How to create an automation workflow in Zoho Bigin in just 5 minutes

1. Introduction

In Zoho Bigin, "Automation Workflow" is a powerful tool that helps automate business processes. Once set up, it significantly reduces the need for manual execution of actions within Zoho Bigin.

For example, sales staff may sometimes forget to respond to customers who send messages to the company’s Fanpage. In such cases, you can create an automation workflow rule to automatically send an email notification when someone interacts with the Fanpage, while also scheduling a reminder email for staff to contact the customer.

Setting up automation workflows in Zoho Bigin saves time on routine processes such as regular email follow-ups, task assignments, and updating record stages, significantly improving your business workflow.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you create an automation workflow in Zoho Bigin.

2. Starting and naming the workflow

Log in to Zoho Bigin → navigate to Settings > Automation > Workflows → click New Workflow to begin.

A window will appear asking you to name and describe the workflow. For example, you can name it "BENOCODE Sample."
You can also select the relevant module to process in Zoho Bigin. For this example, the default module is Sales Pipeline.

3. Creating a trigger

The next step is to create a trigger, a crucial part of setting up the workflow. The trigger acts as the starting point for the automation process.

In the "On a Record Action" tab, you can configure triggers as follows:

• Created: Activates the workflow when a new deal is created.
• Edited: Activates the workflow when a deal's details are edited.
• Created or Edited: Activates the workflow when a deal is created or edited.

For this example, select Created.

In the "On a Date/Time" tab, you can set detailed timings for when the rule should activate, including specific dates and times. You can also set recurrence options like Every Month, Every Year, or Never.
Note: This tab is only available in the premium Zoho Bigin plans (Premier or higher).

Click Next to proceed after configuring the trigger.

4. Adding conditions

The next step is to add specific conditions to apply to the workflow beyond the initial trigger.

• Choosing "All Deals" applies the workflow without additional conditions—any triggered action will execute immediately.
• Alternatively, you can set conditions based on predefined criteria such as company name, contact name, or creation date.

For example, selecting Amount = 1,000,000 means the workflow will only apply to deals valued at over 1,000,000. Up to five criteria can be added per workflow. Use the + button to add or the – button to remove criteria.

Click Done once you've added all necessary conditions.

5. Configuring actions

This is the final step in creating an automation workflow with Zoho Bigin. You can set up the following immediate actions:

• Send Email: Automatically send emails to users, customers, or any specified address. For instance, send a thank-you email when a deal is completed.
• Update Field: Automatically change a record field’s value, such as updating the deal status to "Closed Won" upon completion.
• Assign Owner: Assign a record to a specific employee or group, e.g., assigning new deals to sales staff based on region.
• Create Task: Create a task related to the current record and assign it to a team member, such as "Call customer back" after receiving a consultation request.

You can also schedule actions by navigating to the "Scheduled Action" tab → inputting the desired number of hours, days, or minutes after the workflow is triggered to execute the action. Note: Scheduling actions is only available in the premium plans of Zoho Bigin (Premier or higher).

Review the information carefully, then click Save to complete the setup.

6. Conclusion

With its flexible and efficient automation capabilities, workflows in Zoho Bigin not only simplify task management but also ensure consistency in executing business standards.

While the setup process is straightforward, repeated practice will help you master it and minimize errors when configuring automation workflows in Zoho Bigin.