Creating an Automation

Build your first automation with the visual editor

Creating an Automation

Mailnaptic's visual automation editor lets you build sophisticated email workflows by dragging and connecting nodes on a canvas. This guide walks you through creating your first automation from scratch.

Starting a new automation

1. Navigate to Automations in the sidebar.
2. Click the Create Automation button.
3. You can start from a blank canvas or choose from one of the pre-made templates. For this guide, select Start from scratch.
4. Give your automation a name (e.g., "Welcome Series") and click Create.

The visual editor

The automation editor is a canvas where you build your workflow by adding and connecting nodes. Each node represents a step in the automation:

• Trigger node — Always the first node. Defines what event starts the automation.
• Send email node — Sends an email to the contact.
• Delay node — Waits a specified amount of time before continuing.
• Condition node — Splits the flow into two paths based on a condition.
• Tag action node — Adds or removes a tag from the contact.

Step 1: Configure the trigger

Click the trigger node on the canvas to configure it. Choose from available trigger types:

• Contact subscribes to list — Fires when a contact is added to a specific list.
• Tag added — Fires when a specific tag is applied to a contact.
• Site event — Fires when a contact performs a tracked action on your website (requires the site tracking snippet).

Select the trigger type and configure its parameters (e.g., which list or which tag).

Step 2: Add steps

Click the + button below the trigger node to add your first step. Choose the step type:

Send email

Select or compose the email to send. You can write the email content directly in the automation editor or select a previously saved email template.

Delay

Set a wait time: minutes, hours, or days. For example, "Wait 2 days" before sending the next email.

Condition

Add an if/else branch. Define the condition (e.g., "Contact has tag X" or "Contact opened previous email") and build separate paths for the yes and no branches.

Tag action

Add or remove a tag. This is useful for tracking progress through the automation or triggering other automations.

Step 3: Connect the flow

Nodes are connected by edges (lines) that define the order of execution. The editor automatically connects new nodes in sequence. You can drag edges to rearrange the flow or create branches from condition nodes.

Step 4: Save and activate

1. Click Save to save your automation as a draft.
2. Review the entire flow to make sure the logic is correct.
3. Toggle the automation to Active to start enrolling contacts.

Important: You need at least one verified sending domain before you can activate an automation that includes email send steps. The activation toggle will be disabled with a hint if no verified domain exists.

Testing your automation

Before activating for your full audience, test the automation by manually enrolling a test contact. Watch the automation run through each step and verify that emails are sent correctly and conditions evaluate as expected.

Tips for building automations

• Keep your first automation simple — a trigger, one or two emails, and a delay between them.
• Use descriptive names for your automation and each step so the flow is easy to understand.
• Add tags at key points to track how far contacts progress through the automation.
• Always test with a real email address before activating.