Overview
Automated email and SMS sending helps you save time, standardize your communications, and reduce oversights. In ProgressionLIVE, you can trigger emails or SMS messages based on a task's status, a delay, or specific data contained in your tasks.
Key benefits and use cases
Accelerate document delivery (invoice, work order, attachments) without manual intervention
Improve customer communication (en route notifications, appointment reminders, site preparation)
Strengthen internal coordination (approvals, reminders, key milestones)
Reduce errors and oversights with reliable, repeatable triggers
Note: New as of March 20, 2024 — new triggers allow sending emails after a delay following a status change or based on task data.
Note: New as of August 20, 2023 — dynamic variables added to email and SMS templates (with a default value if a field is empty).
Configuring an automated email or SMS
Essential steps to create an automated send
1) Create (or choose) an automation
Open the automation module in ProgressionLIVE.
Choose an existing automation from the automation store, or create a new one.
Select the Email channel (or SMS if you want to send a text message).
2) Choose the trigger
You can trigger an email or SMS in several ways, depending on your needs.
Trigger after a delay following a status change
Examples:
24 hours after a task moves to the "Completed" status, send an email to the customer
1 week after a quote is still in the "Quote – Sent to Customer" status, follow up with the customer
48 hours after a task is "Awaiting Validation," send a reminder to the manager
Pro tip: Use this trigger type for follow-ups, internal reminders, and post-work check-ins.
Trigger based on a date/time in the task
Examples:
Send an email 24 hours before a task's appointment
Send an email 15 minutes before the appointment time to the assigned human resource
Important: Make sure the appointment date/time is filled in on the task. Otherwise, plan a fallback behavior (see "dynamic variables" below).
3) Write the content with dynamic variables
Dynamic variables allow you to automatically personalize your messages with information from:
Tasks
Customers
Locations
Human resources
What this enables:
Dynamic values: insert fields (e.g., customer name, appointment date, address, task number)
Empty fields: define a default value if information is missing
Formatting: use bold/italic/underline to highlight key information
Pro tip: To avoid a "broken" message, set a default value for critical fields (e.g., "Time to be confirmed" if the appointment time is empty).
4) Define recipients and activate the automation
Choose who to send the email to (customer, assigned human resource, manager, etc.).
Test your scenario with a real case (or an internal test task).
Activate the automation once the output looks correct.
Important: If you automatically send an invoice or work order as soon as work is completed, make sure the content is final. Once the email is sent, you cannot "undo" the send.
Concrete examples and best practices to avoid pitfalls
Automating invoice or work order delivery at job completion
Is this for you?
If you're losing time sending invoices manually or rewriting each email, this scenario is a big time-saver.
Use case
Mario repairs a sink. He adds the parts, enters his time, completes the task, and has the customer sign. While he's leaving, the invoice (or work order) is already in the customer's inbox.
Best practices
Validation before sending: trigger the send at a subsequent step if an admin needs to review first
Immediate send: only use this if your teams always finalize the content before closing the task
Notifying employees at important milestones
Is this for you?
If your coordination relies on a coordinator (or "information chasing"), automate internal alerts.
Use case
Stéphanie submits a quote for internal approval. Serge receives an email letting him know he needs to approve it before it's sent to the customer.
Best practices
Target only what's truly important to avoid overwhelming everyone with notifications
Be explicit: explain why the email is being sent and what the next step is
Be creative: inform, share key information, or even celebrate a project completion
Note: If your employees rarely check emails on the road, replicate the same concept via SMS.
Notifying customers that you're on your way
Is this for you?
If your customers constantly ask "when are you arriving?", this scenario reduces friction and improves the experience.
Use case
Mario completes a task, opens the next one, and changes the status to "En Route." The customer receives an email letting them know the technician is on the way.
Best practices
Avoid overly precise promises (e.g., "in 10 minutes") if you can't guarantee them
For work done without the customer present: send progress notifications at each key step
Sending documents and information about upcoming work
Is this for you?
Ideal if the customer needs to fill out a form (waiver), prepare the site, or receive plans/documents.
Use case
Patrick schedules a task involving heavy machinery. When it is added to the schedule, an email is automatically sent with the waiver and instructions.
Best practices
Document required in the task: make sure the attachment is added before the trigger status is reached
Attachment size: verify that your documents stay within standard email size limits
Formats: you can send Excel files, photos, PDFs, etc. (and even examples of past work)
FAQ
Can I send an email after a status change, but with a delay?
Yes. You can trigger a send after a delay following a status change (e.g., 24 hours after "Completed").
Can I send an email based on a date/time in the task?
Yes. You can trigger a send before an appointment (e.g., 24 hours before) or just before it (e.g., 15 minutes before).
How do I personalize my emails with customer or task information?
Use dynamic variables to automatically insert fields from tasks, customers, locations, or human resources.
What happens if a dynamic variable is empty?
You can set a default value to keep the email coherent even if data is missing.
Should I automatically send the invoice as soon as the work is completed?
It depends on your process. If validation is required, trigger the send at a subsequent step. If the send is immediate, make sure the content is final before completing the task.