> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gosendwhale.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build a SendWhale Automation Workflow: Step-by-Step Guide

> Configure triggers, conditions, delays, and email actions in the SendWhale workflow builder to create a fully validated automation ready to activate.

The workflow builder guides you through assembling every piece of an automation before it goes live. Work through each step below to produce a complete, validated workflow ready for activation.

<Note>
  All steps must be complete and validated before you can activate an automation. The builder highlights any incomplete or misconfigured steps during validation.
</Note>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Automations and create a new workflow">
    Open **Automations** from the workspace sidebar and click **New Automation**. This opens a blank canvas in the workflow builder.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name your automation">
    Enter a clear, descriptive name for the automation. The name appears in your automations list and in execution logs, so choose something you will recognise at a glance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a trigger">
    Select the event that starts contact enrollment. Common options include **Contact joins audience** and **Date-based** triggers. Open the trigger selector to see every trigger available on your plan and configure any required settings (such as which audience to watch).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add conditions (optional)">
    Insert one or more condition nodes after the trigger to filter which contacts proceed. Conditions evaluate contact attributes or prior behavior and branch the workflow accordingly — contacts who do not match a condition exit or follow an alternative path.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a delay (optional)">
    Insert a **Wait** step to pause the workflow for a defined period before the next action. Specify the delay in minutes, hours, or days. Use delays to space out messages or wait until a meaningful moment (e.g., two days after sign-up).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a Send Email action">
    Insert a **Send Email** action node. Choose an existing email template from your library or create a new one inline. Confirm the template covers the message you want to send at this point in the workflow.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the sender name and sender email">
    Within the Send Email action, specify the **sender name** and **sender email address** contacts will see in their inbox. Use a verified sender address to avoid delivery issues.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Continue adding steps">
    Keep building by adding further delays, conditions, and actions as your workflow requires. You can chain as many steps as needed — for example, a follow-up email three days later, a tag applied on click, or a field update at the end of the sequence.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the workflow in the builder">
    Scroll through every node on the canvas and confirm each step has all required values filled in. Look for any node showing a warning indicator, which signals missing or invalid configuration.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run validation">
    Click **Validate** (or the equivalent builder action) to run a full check of the workflow. The builder highlights any incomplete steps in place. Resolve each flagged issue before proceeding to activation.
  </Step>
</Steps>


## Related topics

- [SendWhale Automation Logs: Monitor Execution and Errors](/automations/logs.md)
- [Activate, Pause, and Resume Automations in SendWhale](/automations/activate.md)
- [How SendWhale handles a signup form submission step by step](/forms/subscription-flow.md)
- [SendWhale Automations Overview: Triggers, Actions, Flows](/automations/overview.md)
- [Sign in to your SendWhale account — email or Google](/accounts/sign-in.md)


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.