GHL Workflow Automation

Overview

GoHighLevel's Workflow Builder is the automation engine powering all marketing, sales, and operational processes. Workflows replace the legacy "Campaigns" and provide a visual, drag-and-drop interface for building complex multi-step automations.

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Core Concepts

| Concept | Description | | ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Trigger | The event that starts a workflow (e.g., form submitted, tag added) | | Action | The task performed after a trigger fires (e.g., send SMS, add tag) | | Condition (If/Else) | Branching logic based on contact data, tags, or custom fields | | Wait Step | A timed delay between actions (minutes, hours, days, or specific time) | | Goal | A target state that, when reached, stops the workflow for that contact | | Custom Values | System-wide variables for dynamic content (e.g., {{custom_values.company_name}}) | | Custom Fields | Contact-specific data used in merge fields (e.g., {{contact.first_name}}) |

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Triggers Reference

Contact Events

• Contact Created — New contact added to the system
• Contact Changed — Any field on a contact is updated
• Tag Added / Tag Removed — Specific tag applied or removed
• Contact DND — Do Not Disturb status changed
• Birthday Reminder — Based on contact's birthday field
• Note Added / Note Changed — Internal notes activity

Communication Events

• Customer Replied — Contact responds via any channel (email, SMS, etc.)
• Form Submitted — A specific GHL form is completed
• Survey Submitted — A specific survey is completed
• Trigger Link Clicked — Special tracking link is clicked
• Email Events — Email opened, clicked, bounced, complained, unsubscribed
• Facebook Lead Form Submitted — Lead ad form captured

Sales & Booking Events

• Appointment Status — Booking confirmed, cancelled, no-showed
• Pipeline Stage Changed — Opportunity moves to a new stage
• Opportunity Status Changed — Deal won, lost, or abandoned
• Order Submitted / Order Form Submission
• Invoice — Invoice created, sent, paid, overdue
• Payment Received

Membership Events

• Membership New Signup
• Product Access Granted / Product Access Removed
• Offer Access Granted
• Category Completed / Product Completed

Other Events

• Task Added / Task Completed / Task Reminder
• Stale Opportunities — Opportunities inactive for a configured period
• Inbound Webhook — External systems trigger the workflow via webhook URL
• Manual / API Trigger — Workflow started manually or via API call

Best Practice: Always apply filters to triggers. For example, filter a Form Submitted trigger to a specific form. Without filters, the workflow fires for ALL forms.

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Actions Reference

Communication

• Send Email — HTML or plain text, with merge fields and attachments
• Send SMS / MMS — Text messages with optional media
• Send Voicemail Drop — Ringless voicemail delivery
• Send to Messenger — Facebook Messenger message
• Send Internal Notification — Alert team members via email or SMS
• Send Review Request — Automated review solicitation

Contact Management

• Add / Remove Tag
• Create / Update Contact
• Add to / Remove from Workflow
• Add Internal Note
• Create Task — Assign follow-up tasks to team members
• Assign User — Assign contact to a specific team member
• Update Custom Field — Set or modify any custom field value
• Math Operation — Increment/decrement numeric fields (e.g., lead score)
• Set Contact DND

Pipeline & Sales

• Create / Update Opportunity
• Move Opportunity Stage
• Add to / Remove from Campaign

External & Advanced

• Webhook (Custom) — Send data to external systems (Zapier, Make, custom endpoints)
• HTTP Request — Make API calls to third-party services
• Google Sheets — Add rows, update cells
• If / Else Condition — Branch logic based on data
• Go To Step — Jump to a different action in the workflow
• Wait — Delay for a specified time or until a specific day/time

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Custom Values vs. Custom Fields

| Feature | Custom Values | Custom Fields | | ---------------- | -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | Scope | System-wide (same for everyone) | Per-contact (unique to each person) | | Use Case | Company name, phone, address, branding | Contact name, email, lead score | | Update | Change once → updates everywhere | Changes per individual contact | | Merge Syntax | {{custom_values.field_name}} | {{contact.field_name}} | | Best For | Snapshots, templates, global branding | Personalization, segmentation |

Custom Values Best Practices

1. Group by category — Create folders like "Business Info", "Branding", "Social Links"
2. Use for snapshots — Store client-specific details that can be easily swapped
3. Naming convention — Use snake_case with clear prefixes (e.g., biz_phone, biz_email)
4. Keep them current — Review and update quarterly

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Workflow Design Best Practices

Planning

1. Map the journey first — Sketch the trigger → action flow on paper before building
2. Start simple — Begin with 3-5 steps, then add complexity
3. One trigger per workflow — Avoid multiple triggers causing confusion
4. Use descriptive names — Name workflows clearly: [Niche] - [Purpose] - [Channel] (e.g., Dental - New Lead Follow-Up - SMS)

Building

1. Use if/else branches — Personalize paths based on tags, custom fields, or contact behavior
2. Add wait steps — Space out messages naturally (don't send 5 SMS in 1 minute)
3. Set time windows — Configure delivery hours (e.g., 9 AM–6 PM in contact's timezone)
4. Use goals — Stop the workflow when the desired outcome is achieved (e.g., appointment booked)
5. Add internal notifications — Alert team members at critical workflow points

Testing

1. Test with a real contact — Create a test contact and run through the entire workflow
2. Verify all links — Check every URL, tracking link, and redirect
3. Check merge fields — Ensure all {{variables}} resolve correctly
4. Test edge cases — Verify if/else branches with different contact data
5. Monitor after launch — Watch the first 10-20 enrollments for errors

Performance

1. Review weekly — Check open rates, click rates, and reply rates
2. A/B test messages — Experiment with different copy, subject lines, and timing
3. Archive unused workflows — Deactivate and archive workflows no longer in use
4. Document your automations — Maintain an internal wiki or spreadsheet listing all active workflows

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Common Workflow Templates

Speed-to-Lead (New Lead Response)

Trigger: Form Submitted
→ Send SMS (Immediate): "Thanks {{contact.first_name}}! We'll be in touch shortly."
→ Send Email: Welcome + value proposition
→ Internal Notification: Alert sales rep
→ Wait 5 min
→ If/Else: Contact replied?
   → Yes: End workflow
   → No: Send SMS follow-up
→ Wait 24 hours
→ Send Email: Case study / testimonial
→ Wait 48 hours
→ If/Else: Appointment booked?
   → Yes: End workflow
   → No: Send SMS with booking link

Appointment Reminder Sequence

Trigger: Appointment Status → Confirmed
→ Send SMS: "Your appointment is confirmed for {{appointment.date}}!"
→ Wait until 24hrs before appointment
→ Send SMS: "Reminder: Your appointment is tomorrow at {{appointment.time}}"
→ Wait until 1hr before appointment
→ Send SMS: "See you in 1 hour! Here's the address: {{custom_values.biz_address}}"

Review Request Automation

Trigger: Pipeline Stage Changed → "Completed" / "Delivered"
→ Wait 2 days
→ Send SMS: "How was your experience? We'd love a review! {{custom_values.review_link}}"
→ Wait 3 days
→ If/Else: Review received?
   → Yes: Send thank you SMS
   → No: Send Email: Gentle review reminder

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Key Resources

• Official Help: Workflow Actions Reference
• Templates: Available in the GHL Marketplace
• Community: GHL Ideas Board for feature requests