What's workflow rules for emails and why do I need it?

• Automated Follow-ups: With workflow rules, you can set up automated follow-up emails based on specific triggers. For example, you can create a rule that sends a follow-up email to a lead if they haven't responded to your initial email within a certain timeframe.
  
• Lead Nurturing: Workflow rules enable you to nurture leads by sending targeted emails at different stages of the sales funnel. For example, you can automatically send a welcome email to new leads or a series of educational emails to nurture them through the sales process.
  
• Task Assignments: You can use workflow rules to assign tasks related to emails automatically. For instance, when a new lead is added, a workflow rule can create a task for a sales representative to follow up with an introductory email.
• Data Updates: Workflow rules can be used to update data in your CRM based on email interactions. For example, if a lead clicks on a link in an email, you can automatically update their status or tag them with a specific label.
  
• Notification Alerts: Set up rules to receive notifications or alerts when certain email-related events occur. This can be useful for staying informed about critical email interactions or responses from leads and customers.
  
• Segmentation and Targeting: Use workflow rules to automatically segment your contacts based on their email interactions. This segmentation can help you target specific groups with tailored email campaigns.
  
• Efficiency and Consistency: Automation through workflow rules ensures that certain tasks are consistently performed without manual intervention. This helps in maintaining efficiency and frees up time for your team to focus on more strategic activities.

How do I automate different email templates based on the fields selected? 

To create Email Templates:

1. Navigate to Setup() > Customization > Templates > Email.
   
2. Click Add Template, then select the desired module.
   
3. Choose a suitable template from the gallery, or create one from scratch.

See Also>>

 

Creating Email Templates

To add an email template to a workflow rule:

1. Navigate to Setup() > Automation > Workflow Rules > Add Create Rule.
   
2. Provide the necessary details and click Next.
   
3. Choose the desired option under WHEN to execute the rule trigger.
   
4. In Conditions, choose Leads matching certain criteria, then select the fields accordingly.
   
5. Choose Email Notification from Instant Action for immediate action, or choose Scheduled Action to execute the rule at a set time.
   
6. Select the template that matches the field chosen above.
   
7. Click Associate, then click Save.

You can also create separate workflow for each of the created templates, then map them to the workflow rules. After configuring workflow rules with email templates, the system sends dynamic emails when the trigger and the conditions match.

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Can I create a case for the Contact every time I receive an email?   

1. Choose the execution condition as When an Email is Received.
   
2. Choose Contacts as the module to apply the rule to.
   
3. Choose email field conditions, if required.
   
4. Choose Function as an Instant Action.
   
5. Create a new function for the Contacts module.
   
6. Copy and paste the following code to the Deluge editor:
   mp=map();
   mp.put("Status", "New");
   mp.put("Case_Origin", "Email");
   mp.put("Subject", "New email received");
   mp.put("Related_To", id);
   createcase=zoho.crm.createRecord("Cases", mp);
   info createcase;
   
   
7. Click Edit Arguments and name the argument 'id'. Mark the Contact ID field for the argument and save the changes.
   

How can I track the last time an email was sent to or received from my records?

Read more about configuring workflow rule.

Can I create a workflow rule to send an automatic follow-up emails if a response is not received?

1. Log in to Zoho CRM and access your CRM account.
   
2. Navigate to Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules > Create New Workflow Rule.
   
3. Choose a [Module], such as; Leads Contacts, from the drop-down, then write the Rule Name and Description, if required.
   
4. Click Next.
   
5. On the Workflow Setup page, select the rule execution time from the drop-down.
   
6. Set the criteria in Condition . You can choose between specific records or all the records from your module.
   
7. After making your selections, click Next.
   
8. Choose Email Notification as an Instant Action.
   
9. In the Email Notification dialogue box, click Create Email Notification.
   
10. Write the Rule Name and select the "To" address whom you want to send the email notification to. You can add additional recipients, if needed.
    
11. Choose the recipients for the mass email. Tick the checkbox to include all intended recipients in it.
    

By following these steps, you can easily set up a workflow rule in Zoho CRM for automated follow-up emails

Can workflow for emails be configured for modules other than Leads or Contacts?

Can workflow rule for email be made active for specific users?

Read more about specifying conditions.

Do I need IMAP integration for configuring workflows for email?  

What actions can be triggered based on the status of an email?

1. Task Creation: Automate the creation of tasks in response to specific email triggers, ensuring swift task assignment and management.
   
2. Field Updates: Emails can automatically trigger updates in CRM fields, maintaining real-time accuracy and relevance of data.
   
3. User Notifications: Implement automated notifications to alert relevant users or teams based on email content or criteria, ensuring timely attention to critical information.
   
4. Custom Function Execution: Utilize email triggers to execute custom functions, enabling tailored actions or complex operations in response to specific email inputs.
   
5. Webhook Triggers: Automation through email can activate webhooks, facilitating seamless communication between your CRM and external systems or applications for enhanced integration and data exchange.
   

