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This comprehensive reference guide covers all available triggers in Elementum’s automation system. Each trigger includes configuration details, practical examples, and common use cases to help you build effective event-driven automations.
Looking to understand automation concepts? Start with the Automation System guide to learn about event-driven automation and AI integration.

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Record Triggers

Record triggers respond to changes in your data, forming the foundation of most automation workflows.
Purpose: Trigger when new records are added to your system.How it works: Fires immediately when a new record is created in any app, element, or task, providing access to all field data from the new record.Configuration:
  • Keep data consistent: Optional checkbox to lock user interaction during automation execution
  • Add Changed Condition: Filter which record creations should trigger the automation
  • Where conditions: Set criteria like field values, user who created the record, or other attributes
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Record is Created
Where: Customer Type = "Enterprise"
AND Created By contains "sales"
Common Use Cases:
  • Customer Onboarding: Welcome new customers with account setup, documentation, and team assignments
  • Lead Processing: Qualify and route new leads based on source, value, or characteristics
  • Project Initialization: Create project templates, assign teams, and set up tracking when new projects are added
  • Compliance Logging: Document new record creation for audit trails and regulatory requirements
  • Notification Workflows: Alert stakeholders when critical records are created
Variables Available:
  • All field values from the new record
Example Automation:
New Customer Created → AI Classification (customer tier) → Create Record (project setup) → Make Assignment (account manager) → Send Email Notification (welcome)
Purpose: Trigger when existing records are modified.How it works: Fires when record field values change, with options to specify which field changes should trigger the automation.Configuration:
  • Keep data consistent: Lock user interaction during execution
  • Add Changed Condition: Specify which fields trigger the automation when changed
  • Changed Fields: Select specific fields to monitor (e.g., Status, Priority, Assigned User)
  • Where conditions: Additional criteria that must be met for the trigger to fire
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Record is Updated
Changed Fields: Status, Priority Level
Where: Record Type = "Support Ticket"
Common Use Cases:
  • Status Change Workflows: Route records through approval processes when status changes
  • Escalation Management: Alert managers when priority levels increase
  • Progress Tracking: Update related records when project milestones are reached
  • Notification Cascades: Inform stakeholders when critical fields are modified
  • Data Synchronization: Update external systems when key fields change
Variables Available:
  • All field values from the updated record
Example Automation:
Support Ticket Updated (Status changed to "Escalated") → Search Users (find manager) → Send Message to Teams → Update Record Fields (escalation timestamp)
Purpose: Trigger when approval workflow statuses change.How it works: Monitors approval processes and fires when status transitions occur (Created, Step Approved, Cancelled, Denied, Final Approval).Configuration:
  • Approval Process: Select which approval process to monitor
  • Status: Choose specific status changes to trigger on:
    • Created: When approval process begins
    • Step Approved: When individual approval steps complete
    • Cancelled: When approval process is cancelled
    • Denied: When approval is rejected
    • Final Approval: When all approvals are complete
  • Where conditions: Additional filtering based on approval details
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Approval Process Status Updated
Approval Process: Purchase Order Approval
Status: Final Approval
Where: Amount > $10,000
Common Use Cases:
  • Post-Approval Processing: Execute purchase orders, contracts, or projects after final approval
  • Rejection Handling: Route denied requests back to originators with feedback
  • Escalation Management: Alert higher authorities when approvals are delayed
  • Compliance Documentation: Log approval decisions for audit trails
  • Workflow Continuation: Trigger next phase of business processes after approval
Variables Available:
  • trigger.status: New approval status
  • All field values from the record being approved
Example Automation:
Purchase Order Approved → Send API Request (to procurement system) → Update Record Fields (order status) → Send Email Notification (to requestor)
Purpose: Trigger when AI agent conversations complete.How it works: Fires when agent interactions finish, providing access to conversation transcripts and metadata for further processing.Configuration:
  • Conversation Type: Filter by conversation channel:
    • Teams: Microsoft Teams conversations
    • Voice: Phone call conversations
  • Timeout Duration: Set how long to wait after conversation inactivity before considering it ended
  • Changed Fields: Monitor specific fields that may change during conversations
  • Where conditions: Filter based on conversation attributes or outcomes
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Agent Conversation Ended
Conversation Type: Voice
Timeout Duration: 2 minutes
Where: Call Duration > 5 minutes
Common Use Cases:
  • Call Analytics: Analyze phone conversations for sentiment, keywords, and outcomes
  • Follow-up Automation: Schedule follow-up tasks based on conversation content
  • CRM Updates: Update customer records with conversation summaries and next steps
  • Quality Assurance: Route conversations for review based on specific criteria
  • Agent Performance: Capture workflow statistics and grade agent performance
  • Reporting: Generate conversation reports and performance metrics
Variables Available:
  • trigger.Conversation Type - Channel (Teams, Voice, etc.)
  • trigger.transcript - Full conversation transcript
  • All field values from the record the conversation was added to
Example Automation:
Phone Call Ended → AI Summarization (conversation highlights) → Update Record Fields (call notes, agent score) → Generate Report (performance metrics) → IF sentiment = negative → Make Assignment (senior support)

