> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.slant.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Automate repetitive tasks with triggers, actions, and conditions.

Automations run tasks for you when something happens in Slant — a new client is created, a meeting is scheduled, a birthday is approaching, or any other event you define.

Each automation has two parts: a **trigger** (the event that starts it) and one or more **actions** (what happens next). You build automations visually on a canvas, connecting triggers to actions in the order you want them to run.

## What you can automate

Automations work across the records you manage every day:

* **Households** — tag clients, add notes, send emails or texts, enroll in [sequences](/platform/sequences/overview), start [projects](/activity/projects/overview), create [opportunities](/activity/opportunities/overview), and more when a household is created, tagged, or promoted
* **Tasks** — react when tasks are created or completed
* **Meetings** — trigger workflows when meetings are scheduled or completed, or set up reminders before upcoming meetings
* **Opportunities** — respond when opportunities are created or move between pipeline stages
* **Reminders** — send birthday wishes, prepare for annual reviews, follow up on touchpoints, or act on any custom date field

## Triggers

A trigger defines when an automation runs. Slant offers 17 trigger types across five categories:

* **Record events** — household created, tag added, prospect promoted, task created/completed, meeting scheduled/completed, opportunity created/stage moved
* **Reminders** — birthday, client review, client anniversary, touchpoint, custom date, and meeting reminders with configurable lead times
* **Email** — run an automation when an email is received
* **Magic buttons** — add a custom button to household or meeting records that runs the automation on demand

See [Triggers](/platform/automations/triggers) for the full reference.

## Actions

Actions are the steps your automation performs. Slant offers actions in six categories:

* **Household** — add/remove tags, add notes or comments, send emails or SMS, create opportunities, start projects, enroll in or remove from sequences, update household fields, promote prospects to clients
* **Task** — create tasks with configurable due dates, priority, and assignees
* **Opportunity** — move opportunities between pipeline stages, add comments
* **AI** — categorize records, filter based on criteria, draft emails, research topics, and parse emails or meetings to create new contacts
* **Flow** — add wait steps, create conditional branches that route records down different paths
* **System** — send internal notifications, trigger confetti celebrations for your team

See [Actions](/platform/automations/actions) for the full reference.

## Conditions and branches

You can add filter conditions to triggers so automations only run for records that match specific criteria — for example, only clients in a certain tier or only tasks with a specific label.

[Branch](/platform/automations/actions#branch) actions let you split an automation into conditional paths. Each branch has its own set of conditions, and a default branch handles records that don't match any other path.

## Magic buttons

[Magic buttons](/platform/automations/magic-buttons) are a special trigger type that adds a custom button directly to household or meeting records. When someone on your team clicks the button, the automation runs immediately for that record. This is useful for on-demand workflows like requesting a review or kicking off a client onboarding process.

## Run history

Every automation tracks its run history, including success rates, durations, and individual action results. Use the [run history](/platform/automations/run-history) tab to monitor performance, diagnose failures, and stop running automations.

## Dynamic content

Actions that send emails, SMS, or add notes support dynamic variables using the `{{placeholder}}` format. Variables pull data from the triggering record — for example, `{{person.preferred_name}}` inserts the contact's preferred name. Available variables depend on the trigger type and any previous actions in the automation.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How many automations can I create?">
    There is no limit on the number of automations you can create per book.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I pause an automation without deleting it?">
    Yes. Toggle the **Active** switch off on the automations list page or in the automation editor. The automation keeps its configuration but stops running until you re-enable it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if an automation action fails?">
    The run is marked as failed and no further actions execute. You can view the failure details in the [run history](/platform/automations/run-history) tab to diagnose the issue.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can multiple automations run on the same record?">
    Yes. If multiple automations have triggers that match the same event, they all run independently.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can one automation run in multiple books?">
    Yes. Company admins can share an automation with specific books or apply it company-wide. See [Share an automation across books](/platform/automations/building-automations#share-an-automation-across-books).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Build your first automation" icon="hammer" href="/platform/automations/building-automations">
    Step-by-step guide to creating an automation from scratch.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Triggers reference" icon="zap" href="/platform/automations/triggers">
    See every trigger type and its configuration options.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Actions reference" icon="play" href="/platform/automations/actions">
    See every action type and its configuration options.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>