Start from the automation catalog

Overview#

The catalog is a library of ready-made automations written in plain language: "When an estimate is still open 3 days, text the customer the options link." Installing one makes a switched-off copy for your company, with your teams and task types filled in. You review it, run a test, then turn it on. Most companies start here instead of building automations from scratch.

Before you start#

• Who can browse: every office role (owner, admin, dispatcher, Customer service, accounting and viewer) can open the catalog and the automations list.

• Who can install and switch on: owners and admins only. Other roles see the catalog without Install buttons.

• Texts need your texting number set up (Settings › Phones › Phone Numbers, Call Recording & Texting). Emails need outbound email configured on the server. Without them, those steps are recorded as "not sent" with the reason; nothing is faked.

• Find it under Marketing › Campaign Library in the left menu, or the Catalog tab (or button) on Marketing › Automated Campaigns.

Steps#

Install an automation#

1. Go to Marketing › Campaign Library.

2. Browse by section: Sales, Money, Customers, Reviews, Memberships and Office.

3. On each card, read:

   • The name and a one-line description.

   • The full rule in a shaded box, for example "When an estimate has been open for 3 days … then text the customer …".

   • A Reaches customers badge if it texts or emails customers.

   • How it runs: Asks first (runs wait in Approvals) or Runs automatically once on.

4. Click Install. TradesWork makes a switched-off copy and fills in placeholders such as the role that gets the task and your default task type.

What's in the catalog today:

• Sales: Nudge open estimates after 3 days; Celebrate big sales ($5,000 or more).

• Money: Payment reminder at 7 days past due; Escalate invoices 30 days past due; Thank-you email after payment.

• Customers: Thank-you text after a visit; Call new leads within 15 minutes; Return every voicemail; Follow up on canceled appointments; Win back customers not seen in a year; Welcome email for new customers.

• Reviews: Low rating: manager calls the customer; Tag 5-star customers as promoters.

• Memberships: Renewal reminder 30 days out; Call members two weeks before renewal; Tag new members; Win back expired members.

• Office: Every Monday, chase quotes over 7 days; Send sold jobs to another system (webhook; add the URL before turning it on).

Review, test and turn it on#

1. Go to Marketing › Automated Campaigns. The new automation is in Your automations, marked Off.

2. Click its name. Read What it does.

3. Click the Edit tab to change wording, conditions or who gets the task. Click Save changes.

4. Click Test. It runs on the most recent matching event from the last 30 days without sending or changing anything, and shows "What it would do".

5. Click Turn on. From now on it runs on new events. It runs with the permissions of the person who turned it on.

Use suggestions#

The Suggested for you panel on Automated Campaigns lists automations that match follow-ups your team keeps doing by hand, with how often and examples. Click Install to add it switched off, or Not now to dismiss it. If there are none, it says "No suggestions right now."

See the back-office agents#

The Agents tab (/automations/agents) lists each agent, what it does, and its current mode. It also shows the agents' AI cost for the last 30 days (owners and admins only), and the Office agent and Suggestions, which need no AI. Use AI settings to change modes.

Stop automated emails to one address#

1. On the Agents tab, find Automated email opt-outs.

2. Enter the address in Stop automated emails to and click Add. That address never gets automated email again.

Settings that change this#

• Settings › AI › AI Assistants & Data Preferences: the Automations agent mode. Off pauses all "Ask first" runs.

• Settings › Phones › Escalations & Tasks: task types used by task steps.

• Settings › Phones › Phone Numbers, Call Recording & Texting: the number automated texts come from.

Tips#

• Leave anything that Reaches customers on "Ask first" for a week or two. The automation page tells you when it has 10 or more approved runs and none rejected.

• Pair "Tag 5-star customers as promoters" with a condition on other automations ("Customer tag has promoter").

• Install "Return every voicemail" and "Call new leads within 15 minutes" first. They only create tasks, so there is no risk to customers.

Troubleshooting#

• No Install buttons. Cause: only owners and admins can install. Fix: ask one of them.

• I installed it but nothing happens. Cause: installed automations start Off. Fix: open it and click Turn on.

• Test says nothing would have triggered it. Cause: no matching event in the last 30 days. Fix: wait for a real event, or check the conditions on the Edit tab.

• A text step shows "not sent". Cause: no mobile number on file, the customer opted out, texting isn't set up, or the customer already got a text from this automation in the last day. Fix: open the run to read the exact reason.

FAQ#

Does installing an automation affect past jobs? No. Only events after you turn it on count. Daily checks look back at most 3 days.

Can I install the same template twice? Yes. Each install is a separate automation you can edit.

Can automations loop? No. Changes made by an automation never trigger other automations.

Coming from ServiceTitan#

ServiceTitan's Autopilot Campaigns library and Automated Campaigns live under Marketing. In TradesWork they are Marketing › Campaign Library and Marketing › Automated Campaigns. The difference: every template is a readable rule you can edit, installs switched off, can be tested without sending, and can ask for approval on each run until you trust it. Per-channel campaign performance reports and direct-mail steps aren't available.