How to Create Your First HighLevel Automation (Workflow)

Ready to automate something in HighLevel? Here's how to create your first workflow from scratch.

This article is based on a video. Watch the full video here.

Step 1: Navigate to Automations

Go to the Automation tab in your sub-account.

Step 2: Create a New Workflow

Click Create Workflow. You can:

• Start from a template
• Start from scratch

For learning, start from scratch.

Step 3: Name and Organize

Give your workflow a clear name and put it in a folder. Good organization matters when you have dozens of workflows.

Step 4: Add a Trigger

Every workflow needs a trigger — the event that starts it.

Common triggers:

• Form Submitted — Someone fills out a form
• Appointment Booked — Calendar booking
• Tag Added — Contact gets tagged
• Pipeline Stage Changed — Opportunity moves
• Trigger Link Clicked — Someone clicks a link, firing a workflow

Click Add Trigger and configure the parameters (which form, which calendar, etc.).

Step 5: Add Actions

Actions are what happens after the trigger fires.

Common actions:

• Send Email — Automated email
• Send SMS — Text message
• Add Tag — Tag the contact
• Wait — Pause before next action
• If/Else — Branch based on conditions
• Create Task — Assign work to your team

Step 6: Use Merge Fields

Personalize messages with custom values and custom fields using merge fields:

• {{contact.first_name}} — Their first name
• {{appointment.start_time}} — When they booked
• {{contact.email}} — Their email address

HighLevel has merge fields for contacts, appointments, account details, attribution data, and more. See the full merge fields guide for everything available.

Step 7: Save and Publish

• Save — Keeps your work but doesn't activate
• Publish — Makes it live and active

Always test before publishing to real contacts.

Example: Appointment Confirmation

Trigger: Appointment booked on "Sales Call" calendar

Actions:

1. Send Email — Confirmation with appointment details
2. Wait 24 hours
3. Send SMS — Reminder with Zoom link
4. Wait until 1 hour before appointment
5. Send SMS — "See you in 1 hour!"

See Also

• Custom Fields vs Custom Values — Understanding the data types you'll use in workflows
• Trigger Links — One-click automation triggers for lead updates, payments, and reviews
• CloseBot V2 Bot Build — When your workflows need AI-powered conversations with branching logic, qualification, and booking