Automations overview: Triggers, actions, and builder features

Automations let you build subscriber journeys that run automatically based on behavior, events, or data. Each automation starts with a trigger (the event that enrolls a subscriber) and continues with a sequence of actions that send emails, update data, introduce delays, or route subscribers down different paths.

This article explains the building blocks of beehiiv automations: what triggers and actions are available, how branches work, and what builder tools are available to help you build and manage workflows. For a step-by-step walkthrough of creating an automation from scratch, see How to create automation workflows for your subscribers.

Every automation begins with at least one trigger. Triggers define which subscribers enter the workflow and when. 

• Triggers are set at the start of the workflow and cannot be added later in the flow.
• You can add up to three triggers per automation/workflow. 
• Each trigger can have optional conditions applied. 
• Multiple triggers create an OR relationship, where a subscriber only needs to meet one trigger to enter.

Triggers are grouped into the following categories. Click on a category to view its triggers.

Signed up
Triggers when a new user signs up and adds them to the automation.
When to use this trigger: Good for welcome flows that should only run for brand-new subscribers at the moment they join.
Tech Note: Subscribers added via an import are not captured by the Signed up trigger by default. To enroll imported subscribers, use the Manual trigger or add them during the import process.
Email submitted

Triggers when a subscriber submits their email through any — or a specific — subscribe form. Unlike Signed up, this trigger can enroll existing subscribers as well as new ones when re-entry is enabled.

When to use this trigger: Use this when you want to trigger an automation anytime a form is submitted, even if the subscriber already exists.

Survey submitted

Triggers when a subscriber submits any survey or a specific beehiiv survey.

When to use this trigger: When you want to follow up based on survey responses, such as segmentation, onboarding, or personalized recommendations.

Poll submitted

Triggers when a subscriber submits a poll response.

When to use this trigger: Use this to react to quick engagement signals, like sending tailored content based on poll choices.

Referral action

Triggers when a subscriber reaches a referral count or hits a referral milestone.

When to use this trigger: Use this to reward advocates, unlock perks, or send milestone-based messaging. See Using the Referral Action trigger for setup details.

Segment action

Triggers when a subscriber enters or exits a segment. Optional conditions can be added to further refine enrollment.

When to use this trigger: Use this when you want automations driven by dynamic audience behavior or attributes, like engagement level or subscription status.

Upgraded

Triggers when a subscriber purchases a paid subscription.

When to use this trigger: Use this for paid onboarding, welcome messages, or access-related follow-ups.

Downgraded

Triggers when a subscriber cancels a paid subscription but remains subscribed to the free tier.

When to use this trigger: Use this for retention flows, win-back messaging, or downgrade feedback requests.

Product purchased

Triggers when a subscriber buys a digital product

When to use this trigger: Use this to add subscribers to an automation based on a specific product or multiple products.

Added by API

Triggers when subscribers are added via the API.

When to use this trigger: Use this when subscriber enrollment happens outside of beehiiv, such as from external tools or integrations.

Manual
Used to manually enroll subscribers from a selected segment into an automation. The Manual trigger also supports linking a native subscribe form block in the Website Builder directly to an automation, so that new and existing subscribers who submit that form are automatically enrolled.
When to use this trigger: Use this for one-time campaigns or controlled rollouts where you decide exactly who enters the automation, or when you want a specific subscribe form on a custom page or landing page to feed directly into a workflow.
Tech Note: The subscribe form linking feature applies to native subscribe form blocks in the Website Builder only. Embedded subscribe forms are not supported.
Unengaged

Triggers when a subscriber hasn't opened or clicked an email for a specified period of time.

Note: The Unengaged trigger runs once daily at 6:00 AM UTC and does not begin enrolling subscribers immediately upon being published.

When to use this trigger: Use this for re-engagement campaigns or list hygiene workflows to protect deliverability.

Actions are the steps that make up your workflow after a trigger fires. To add an action, click the + icon on the canvas to open the action list.

When you add an action, the Properties panel opens on the right, where you configure its settings. After the automation is published, you can switch to the Activity panel to see which subscribers are waiting at or have completed each step.

Actions are grouped into the following categories. Click each category to view its available options.

Send email
The Send email action sends an email to subscribers when they reach the step. Click Create email in the action panel to select a template and draft the message using the post editor. Once the automation is live, performance stats appear on the action card and in the activity panel.

