task by locating the signed contract in your documents overview. You will see the automatically assigned approval task in the right-hand task sidebar in the opened document.
Frequently asked questions
How can I fix a failed automation?
If your workflow fails, click on the failed notification in the list under your profile notifications. Expand the failure to run details to identify the reason. Return to the automation builder, turn the Status toggle off to unpublish it, edit the settings, and republish the flow. If you cannot resolve the configuration error, please contact our Support team for assistance.
How can I make changes to a published automation?
If you need to make any changes to your automation flow, remember to turn the Status toggle to off to unpublish it first. Make your necessary edits, and then click Publish again to put the updated flow into practice.
How can I delete a trigger or an action?
At the bottom of each trigger or action configuration window, you have the option to delete only that specific step and not the complete automation. Click the trash can icon at the bottom of the module to remove it.
Pro-tip: You can always use any signee or document ownership variable when adding variables to the title, description, assignees, or followers of your new automated tasks. This ensures the task automatically retrieves essential details directly from the associated signee information, streamlining your internal processes.
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