Automation builder

Getting Started with Triggers

Every automation begins with a trigger — the event that starts the sequence. The trigger defines when the automation runs and for whom. Until you set one, the first node on the canvas reads Set up automation trigger.

Available Trigger Types

Manual Triggers

A manual trigger needs no further configuration — you start the automation yourself from a subscriber's page.

Date-Based Triggers

A date trigger schedules the automation against a date field on the subscriber. Configure it by choosing:

• Recipients: the groups or the segments to include — you pick one or the other, on two tabs
• Date field: which date to watch (a basic field such as "Added At", or any custom date / date-time field)
• Timing: whether to run before, on, or after that date
• Time of day: for plain date fields, the UTC time of day to run at

Event-Based Triggers

• When a user unsubscribes: fires immediately when a subscriber opts out
• When a user subscribes: fires when a new subscriber verifies their email address after signing up

API Triggers

An API trigger lets an outside system start the automation. When you select it, the trigger panel shows a ready-made code example with your own automation's ID already filled in.

await fetch("https://yaplet.com/api/newsletter/workflow/start", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "Y-API-Key": "your_api_key",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
        email: "[email protected]",
        workflow_id: "your-workflow-id",
        key1: "value1",
        key2: "value2",
    }),
});

curl -X POST "https://yaplet.com/api/newsletter/workflow/start" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Y-API-Key: your_api_key" \
  -d '{
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "workflow_id": "your-workflow-id",
    "key1": "value1",
    "key2": "value2"
  }'

<?php
$ch = curl_init();

curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, "https://yaplet.com/api/newsletter/workflow/start");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
    "Content-Type: application/json",
    "Y-API-Key: your_api_key"
]);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode([
    "email" => "[email protected]",
    "workflow_id" => "your-workflow-id",
    "key1" => "value1",
    "key2" => "value2"
]));

$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://yaplet.com/api/newsletter/workflow/start",
    headers={
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "Y-API-Key": "your_api_key"
    },
    json={
        "email": "[email protected]",
        "workflow_id": "your-workflow-id",
        "key1": "value1",
        "key2": "value2"
    }
)

Custom data fields are sent as top-level fields alongside email and workflow_id. They become available in subsequent EMAIL and WEBHOOK nodes using {{key1}}, {{key2}} placeholders.

For complete API documentation including error codes, field reference, and integration best practices, see the Automation API documentation.

Building Your Automation

After setting up your trigger, build the sequence by adding nodes. Add a next step to your automation offers seven node types: Email, Delay, Condition, Action, Webhook, Data fetch and Other automation.

Email Nodes

Email nodes are the core of the sequence — they send messages to subscribers at specific points in it.

Setting Up Email Content

Available Email Creation Options

From Scratch: Begin with a blank canvas and build your email design using the visual editor.

From Template: Choose from professionally designed templates optimized for engagement and conversion.

From Recent Email: Reuse successful email content from your previous campaigns to maintain consistency.

Email Editor Features

The email editor provides a full-featured design interface for creating compelling content. For detailed information about the email builder capabilities, see Email Design and Templates.

Delay Nodes

Delay nodes add waiting periods between steps, letting you space out your communications deliberately.

Configuration Options:

• Wait time: 1–60 minutes, 1–24 hours, 1–31 days, 1–52 weeks, or 1–12 months
• Each unit has its own ceiling, so a single node cannot wait 90 minutes — minutes stop at 60. Chain two delay nodes instead: one of 1 hour, then one of 30 minutes

Use Cases:

• Give subscribers time to engage before sending follow-ups
• Space out educational content in nurture sequences
• Respect deliverability best practices with appropriate timing

Condition Nodes

Condition nodes create branching logic, directing subscribers down different paths based on their data and characteristics.

Available Condition Types

Building Conditions

Use the query builder to create logical expressions that decide which branch a subscriber takes:

Field Operators

Different field types support different comparisons:

Action Nodes

Action nodes modify subscriber data or group memberships when reached.