You can also enable A/B testing on any Send email step. Toggle on A/B test to create up to 3 variants alongside your original.
• Variant B and others start as a copy of your original email, simply adjust the subject line, preview text, content, or layout as needed.
• You control the traffic split between variants (up top 4 total).
• Subscribers are randomly assigned a variant when they reach that step.
• Performance data for each variant flows into your exisitng email metrics.
• See the FAQs below for more on A/B testing in automations.
  
  
  

Update subscription
Automatically updates a subscriber's status, custom fields, or tags when they reach this step. Click Add conditions to apply more specific rules for when the update should occur. See Using the Update Subscription action for full details.

Send webhook
Sends a payload to an external URL when a subscriber reaches this step. Useful for syncing data with CRMs, analytics platforms, or other tools. 

Click Add conditions to apply more specific rules for when the update should occur. See How to use webhooks in automations for full details.

Time delay
Pauses the workflow for a set amount of time (minutes, hours, or days) before moving to the next step.

Wait until
Pauses the workflow until a specific day and time. Unlike Time delay, this ensures the next step runs at an exact scheduled time regardless of when the subscriber entered. See Using the Wait until action in a workflow for full details.

True/false branch
Splits subscribers into two paths based on conditions you define. Subscribers who meet the conditions follow the True path; all others follow the False path. See Using branches in a workflow for full details.

Multi-split branch
Splits subscribers into up to 5 parallel paths based on conditions, evaluated in order, where the first matching path wins. An ‘All Others’ fallback path ensures every subscriber is routed somewhere.
Random cohort branch

Randomly distributes subscribers across 2-5 paths based on percentages you set. Percentages must add up to 100%. Useful for A/B testing flows, gradual rollouts, and holdout groups.

All branch types — True/false, Multi-split, and Random cohort — reconnect at a shared exit point after their paths complete, so the workflow can continue from a single unified step. You can also add an Exit automation node to any branch path to end the journey for subscribers on that path before the reconnection point. For detailed setup instructions on all branch types, see Using branches in a workflow.

Enroll in automation
This action moves subscribers into another automation, bypassing that automation’s triggers and conditions. 
Options include:
• Select Automations: Choose one or more active automations to enroll them into.
• Conditions: Click + Add conditions to further refine who goes through the step.

Drag and drop nodes
Most action nodes on the canvas can be dragged to a new position in the workflow. A placeholder indicates where the node will land when dropped. This works for reordering steps within a single path. Branch nodes like the True/false, Multi-split, and Random cohort branches are unable to be dragged and dropped at this time.
Bulk Actions
You can select multiple steps at once and delete or manage them together. Use Select all to grab every step, or click individual steps to select them, then Delete, Activate, or Deactivate the actions.
Canvas Controls
Use the controls at the bottom left of the canvas to zoom in and out. Click and hold on the canvas to move around the workflow.

What's the difference between Multi-split branch and True/false branch?
True/false branch routes subscribers down one of 2 paths based on a single set of conditions. Multi-split branch lets you define up to 5 paths with separate conditions for each, evaluated in order. It's better suited for workflows where subscribers need to be routed based on multiple distinct criteria.
How does first-match logic work in a Multi-split branch?
Paths are evaluated in the order they appear. The first path whose conditions a subscriber meets is the one they enter. If a subscriber qualifies for more than one path, they only enter the first matching one. You can reorder paths via drag-and-drop in the side panel to adjust priority.
What happens if a subscriber doesn't match any path in a Multi-split branch?
There is always an ‘All Others’ fallback path. Any subscriber who doesn't match a defined path is routed there automatically.
What does the Exit automation node do?
Exit automation ends a subscriber's journey at that point in the workflow. If a subscriber hits an Exit node on a branch, they leave the automation from there and do not continue to the reconnected steps that follow. You don't need to add an Exit node to every path, only to paths where you want the journey to end early.
Can I A/B test emails in an automation?
Yes. On any Send email step, toggle on A/B test to create your variants. You control the traffic split and can adjust the percentage at any time while the automation is in draft. Variant B starts as a copy of your original email. You can delete Variant B at any time to return to a single email.

However, swapping templates directly inside a variant is not supported. If you want to use a completely different template, use the Multi-split or Random cohort branch and use a separate Send email step for each path with alternate templates.
Can I use the Random cohort branch for a control group?
Yes. Set one path to a small percentage (for example, 10%) and leave it empty or with minimal steps. Subscribers routed there act as your control group while others go through the full flow. You can lock a path's percentage so it stays fixed while you adjust the others.
How do branches reconnect?
After all paths in a branch complete their steps, subscribers flow into a shared reconnection point and continue through the rest of the workflow together. The only exception is subscribers who hit an Exit automation node, they leave the automation entirely from that point.