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Workflows let you automate multi-step support processes: route threads, follow up after delays, branch based on conditions, and chain actions together without code. Use them for anything that needs more than a single if-then rule.
Workflows in Plain

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What you can do

  • Run multi-step automations when specific thread events happen
  • Take different paths based on thread state, labels, tier, channel, or other properties
  • Pause for minutes, hours, or days before continuing
  • Cancel a pause early if something changes (e.g. the customer replies)
  • Trigger workflows manually on a thread or automatically from events

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How workflows work

Every workflow starts with a trigger. You can trigger a workflow manually on a specific thread, or set it to run automatically when something happens (like a thread being created or a message being added). After the trigger fires, the workflow runs through steps. There are three types:
  • Condition steps check whether something is true or false and branch accordingly. For example, check if a thread has a specific label and take different paths based on the result.
  • Action steps do something like assigning a thread, setting priority, or sending a message, then continue to the next step.
  • Wait steps pause the workflow for a set duration. Each wait step has two outcomes: completed (the wait finished) or canceled (a cancel condition was met, e.g. the customer replied).

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Create a workflow

1

Create the workflow

Go to Workflows in the sidebar, click New workflow, and give it a name.
2

Set a trigger

Choose Manual or Automatic, then select the events that should start the workflow.
3

Add and connect steps

Click + on the canvas to add condition, action, or wait steps, then drag between them to define the flow.Condition and wait steps have two branches, Yes/No and Completed/Canceled, which you connect to different next steps.
4

Publish

Click Publish. The workflow starts running against new threads.

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Duplicate a step

To reuse a step without rebuilding it, duplicate it. Two ways to do this:
  • Right-click any node on the canvas and select Duplicate.
  • Hold Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) while dragging a node to place a copy at the new position. The original stays in place.
The copy keeps the step’s full configuration and branch structure. Connections to other nodes are not carried over: wire the copy into your workflow after placing it.

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Limits

  • Steps can only move forward. No loops
  • Wait durations: 1 second to 1 year