Each workflow action you create will also have a trigger. The trigger tells the action when to run based on the condition you set.
This article goes in-depth on the appointment-based triggers. Appointment-based triggers can be used when you have previously added the Send Appointment Scheduler action to the same workflow. These triggers can watch for an appointment to be scheduled, an appointment start time, or an appointment end time.
This trigger will work with both individual schedulers and scheduler groups sent through the workflow.
TIP: Appointment-based triggers are NOT compatible with publicly shared/embedded schedulers or schedulers sent outside the workflow. These triggers will only work when you send a Dubsado scheduler through the workflow.
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After an Appointment Is Scheduled
When it runs: Relative to when an appointment is booked through a specific scheduler already sent through the workflow.
When to use it: Whenever an appointment must be booked by the client before the next step in the process can proceed. Trigger a series of Create Todo actions to prep for the meeting, or send the client a form to fill out in advance.
When NOT to use it: Sending an appointment confirmation email. The scheduler template itself will send the appointment confirmation automatically!
How to set it up: When you click the Scheduler to watch dropdown, it will give you a list of all the individual schedulers and scheduler groups that have been added to the workflow already. Select the scheduler of the appointment you want to watch for. The action will then wait for an appointment to be booked through that scheduler before running.
If you choose to watch a scheduler group, the action will trigger as soon as the client schedules an appointment through any scheduler in that group. There is no conditional logic based on which scheduler in the group is used to book.
Common Issue: Trying to Watch an Embedded Scheduler
The "after an appointment is scheduled" trigger cannot watch for an appointment booked through a scheduler that was not sent through the workflow. With a lead capture attached to your scheduler, you can kick off a workflow as the appointment is booked and use the "after workflow started" or "after all previous actions complete" triggers instead.
Before an Appointment Start Time
When it runs: Relative to when an appointment booked through a specific scheduler already sent through the workflow is set to start.
When to use it: Similar to "after an appointment is scheduled," but when you need the timing to be more specific to the appointment itself. Especially good for situations where the appointment may be booked far in advance and you don't want to create todos or send a form too early.
When NOT to use it: Sending an appointment reminder email. Set up appointment reminders within the scheduler template instead!
How to set it up: When you click the Scheduler to watch dropdown, it will give you a list of all the individual schedulers and scheduler groups that have been added to the workflow already. Select the scheduler of the appointment you want to watch for. The action will trigger based on the start time of the appointment booked through that scheduler.
If you choose to watch a scheduler group, the action will trigger based on the appointment time of the first appointment the client books through any scheduler in the group. There is no conditional logic based on which scheduler in the group is used to book.
Common Issue: Trying to Watch an Embedded Scheduler
The "before an appointment start time" trigger cannot watch for an appointment booked through a scheduler that was not sent through the workflow. Unfortunately, there is not an effective workaround for embedded/publicly shared schedulers.
With a lead capture attached to your scheduler, you can kick off a workflow as the appointment is booked and use the "after workflow started" or "after all previous actions complete" triggers instead. This would behave more like the "after an appointment is booked" trigger.
After an Appointment Has Ended
When it runs: Relative to when an appointment booked through a specific scheduler already sent through the workflow is set to end.
When to use it: Great for sending a follow up after a meeting ends.
When NOT to use it: At the beginning of a workflow kicking off from a lead capture attached to a scheduler that's been embedded or shared publicly. Remember that the scheduler must be sent through the workflow in order for the trigger to work.
How to set it up: When you click the Scheduler to watch dropdown, it will give you a list of all the individual schedulers and scheduler groups that have been added to the workflow already. Select the scheduler of the appointment you want to watch for. The action will then wait for the appointment booked through that scheduler to end before running.
If you choose to watch a scheduler group, the action will trigger based on the appointment time of the first appointment the client books through any scheduler in the group. There is no conditional logic based on which scheduler in the group is used to book.
Common Issue: Trying to Watch an Embedded Scheduler
The "after an appointment has ended" trigger cannot watch for an appointment booked through a scheduler that was not sent through the workflow.
As a workaround, create a workflow that begins with the first step after the appointment. Manually apply this workflow to the project after the appointment ends.
FAQ
What happens to the workflow if an appointment is rescheduled or cancelled?
If an appointment is rescheduled, any triggers watching the start or end of the appointment will be updated based on the new appointment time, unless the action has already run. Actions using the after an appointment is scheduled trigger that have not yet run will update to reflect the new time the appointment was rescheduled.
If an appointment is cancelled, each action watching that appointment will turn grey in the workflow and be skipped.
What if my client books more than one appointment through the same scheduler/scheduler group?
If the actions watching the scheduler have not yet run, the triggers will update to reflect the most recent appointment booked through that scheduler.
If you need to watch for a separate appointment, you'll need another send scheduler action. Each send scheduler action adds a unique copy of the scheduler template to the project, so they can be watched separately.
Can I use conditional logic to trigger certain actions only if my client schedules a certain type of appointment within a scheduler group?
No. When watching a scheduler group, all of the individual schedulers in that group are treated equally. As soon as one appointment is booked through one of the schedulers in the group, all of the actions with appointment triggers watching that group will work off of that appointment.
If you need different schedulers to trigger different actions, they should be sent as separate individual schedulers in the workflow, not as a group.