The following actions are available for Leads, Contacts, and Related modules, as well as for other cases:

1. Assign Owner: When a specific condition is met (e.g., email status is "X"), you can automatically assign a new owner to the lead, contact, or related module.
   
2. Execute Circuit: This action can be a custom function or script that you've developed using Zoho's Deluge scripting language. It can involve complex logic or integrations with other systems. 

1. Create Record: Automatically create a new record in Zoho CRM or another connected application when a specific email status is detected.
   
2. Functions: Perform custom functions or operations within Zoho Flow, such as data manipulation, calculations, or conditional logic.
   
3. Webhooks: Trigger a webhook to communicate with external systems or services. This can be used to integrate Zoho CRM with third-party applications or perform specific actions on other platforms.
   

1. Create Record: In cases where the email status doesn't match any predefined criteria, you can create a new record in Zoho CRM or another connected system.
   
2. Functions: Apply custom functions or scripts to handle unknown scenarios. This might involve additional checks or conditional logic to determine the appropriate course of action.
   
3. Webhooks: Use webhooks to communicate with external systems or services when the email status is unknown. This can help in integrating with other tools or platforms to gather more information or take specific actions.
   

Read more about instant actions.

What is the purpose of creating workflows for email?

1. Notification Triggers for Unanswered Emails: Automate user notifications when an email remains unanswered within a specified timeframe, ensuring timely follow-ups and preventing communication gaps.
   
2. Dynamic Field Updates Linked to Email Status: Utilize email status changes to update specific fields within the CRM modules automatically, ensuring that data accurately reflects the email's status or progress.
   
3. Automated Task Assignment Based on Email Subject: Enable automatic task creation for representatives by parsing email subjects, streamlining workload distribution and task management based on email content.
   
4. Alert Generation for Bounced Emails: Set up automated notifications for system administrators or relevant users when an email bounces, prompting investigation and resolution of delivery issues.
   
5. Ticket Creation Based on Sent Emails: Automate the creation of support or service tickets based on outbound emails, ensuring that client queries or issues are systematically documented and addressed within the CRM.

Read more about creating workflow rules for emails.

How do I send an email automatically when a lead is created?

To do this:

1. Navigate to Setup > Customization > Templates > Email.
   
2. Click Add New Template.
   
3. Select the module to create the email template for from the dropdown list, then click Next to open the Template Gallery page.
   
4. Design a template from scratch or choose a predesigned template and click Save.

To set up the workflow rule:

1. Navigate to Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules.
   
2. Click Create Rule.
   
3. Select the Leads module in the Create New Rule pop-up and enter the rule name and description.
   
4. Select On a record action for When do you want to execute this rule?, then click Create.
   
5. Specify All Leads as the Condition.
   
6. Choose Email Notification under Instant Action.
   
7. Select the email template and click Associate.
   
8. Click Save.
   

What are the different conditions that can be applied within email workflow rules?

1. Conditions Based on Email Fields: These conditions revolve around specific email attributes. For instance, you can set conditions based on email elements such as attachment name, CC, sender, recipient, presence of attachments, or subject. For example, you might create rules triggered by specific attachment names or sender email addresses.
   Additionally, you have the flexibility to choose whether the rule should activate when 'all' or 'any' of the specified conditions are met.

1. Conditions Based on Modules: Module-based conditions involve selecting the context in which the rule is to be applied, offering options like Leads, Contacts, Unknown, or Custom modules. Selecting the 'unknown' module is crucial when the sender is new to your CRM account. However, it mandates setting conditions based on email fields. For example, rules could be established to trigger specific actions when an email from an unknown sender is directed to the CEO's email address, ensuring necessary follow-up or processing.
   

Read more about the workflow for emails here.

How can I automate notifications for inactive records in my CRM, such as leads that remain in a specific state for an extended duration? 

1.  Navigate to Settings > Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules.
   
2. Click Create Rule.
   
3. In the Create New Rule window, select Record action, choose Field Update, and specify the Lead Status field.
   

4. Choose All Records in the Which section.
   

5. Add a scheduled action to execute 14 days after the Rule Trigger Time.
   

6. Associate a custom function, allowing the configuration of the automated email as demonstrated in the provided image.

Note: Upon configuring this rule, any change in the Lead Status field will initiate an automated email 14 days from the modification date (rule trigger time). Notably, the criteria input.status != "Qualified" ensures that the escalation email won't be triggered once a lead reaches the Qualified status. Excluding the Qualified status ensures the rule applies solely to records that linger in other states for over 14 days, such as 'Not Contacted' or 'Junk,' preventing unnecessary notifications for already qualified leads.

How many emails can be sent per day using workflow alerts?

What methods are available to automate email dispatch?  

Can I create a single email address that can serve both the business and its customers, ensuring that when I update the business email, the associated customer emails also change automatically?