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Communication Triggers

Communication triggers respond to messaging and collaboration activities.
Purpose: Trigger when comments are posted to records.How it works: Fires when team members add comments to records, with filtering options for conversation types and content.Configuration:
  • Conversation Type: Filter by comment channel:
    • Public Channel: Standard record comments
    • Other conversation types as configured
  • Changed Fields: Monitor fields that may change with comments
  • Where conditions: Filter based on comment content, author, or record attributes
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Comment Added
Conversation Type: Public Channel
Where: Comment contains "@escalate"
Common Use Cases:
  • Keyword Monitoring: React to specific keywords or mentions in comments
  • Escalation Triggers: Automatically escalate when certain phrases are used
  • Notification Routing: Alert specific team members based on comment content
  • Documentation: Log important comments for audit trails
  • Workflow Advancement: Move processes forward based on comment approvals
Variables Available:
  • trigger.Message: Full comment content
  • trigger.Author: User who posted the comment
  • All field values from the record the comment was added to
Example Automation:
Comment Added (contains "approved") → Update Record Fields (status = approved) → Send Email Notification (to stakeholders)
Purpose: Trigger when emails are received at configured addresses.How it works: Monitors dedicated email addresses and fires when new emails arrive, providing access to email content, attachments, and sender information.Configuration:
  • Email Address: Configure or create new email addresses to monitor
  • Create New Email: Generate dedicated email addresses for specific automations
  • Email Format: Typically follows pattern like testing@elementum.elementum.io
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Email Received
Email Address: support@yourcompany.elementum.io
Common Use Cases:
  • Support Ticket Creation: Convert emails into support tickets automatically
  • Lead Capture: Process inquiry emails into lead records
  • Invoice Processing: Handle vendor invoices sent via email
  • Document Processing: Process emailed documents and attachments
  • Customer Communication: Route customer emails to appropriate teams
Variables Available:
  • trigger.email_id - Unique email identifier
  • trigger.sender_email - Email address of sender
  • trigger.sender_name - Name of sender (if available)
  • trigger.subject - Email subject line
  • trigger.body - Email content (text and HTML)
  • trigger.attachments - Array of attached files
  • trigger.timestamp - When email was received
Example Automation:
Email Received → Search Records (find customer by email) → Create Record (support ticket) → AI Classification (priority) → Make Assignment (appropriate team)

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File Triggers

File triggers respond to document uploads and attachments.
Purpose: Trigger when files are uploaded to records.How it works: Fires when attachments are added to any record, providing access to file content and metadata for processing. This trigger fires regardless of how the attachment was added to the record.Configuration:
  • No specific configuration required: This trigger automatically monitors all file uploads
  • Add Changed Condition: Filter based on file type or record attributes
  • Where conditions: Specify criteria for which attachments should trigger the automation
File Size Limit: The system supports attachments up to 250MB per file.
How Attachments Get Added:This trigger fires when attachments are added through any of these methods:
  • Manual Upload: Users adding attachments directly in the record layout
  • Email Received: Email attachments automatically added when creating records via email
  • External API: Third-party systems adding attachments via Elementum API endpoints
  • Automation Actions: Save Attachment action or Send API Request action downloading files
  • File Fields: When files are added to specific File Field types on records (note: File Fields are distinct from the attachments block)
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Attachment is Added
Where: File Type = "PDF"
AND Record Type = "Contract"
Common Use Cases:
  • Document Processing: Extract data from uploaded contracts, invoices, or reports
  • File Validation: Check file formats or content before processing
  • Compliance Scanning: Scan documents for sensitive information or compliance issues
  • Workflow Initiation: Start approval processes when key documents are uploaded
  • Data Extraction: Pull information from documents into record fields
Variables Available:
  • trigger.Name: Original filename
  • trigger.Description: Attachment description
  • trigger.Media Type: File extension/format (e.g., “PDF”, “DOCX”, “PNG”)
  • trigger.URL: File URL for access
  • trigger.Size: Size of uploaded file
  • All field values from the record the file was attached to
Example Automation:
PDF Attached → AI File Analysis (extract contract terms) → Update Record Fields (contract details) → Start Approval Process

