Contact List Automation Flow

Contact List triggered automation flows run when a contact is added to a specific list. These flows help automate onboarding, welcome messaging, and contact segmentation, ensuring timely and relevant communication based on list membership changes.

By using lists as flow triggers, you can initiate targeted communication the moment a contact is added. This allows for structured onboarding experiences, follow-ups, or tagging contacts based on source or intent.

Here are a few ways you can use the Contact List Trigger automation type:

  • Welcome new contacts – Automatically send an email, SMS, or WhatsApp message when a contact is added to a designated list.

  • Registration follow-ups – Initiate a flow that confirms sign-ups, provides next steps, or shares related resources after event or form registration.

  • Trigger event-based messaging – Send contest confirmations, event registrations, or lead follow-ups when contacts are collected through campaigns.

Note

Contacts can only trigger a list-based automation once. For example, if a contact is added, removed, and then re-added to the same list, the flow will not be triggered again.

Before You Begin

  • Make sure you have at least one contact list created. You’ll need it to configure the trigger. For more details, see the contact lists documentation.


Create a Contact List Automation Flow

Use the steps below to create an automation flow triggered when a contact is added to a specific list. This enables you to build onboarding and engagement flows that respond immediately to new contact additions in your lists.

Step 1: Open the Create Flow Panel

  1. Navigate to Automations > Flows.

  2. Click the + Create Flow button.

Open the Create Flow Panel

Fig. 1. Create Flow Button.

Step 2: Select the Contact List Trigger

  1. Enter a descriptive name for your automation flow (for example, Welcome New Contacts).

  2. In the Select a Trigger window, click Contact List.

  3. Click OK to confirm.

Select the Contact List Trigger

Fig. 2. Select the Contact List Trigger.

Step 3: Edit the Contact List Trigger

To proceed with the automation setup, the Contact List Trigger must be configured. This is a required step before the flow can be activated.

You can edit the Contact List Trigger using one of the following methods:

A. Click the editsymbol icon on the trigger object in the automation flow builder.
B. Click the Edit trigger button.

Edit the Contact List Trigger

Fig. 3. Edit the Contact List Trigger.

Step 4: Configure the Contact List Trigger

In the Edit Contact List Trigger panel, complete the following steps:

  1. Choose a Contact List – Select the contact list that will trigger the flow when a contact enters the list.

  2. (Optional) Add Filters – Refine which contacts trigger the flow using additional conditions:

    • Use All of (AND) or At least one (OR) logic to group multiple conditions.

    • Click + Add Condition / Group.

    • Select a filter, such as Contact Attribute: SMS Subscribed = True.

  3. Click Save to apply the trigger settings and return to the automation flow builder.

Configure the Contact List Trigger

Fig. 4. Configure the Contact List Trigger.

Step 5: Build the Automation Flow

After configuring the Contact List trigger, proceed to build the automation flow using available Actions and Rules in the drag-and-drop interface.

To build your automation flow, you will use two types of components:

  • Actions – Define what should happen (e.g., send a message, update a contact attribute).

  • Rules – Logic-based controls that determine how and when actions are executed (e.g., wait, branch, check conditions).

Start by adding an action. For example, to send a welcome email:

  1. From the Actions panel, select Send Email.

  2. Drag the Send Email object to the + rectangle in the automation flow canvas.

  3. Once placed, a configuration window will appear where you can customize the email content and sender settings.

Repeat this process to add additional messages or logic-based components to tailor the flow to your use case.

Automation Flow Builder

Fig. 5. Automation Flow Builder.

Once you understand the drag-and-drop process, review the available Actions and Rules described in the following sections to configure your automation flow in detail.


Actions in Flow Builder

Actions define what happens when a flow is triggered. These actions allow you to send messages, update contact information, manage lists, or interact with external systems.

The table below outlines each available action, including a description, required inputs, and common usage examples.

Action

Description

Inputs Required

Usage Examples

send_email Send Email

Sends an email to the contact using a predefined template.
Commonly used for automated notifications, confirmations,
or marketing messages.

  • Email Template

  • Verified Domain

  • Sender Address

  • Reply-to Address (optional)

  • Send a welcome email

  • Notify users about order status

  • Send marketing or transactional emails

send_whatsapp Send WhatsApp

Sends a WhatsApp message via the WhatsApp Business API using
a pre-approved template and a configured source number.

  • WhatsApp Template

  • Source Number

  • Order confirmations

  • Customer service follow-ups

  • Feedback requests

send_sms Send SMS

Sends an SMS message using a selected template and campaign.

Supports opt-out footers for compliance.

  • SMS Template

  • Source Number or Sender ID

  • SMS Campaign

  • Unsubscribe Footer

  • Appointment reminders

  • Marketing campaigns

  • Alert and notification messages

remove_from_list Remove from List

Removes a contact from a specified list.

Useful for segmentation and managing opt-outs.

  • Contact List

  • Unsubscribe inactive users

  • Remove contacts after campaign completion

  • Reassign segments

add_to_list Add to List

Adds a contact to a specified list.

Used for managing subscriptions or categorizing contacts.

  • Contact List

  • Add new subscribers

  • Move contacts to active lists

  • Segment leads into categories

update_contact Update Contact

Updates a contact’s attributes such as name,
preferences, or tags to personalize engagement.

  • Contact Attribute

  • Update subscription status

  • Modify user preferences

  • Add tracking metadata

delete_contact Delete Contact

Permanently deletes a contact from the system.

Used for compliance or list cleanup.