Available Actions

Update Custom Fields: Modify subscriber information

• Set text field values
• Increment/decrement number fields
• Set date fields to specific values or relative dates

Group Management:

• Copy to groups: Add subscribers to additional groups
• Move to groups: Transfer subscribers between groups
• Remove from groups: Remove subscribers from specified groups

Subscription Management:

• Mark as unsubscribed: Immediately unsubscribe the subscriber

Webhook Nodes

Webhook nodes send data to external services when reached, enabling integrations with CRMs, analytics platforms, and custom applications.

Configuration

Authentication

Webhooks include a Signature header containing an HMAC SHA-256 hash of your secret key. Verify requests on your server by hashing the same key and comparing signatures.

Available Field Tags

Use these placeholders in webhook URLs and body values:

Basic Fields:

• {{email}} - Subscriber email address
• {{name}} - Subscriber name
• {{created_at}} - When subscriber was added
• {{state}} - Subscriber status

Custom Fields: {{your_custom_field_tag}} for any custom fields you've created

Dynamic Data: Any custom data sent via API triggers or fetched via Data Fetch nodes

All placeholders accept an optional fallback after a pipe — {{name|there}} — used when the value is missing or empty.

Data Fetch Nodes

Data Fetch nodes retrieve information from external APIs to use in subsequent email and webhook nodes.

Configuration

Response Format Requirements

API responses must be JSON objects with:

• String keys only
• String or number values
• Maximum 20 fields per response

Example response format:

{
    "user_id": "12345",
    "account_type": "premium",
    "last_login": "2024-01-15"
}

Authentication

Like webhooks, fetch requests include a Signature header with HMAC SHA-256 authentication.

Switch to Another Automation

This node hands the subscriber over to a second automation, so you can keep shared logic in one place instead of copying it. A placed node reads Switch to automation: {name}.

Use Cases

• Common Entry Sequences: Start with a universal welcome flow, then branch to specialized nurture tracks
• Re-engagement Campaigns: Route inactive subscribers to different recovery automations
• Segmentation Logic: Send different subscriber types through optimized sequences

Auto Layout

As an automation grows with multiple branches and conditions, nodes can overlap or become hard to follow. The Auto layout button instantly reorganizes the whole tree into a clean, balanced structure.

Click Auto layout in the top-right toolbar to reorganize all nodes. The editor automatically zooms and pans to fit everything in view.

The layout engine:

• Centers the trigger at the top and arranges all child nodes below it
• Balances branches — condition nodes (yes/no paths) get equal horizontal space
• Spaces evenly — consistent vertical and horizontal gaps between all nodes
• Handles nesting — deeply branched automations are laid out without overlaps

Generate with AI

You can generate an entire automation from a plain-text description. Instead of adding and connecting nodes one by one, describe what you want it to do and AI builds the node structure for you.

How to Use It

What Gets Generated

The AI creates the complete structure including:

• Trigger configuration with the appropriate settings
• Email nodes with subject lines and preheader text (you design the email content separately using the email editor)
• Delay nodes with appropriate wait times
• Condition nodes with branching logic based on your description
• Action nodes for group management, field updates, or unsubscribes
• Webhook and fetch nodes when your description involves external integrations

After Generation

Once the AI has built the structure:

1. Nodes are auto-laid out — the layout engine positions everything cleanly
2. Email content is not included — email nodes have subjects and preheaders, but you need to design the actual email content using the email editor on each node
3. Review the structure — check that the logic matches your intent, and adjust any nodes as needed
4. Activate when ready — test your emails and switch the automation on

Automation Management

Validation and Activation

The Active switch stays disabled until the automation is valid, and a warning sits at the top of the sidebar until then: "Invalid automation — You need to set up the trigger and at least one action to use this automation." In practice that means:

• Every node on the canvas is fully configured
• There is at least one step after the trigger

If an automation that is already active later becomes invalid, Yaplet switches it off for you rather than running something broken.

Monitoring Performance

The builder's sidebar keeps a live count while you work:

• Completed: runs that finished
• Queued: runs waiting to execute
• Failed: runs that hit an error

Testing an Automation

• Send test emails from the email node configuration
• Use test webhooks and test fetch requests to verify integrations
• Start the automation by hand for a test subscriber from their subscriber page

Best Practices