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Custom Automations

Learn how you can make custom automations work for your business 🔍

Kevin Buenconsejo avatar
Written by Kevin Buenconsejo
Updated this week

Trail’s Custom Automations allow you to automatically trigger actions when an opportunity moves into a specific Pipeline Stage — including your custom stages. This helps standardise workflows across your entire business and ensures nothing is missed as opportunities progress.

Quick Summary

Custom Automations allow Trail to:

  • Run actions when an opportunity enters a specific pipeline stage

  • Automatically create activities or send emails

  • Apply automations across all pipelines and users in your organisation

  • Keep everyone aligned with the same business process
    ​

⚠️ Important: Custom Automations require Business Admin access.

Access Requirements

To use Custom Automations:

  • Business Admin access must be enabled

A blue arrow will appear at the top of your Pipeline once access is granted

If you feel as though you should have access to Custom Automations but do not, please email us at support@gettrail.com 👍 To enable business admin access for any account, we will also need written confirmation from your business' director.

What are Custom Automations?

Custom Automations are actions that automatically run when an opportunity lands in a specific Pipeline Stage.

In simple terms:

  • You move an opportunity through your pipeline

  • Trail detects the stage change

  • Trail automatically performs the actions you’ve set (e.g. create a task or send an email)

These automations:

  • Apply to all pipelines

  • Affect all users in your organisation

  • Ensure consistency across your business workflow

What Types of Custom Automations Can You Create?

Trail currently supports two powerful automation types:

1. Custom Activities

  • Automatically create activities (tasks, calls, follow-ups)

  • Uses your organisation’s Activity Types

2. Custom Emails

💡 You can trigger one or both actions at the same pipeline stage.

How to Create Custom Automations

Here's how you can get started:


​Step 1: Open Pipeline Settings

  1. Go to your Pipeline

Click the blue arrow at the top of the pipeline

👉 This opens the revamped Pipeline Settings

Step 2: Select the Pipeline

  1. Use the dropdown to select the Pipeline you want to edit

  2. All changes will apply to this selected pipeline

Step 3: Confirm the Fact Find Automation

  • At the top of Pipeline Settings, ensure the default automation for completed Fact Finds is set

  • This controls where opportunities move after a client submits their Fact Find

  • This automation is separate from Custom Automations but should be reviewed first

Step 4: Create a New Custom Automation

  1. Scroll to the bottom left

Click Create Automation

Step 5: Configure the Automation

You’ll now define what triggers the automation and what happens next:

  1. Select the Pipeline Stage
    ​

    • This stage acts as the trigger

    • The automation runs as soon as an opportunity enters this stage
      ​

  2. Choose the Action Type
    ​

    • Email

    • Activity
      ​

  3. Select the Template or Activity Type
    ​

    • Emails must use a shared Organisation Email Template

    • Activities must use an Organisation Activity Type
      ​

Click Save

Step 6: Review Your Automation

  • Your newly created automation will appear in the Custom Automations list at the bottom of Pipeline Settings

  • This confirms it is active and ready to run

Can I Create Multiple Actions per Automation?

✅ Yes

You can create multiple actions per stage 👍 This means that if you set up both an email and an activity to be triggered once an opportunity lands in a stage, then both of these will run as soon as the opportunity is moved.

Just click Add New Action here:

Can I Turn Automations Off Without Deleting Them?

✅ Yes

You can temporarily disable automations without removing them completely.

This is useful when:

  • Staff are on leave

  • Your business pauses over holidays

  • You want to stop automations briefly
    ​

How to disable an automation:

  1. Find the automation in the list

Click the toggle/off button next to it

You can turn it back on anytime with one click 👍

Best Practice Tips💡

  • Start with one pipeline and test before rolling out widely

  • Use clear pipeline stage names so automations are easy to understand

  • Keep email templates professional and generic since they apply across the business

  • Review automations regularly as workflows evolve

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