  • Contact Identifier

  • Remove inactive or duplicate contacts

  • Comply with data deletion requests

webhook Webhook

Sends structured data to external systems via an HTTP request.

Enables real-time integrations.

  • Webhook URL

  • Headers

  • Payload Body

  • Sync contact data with CRM

  • Trigger third-party processes

  • Log flow activity externally

Rules in Flow Builder

Rules define the logic that controls how and when actions are executed within an automation flow. They are used to introduce delays, evaluate conditions, and create decision branches based on contact data or behavior.

The table below describes the available rules, including what each rule does, the configuration inputs required, and examples of when to use them.

Rule

Description

Inputs Required

Usage Examples

time_delay Time Delay

Pauses the flow for a specified duration before executing
the next step.

Commonly used to introduce delays between automated actions,
ensuring proper message timing.

  • Delay – Duration to pause the flow

  • Time Unit – Seconds, minutes, hours, or days

  • Schedule a follow-up message (e.g., email or SMS)

  • Create wait periods between steps

  • Ensure sequential timing of actions

true_false True/False Branch

Splits the flow into two paths based on whether a condition
is met (True) or not (False).

Enables conditional logic based on contact
attributes or behaviors.

  • Condition – Logical condition to evaluate

  • Check if a contact is SMS subscribed

  • Split flow based on attribute (e.g., email verified)

  • Apply different actions based on behavior

For detailed configuration steps and advanced usage, see the full documentation:

Flow Builder Actions and Rules

View the full guide on how to configure each available automation flow Action and Rule in the Flow Builder.

Flow Builder Actions and Rules

Step 6: Activate the Automation Flow

Once you’ve configured the Contact List trigger and built the flow based on your use case, you’re ready to activate the automation.

Note

  • The Activate button will be disabled if the trigger object has not been configured. To complete this setup, click Edit Trigger or refer to Step 3.

  • After activation, you can pause the automation at any time if you need to make changes or temporarily stop the flow.

Follow these steps to activate the flow:

  1. Click Activate in the top-right corner of the automation flow builder.

Activating the Flow.

Fig. 6. Activating the Flow.

  1. A modal window appears with optional settings you can configure before activating the flow:

Activate Flow Window.

Fig. 7. Activate Flow Window.

In the Activate Flow window, you can configure the following options:

Option

Description

Allow contact re-entry after exit

Allows contacts to re-enter the automation if they meet the trigger conditions again after exiting.

Set up wait time (only visible if re-entry is enabled)

Specifies how long the system should wait before checking if the contact matches the trigger conditions again.

Exit conditions

Defines when a contact should immediately exit the flow. For example, if they are removed from the contact list.

Restart conditions

Forces a contact to restart the flow from the beginning, regardless of their current progress.

Note

To configure Exit Conditions and Restart Conditions, click the Settings button inside the modal. These settings are optional and depend on your flow logic.

Tip

If your flow is based on temporary list membership, consider adding an exit condition like “contact removed from the list” to stop contacts from continuing in the flow after they no longer qualify.

  1. Once you’ve reviewed or configured the optional settings, click Activate to launch the automation.

    The flow status will change from draft to active and will automatically run based on the defined contact list entry criteria.


Edit the Contact List Automation Flow

To update an existing contact list automation flow, use the Flow Builder to access and modify its configuration. Follow the steps below to edit the flow, including its triggers, actions, and other components.

  1. Navigate to Automations > Flows.

  2. Find the flow in the list.

  3. Click the flow name or the action button and select Builder.

Edit the Contact List Automation Flow.

Fig. 8. Edit the Contact List Automation Flow.


Pause an Active Contact List Automation Flow

To temporarily stop an automation from running, you can pause the contact segment automation flow. Follow the steps below to access the Flow Builder and pause the active flow.

  1. Navigate to Automations > Flows.

  2. Find the flow in the list.

  3. Click the flow name or the action button and select Builder.

  4. In the Flow Builder click Pause button to stop the automation flow.

Pausing the Contact List Flow.

Fig. 9. Pausing the Contact List Flow.


Activate Paused Contact List Automation Flow

To resume a previously paused contact segment automation flow, follow the steps below. During activation, you can review and adjust settings such as re-entry rules, wait times, and exit or restart conditions before reactivating the flow.

  1. Navigate to Automations > Flows.

  2. Find the flow in the list.

  3. Click the flow name or the action button and select Builder.

  4. In the Flow Builder, click Activate to reactivate the automation flow.

  5. A modal window appears with optional settings you can configure before activating the flow. These settings control how contacts enter, exit, or restart the automation. Adjust them as needed before proceeding. To learn more about optional settings, see Step 6: Activate the Automation Flow.

Activating a Paused Contact List Flow.

Fig. 10. Activating a Paused Contact List Flow.


Explore Other Automation Flow Trigger Types

contact_segment Contact Segment Trigger

Automate messaging when a contact enters or exits a segment. Ideal for lifecycle marketing, engagement campaigns, and audience-based automation.

Contact Segment Automation Flow
date_attribute Date Attribute Trigger

Run automations based on date-based attributes, such as birthdays, subscription renewals, or appointment reminders.

Date Attribute Automation Flows
event_fired Event Fired Trigger

Trigger workflows based on external events, such as purchases, cart abandonments, or user interactions. Requires event tracking configuration.

Event Fired Automation Flow
webhook_received Webhook Received Trigger

Execute actions when an external system sends a webhook request. Use webhook flows for real-time integrations and automated responses to external events.

Webhook Received Trigger Flows