Getting Started with Workflows

Workflows allow you to chain together a series of actions, which can be triggered by various user actions, such as completing a form. You can also trigger sequences manually or schedule them to run in the future.

In this article, we’ll guide you through some of what you can do with sequences, using examples you can adapt for your school. These examples each showcase a different trigger and action combination.

Ways you can use Workflows:

For all Workflows, you follow the same basic steps:

In Campus Cloud, click Manage, then click Workflows. A Workflow is a collection of sequences. See Create a Workflow.
Then you add a Sequence. This represents a trigger plus one or more actions. See Create a Sequence.
Set a title and (optional) description for your Sequence.
Select a Trigger: the condition that causes your sequence to run. For example, a student filling out a form with specific input could trigger a relevant action.
Select an Action: one or more outcomes that happen in response to a trigger.
Click Publish.
The final step is to activate your sequence. In Manage Workflows, click “...” next to your sequence name, and choose to "activate." Only when your sequence is activated will the trigger/actions occur.

Note: You need certain access and permissions to use the features mentioned in these examples. For more information, see Access & Permissions.

Schedule actions at key points throughout the academic year

Using Workflows, you can easily set up messages to be pushed or posted leading up to important moments, such as deadlines, campus events, or exams. You can pre-program your Community with posts at the beginning of the semester, and they will display according to your schedule. You can also compose messages to be sent as push notifications on specified date(s).

Example: Schedule a post about cleaning out your dorm so it's posted in the Student Feed just before move-out day.

Trigger: Scheduled
Action: Post in Community

You will need to select which channel to post the message. You can create a new channel for your message, or use any channel that already exists in Community. See: Create a Channel (Public or Private).

You will also need to select a host (an organization or service) that will appear as the author of your message. This host must be a member of the channel where you post your message. See: Add a Host to a Channel.

Example: Schedule a push notification reminding students about tutoring, so it's sent out two weeks before mid-term exams.

Trigger: Scheduled
Action: Send Notification

You will need to choose a specific audience (list of students) to which you want to send the notification. You can create a new audience for your notifications or use an existing one. See: Create a Custom Audience or Create a Dynamic Audience.

NOTE: You can also schedule notifications using the Notify tab in Campus Cloud. This is the preferred method if you have a push notification that needs to go out to "everyone" who uses you app, rather than a specific audience.

Direct-link students to campus content

Example: Post a link to a form collecting information about housing needs for next semester.

Trigger: Manual
Action: Post in Community

Within Workflows, you can attach campus content (Forms and Resources) to a post.

You will need to select the channel in which your message will be posted. You can create a new channel for your message, or use any channel that already exists in Community. See: Create a Channel (Public or Private).

You will also need to select a host (an organization or service) that will appear as the author of your message. This host must be a member of the channel where you post your message. See: Add a Host to a Channel.

Example: Send a push notification to first-year students that opens a Resource about an upcoming majors fair.

Trigger: Manual
Action: Send Notification

Using the "Send Notification" action, you can link campus content (Forms and Resources) directly to the push notification students receive. When the student reads your message on their phone, they need only tap the push notification and it will deep-link to the associated content, opening directly within their Campus App.

You will need to choose a specific audience (list of students) to which you want to send the notification. You can create a new audience for your notifications or use an existing one. See: Create a Custom Audience or Create a Dynamic Audience.

NOTE: Currently, the ability to link campus content to a push notification is not available when sending to "Everyone." If you want to message all app users, you can work with our Support team to create a dynamic audience that represents current, active students.

Send a personalized notification to students who complete a form

One of the most valuable features of Campus Cloud is Forms -- allowing you to send a series of questions to students and collect their responses.

Workflows expand the capabilities of Forms, allowing you to automatically take action based on which result the student landed on, at the conclusion of the Form. For example, if your form has 3 possible results (A, B, and C), you can trigger an action when a user receives result A.

Example: Send a push notification about student employment opportunities to all students who responded that they did not have plans for earning money while attending college next semester.

Trigger: Form Completion
Action: Send Notification

You will need to select an existing Form or Resource. See: Create a Resource and Create a Form. Note that it's possible to use forms related to Campus Pass; this will not affect the behavior of any Campus Pass.

NOTE: Currently, the ability to trigger push notifications based on form submissions is not available when sending to "Everyone." If you want to message all app users, you can work with our Support team to create a dynamic audience that represents current, active students.

The notifications can be customized with token fields for {{user_name}} and {{form_name}}. This is a good way to make the notification feel personalized and relevant.

Figure 1. Message Editor

Create a message to instantly appear in response to a post or comment when certain keywords are included

Auto-Responses are used to pair a keyword set with a pre-written message that appears instantly in response to a post or comment that uses any keyword from the set.

Example: Auto-display a message linking to the IT Help Desk whenever a student mentions "internet connection" or "wifi" in a post or comment.

Trigger: Keyword Mention in Community
Action: Display Auto-Response

Learn how to create and evaluate an Auto-Response sequence for your Community.

Access & Permissions

Workflows is part of the Interventions+ solution. If you do not see "Workflows" as an option under "Manage" please reach out to your Customer Success Consultant, or submit a request, to learn how we can enable this for you.

Permissions:

To use workflows, you must have the Workflow permission in Campus Cloud.
To create or modify an Audience, you must have the Audiences permission in Campus Cloud.
To create or modify a Form, you must have the Contact Trace Forms permission in Campus Cloud.

For more information, see Team Settings.