Overview 

Prerequisites 

1. You must have at least one Writer merge template (origin template) to configure and initiate the workflows.
   
2. The data source has to be configured in the origin merge template.
   

Steps

Step 1: Setting up the origin template

1. Import or create a new merge template to be used as the origin template to start your automation.
   
2. Connect a data source to the template from the Left Panel.
   
3. Pick an appropriate option from under When to Merge.
   
4. Under the Merge Output Settings on the Automate pane, select the Set up Advanced Merge option to open the Automation Flow Designer.
   

Step 2: Configuring the workflow using the automation flow builder

1. The flow designer will open with default cards (the trigger from Zoho Writer and Merge & Store cards with the origin template details).
   
2. If the prefilled Merge & Store card is not needed, you can replace it with another card (like merge and email) as per your business workflow.
   
3. Drag and drop the necessary cards from the right panel, connect them using links, and build your automation workflow.
   
4. You can set up logic (conditions) to filter or route data to appropriate templates or workflow paths by inserting filter or route cards.
   
5. Use the action cards to specify the type of operation you wish to perform once a document is generated.
   
   
   
6. On each card that you insert, select the data to merge, click Map Fields to associate the template fields with fields from the data source, complete the other relevant settings, and click Done.

Step 3: Save automation flow and run merge 

1. Once you're done, click Save and close the flow designer. In the Merge Output Settings panel (Step 5 in Configure Template) of the origin template, Set up Advanced Automation will now be selected.
   
2. Hit Run Merge. Whenever the merge process starts, the automation is triggered, and the configured cards execute sequentially. You can view the automation status using the View Log option under Finish, on the left panel.
   

Limitations

1. You can insert only up to 30 cards in the advanced automation flow designer.
   
2. Advanced document automation is not supported for Zoho WorkDrive individual accounts.
   

Related Articles 

1. What is the difference between simple and advanced automation?
   
2. What are the various document operations that you can perform using advanced automation builder?
   
3. Filters vs routing - the difference explained
   
4. What are the different components of the advanced automation builder?
   
5. How to create a merge template
   
6. Connecting a merge template to a data source
   
7. Limitations of Zoho Writer's advanced automation builder cards