Task is done - automation trigger

How to automatically send a contract for signature as soon as all Approval tasks assigned to it are done?

With the help of our in-app automation builder, you can now send a contract for signature automatically as soon a specific set of approval tasks assigned to it are all completed.

Here is a short video tutorial of the needed for the automation setup steps, and a step-by-step guide will follow right after:

How to set up a "Task is done" automation with Contractbook?

Click on Automations tab from the main menu and then on the blue button Create new at the upper right-hand corner.

You will be redirected to a pop-up window where you can customize the automation's setup. In order to specify when the automation shall start, select a Task is done option from the drop-down menu:

This will automatically open a configuration window to the right in which you can define which contract and type of task should start the automation.

How can I configure the trigger event?

The first thing you need to do is to set the trigger event which must occur in order for the automation to be executed. This means that you need to pick which document contains the tasks that should start the automation.

You can assign the trigger to any document, any document drafted from a specific template or only a specific document. For the most efficient automation flow, we recommend that you choose to use Any document drafted from a specific template.

This will allow you to automatically send a contract for signature (only one of the possible actions, but you can freely customize the entire workflow as it best fits you) each time a specific flow of tasks assigned to this selected document are completed:

Depending on the selected from the drop-down list option, you will have the possibility of choosing a different type of file matching the chosen group. 

After you have selected one of the three main options, you can then use the search bar to find the particular contract, draft, or template you want to base the automation flow on by name.

If you have several documents sharing the same name, you can click on the small eye icon and this will directly open the particular document allowing you to review:

After choosing the correct file you can continue with the remaining settings under the same configuration window.

Start with defining which task type should start the automation. You can select one of the following options:

• Any task

• Approval

• Review

• Update

• Inform

• Milestone

• Obligation

• Renewal

• Expiration

• Custom task

Note: You can only mark a task as completed if you are the individual assigned to it. 

Keep in mind that the automation flow will get executed not only if the owner of the document is assigned to the task that eventually gets resolved, but also when any other external assignee completes the task.

Based on the chosen type of task, you can then continue with the customization of when the automation should start.

You can trigger the automation flow either when at least one task from the selected type is completed, or when all tasks from this type that can be found in the document are done.

In the example we are showcasing, all approval tasks added to the selected document must be done in order for the contract to be automatically sent for signature:

Once you have customized the trigger event, you can confirm by clicking on Save and the next step in the automation setup will be displayed.

How can I delete the trigger in the Automation Builder? 

At the very bottom of each trigger configuration window, you have the option to delete only this specific trigger and not the complete automation:

How can I configure the action event?

This adjustment step is covering the action that the automation trigger you have just defined will generate.

You can use the search bar to locate the option which suits your own use case. For the use of our guidance, we will select Send for signature:

A new configuration window will appear on the right side of the screen. Here you will be able to customize the properties of the contract which will be automatically sent for signature once the automation run.

The first detail in the action step of the automation configuration is the Document ID of the template which will be used to execute the automation. It will be automatically fetched and available under the respective required field under the Send for signature window:

You will then be allowed to select the option of auto-signing the contract before sending it for signature:

Note: If you want the contract to be automatically signed on your behalf before sending it for signatures to the remaining Signees, you need to be either the first Signee in the required sequence or there should not be a specific signing order selected for the contract at all.

In case the signing order is set to random, you then need to be present on the Signees list but do not necessarily have to be the first one supposed to sign the contract.

Once you have everything done, click on Save to confirm the configuration of the Task is done automation and then Publish in the upper right-hand corner.

How can I delete action in the Automation Builder?

At the very bottom of each action configuration window, you have the option to delete only this specific action and not the complete automation:

How can I rename the automation?

You can always rename the automation and all of its individual configuration steps as you find fit by clicking on the small pen icon next to the generic title in the upper left-hand corner. In the example we are working with, we will call it "Approval workflow for the Consultant Agreement":

How can I make changes to published automation?

Note: If at one point you need to make any changes to the already published automation flow, remember to unpublish it first, then make the needed configuration edits and click again on Publish to put the flow into practice and save all the changes. You can control that by turning the Status toggle bar on or off: 

How can I use the Activity feed of my automation?

If you click on the three grey dots next to the status toggle bar, you will be able to open, rename, duplicate, delete or see the activity feed of the automation. Remember that the automation must be active (published) in order for the activities to be available to you.

The Activity overview enables you full traceability of the automation's usage and flow:

In the activity sidebar, you will be able to see all the details of when the automation was used and the steps which were taken before it was triggered. Just click on the small arrow next to the date and time to expand the details:

In addition, you will always be notified in-app in the Notifications at the top navigation bar, as soon as any of your automation flows has been executed:

Note: You can adjust the email and in-app notifications under Profile Settings for your account.

How can I test "Task is done" automation?

For the test to be performed, you can just add yourself and any additional party as a signee, then first save the chosen in the automation configuration template as a new draft, and assign the selected type of tasks to yourself from the task sidebar. This way you can mark the tasks as done from your own profile without having to leave it for the purposes of running the test.

For our example in this article, we will use a combination of three different Approval tasks assigned to the same document.

Remember to choose Me and others as the signature method at the top of the draft. You will then be able to test the functionality of automatically sending a contract for signature when the task you configured is done.

Note: Remember to save the changes in the draft before marking any of the tasks as completed and going back to your profile to check if the automation workflow runs successfully.

As soon as you have checked all the tasks as completed, go back to your documents overview and check the notifications under your account. The status of the automation will be listed there as either successful or failed.

How can I fix a failed automation? 

In case the automation has failed, you can access the detailed view by clicking on the failed notification in the list under your profile notifications:

In this view, you can identify the reason for the failure by expanding the failure to run details. You can then use the information found here to change the Task is done automation back from the configuration settings:

In the case above, we need to go back to the action event in the automation configuration and select the correct corresponding to our selection Document ID.

Note: In order to be able to perform the automation action step of Sending the contract for signature, there must be at least one extra Signee added in the required signature sequence in addition to yourself.

The additional contract Signees you have identified will also be the users to whom the contract will be sent, once the trigger event has occurred and the automation has run.

How can I check the automation runs successfully?

In case your automation flow has run successfully, you can then open the new Pending contract created from the template you have defined in the automation flow. The contract should be automatically sent for signature to the chosen by you Signees with the exact same properties as the ones you have chosen under the configuration of your automation.

Depending on your customization, it will either be already signed by you or not. In our case, we have selected the option of signing the contract on our behalf before sending it further:

Now that you have tested the automation workflow, you are ready to start using it actively and save time by automating exclusive workflows based on completed tasks assigned to a document. With our in-app automation builder, you ensure that you always meet that deadline.

Note: In-app automated workflows are available for users on Foundation plan.

If you still need additional information or assistance, reach out to us at any time via our Online Support Chat or by sending us an email.