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Scheduled Triggers

Scheduled triggers execute automations based on time or external data events.
Purpose: Trigger when external data collection processes complete.How it works: Fires when data mining operations finish, providing access to newly collected data for processing and analysis.Configuration:
  • Select a Data Mine: Choose which data mining process to monitor
  • Trigger Options:
    • Trigger when data meets requirement: Fire when specific data conditions are met
    • Trigger when data no longer meets requirement: Fire when conditions are no longer satisfied
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Data Mine
Data Mine: Customer Satisfaction Survey Results
Trigger when: Average Score < 3.0
Common Use Cases:
  • Data Processing: Process newly collected external data
  • Alert Systems: Alert teams when data thresholds are crossed
  • Report Generation: Create reports from fresh data collections
  • Integration Workflows: Sync external data with internal systems
  • Quality Monitoring: Monitor data quality and completeness
Variables Available:
  • All the fields from the record the data mine was triggered for
Example Automation:
Customer Data Collected → Transform Data with AI (standardize) → Update Record Fields → Generate Report (data quality summary)
Purpose: Trigger when survey responses are submitted.How it works: Fires when survey forms are completed, providing access to response data for analysis and follow-up actions.Configuration:
  • Survey: Select which survey to monitor for responses
  • Add Changed Condition: Filter responses based on specific criteria
  • Changed Fields: Monitor specific survey fields
  • Where conditions: Set criteria for which responses trigger the automation
Example Configuration:
Trigger: Survey
Survey: Customer Satisfaction Survey
Where: Overall Rating <= 2
Common Use Cases:
  • Response Processing: Analyze and categorize survey responses
  • Follow-up Actions: Trigger follow-up based on response content
  • Alert Systems: Alert teams to negative feedback or critical responses
  • Data Analysis: Process survey data for reporting and insights
  • Customer Service: Route dissatisfied customers to support teams
Variables Available:
  • All the fields from the survey response
  • All the fields from the record the survey was added to
Example Automation:
Low Survey Score → Search Records (find customer) → Create Record (follow-up task) → Make Assignment (customer success team)

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Advanced Triggers

Advanced triggers provide specialized functionality for complex workflows.
Purpose: Create custom triggers with configurable inputs and outputs.How it works: Allows creation of reusable automation components that can be triggered manually or by other automations with custom parameters.Configuration:
  • Configure Inputs: Define input parameters that can be passed to the automation
    • Input Name: Descriptive name for the parameter
    • Field Type: Data type (Text, Number, Date, etc.)
    • Default Value: Optional default value
    • Required: Whether the input is mandatory
    • Multiple: Whether multiple values are allowed
Example Configuration:
Trigger: On-Demand
Inputs:
  - Customer ID (Text, Required)
  - Priority Level (Text, Default: "Normal")
  - Due Date (Date, Required)
Common Use Cases:
  • Reusable Workflows: Create automation templates that can be used across multiple processes
  • Manual Processing: Allow users to trigger specific workflows with custom parameters
  • Integration Points: Create endpoints for external systems to trigger automations
  • Batch Operations: Process multiple items with consistent logic
  • Custom Business Logic: Implement specialized workflows that require input parameters
Variables Available:
  • All configured input parameters as variables
Example Automation:
On-Demand Trigger (Customer Onboarding) → Create Record (project) → Make Assignment (account manager) → Generate Report (welcome packet)
Automations can also be started from record details using automation buttons. Admins add buttons to the layout that run a chosen automation when the user clicks; required inputs are collected via a form. See Automation Buttons for setup and behavior.

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Quick Trigger Categories

Record Events

Record Created, Updated, Approval Status

Communication

Comment Added, Email Received

File Operations

Attachment Added

Scheduled Events

Time-Based, Data Mine, Survey

Agent Interactions

Agent Conversation Ended

Custom Triggers

On-Demand Trigger

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Choosing the Right Trigger

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Event-Driven vs. Scheduled

Use Event-Driven Triggers When:
  • You need immediate response to system changes
  • Processing should happen as data changes
  • Real-time notifications are required
  • Workflow advancement depends on user actions
Use Scheduled Triggers When:
  • Processing can happen in batches
  • Regular maintenance tasks are needed
  • Reports should be generated periodically
  • Reminders need to be sent at specific times

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Single vs. Multiple Triggers

Single Trigger Automations:
  • Focused, specific responses to events
  • Easier to debug and maintain
  • Clear cause-and-effect relationships
Multiple Trigger Automations:
  • Consolidated logic for similar events
  • Reduced automation sprawl
  • Shared processing for related triggers

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Configuration Best Practices

1

Be Specific with Conditions

Use “Where” conditions to filter triggers precisely, avoiding unnecessary automation executions
2

Consider Performance Impact

Avoid overly broad triggers that fire frequently without adding value
3

Plan for Scale

Design triggers that will work efficiently as your data volume grows
4

Test Thoroughly

Verify triggers fire under expected conditions and don’t fire when they shouldn’t

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Trigger Not Firing

Check:
  • Automation is published (not in draft mode)
  • Trigger conditions are correctly configured
  • “Where” conditions are not too restrictive
  • Field names match exactly (case-sensitive)
Check:
  • Test data meets all trigger conditions
  • Required fields have values
  • Data types match expected formats
  • User permissions allow trigger execution
Check:
  • Scheduled triggers have correct time zones
  • Time-based conditions use appropriate date formats
  • System maintenance windows don’t conflict

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Unexpected Trigger Behavior

Solutions:
  • Add more specific “Where” conditions
  • Use “Changed Fields” to limit update triggers
  • Consider consolidating similar triggers
  • Implement rate limiting where appropriate
Solutions:
  • Verify all conditions are necessary
  • Check for conflicting conditions
  • Test with simplified trigger configuration
  • Review automation execution history
Ready to build automations with these triggers? Visit the Automation System guide for complete workflow examples and the Actions Reference for available actions.