Scheduling Emails vs. Using a Workflow: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve ever wondered “Should I schedule this email… or should I use a workflow?” you’re not alone.

Both options are useful. They’re just designed for different kinds of email sending.

This guide explains the difference and helps you decide which one makes sense for what you’re sending.

Think of this like writing and sending one letter at a time.

When you schedule an email, you decide:

• What the email says

• Who it goes to

• When it gets sent

Each email is created and scheduled individually.

• Newsletters

• Announcements

• Launch emails

• One-off updates

• Time-sensitive messages

• You’re in full control every time

• Nothing is automated unless you schedule it

• You choose recipients manually for each send

If you like deciding things as you go, scheduling email by email is your go-to.

A workflow is like setting up automatic mail.

Instead of sending one email, you create a sequence that runs on its own.

You tell Flodesk:

“When someone does this, send that… then this… then that.”

Once the workflow is turned on, it works quietly in the background.

• Welcome emails

• Lead magnet delivery

• Onboarding sequences

• Sales or nurture sequences

• Any experience that should happen the same way for everyone

• You set it up once

• It runs automatically for each new subscriber

• Everyone gets the same experience, in the same order

If you want consistency without manual work, workflows are your best friend.

Short answer: Nope. They just do different jobs.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Scheduling emails

• Manual

• Flexible

• Great for timely or spontaneous messages

Workflows

• Automated

• Consistent

• Great for repeatable experiences

Most Flodesk members use both:

• Workflows for automated sequences

• Scheduled emails for newsletters and announcements

Ask yourself this one question:

Does this email need to send automatically every time someone signs up or takes an action?

• Yes > Use a workflow

• No, it’s a one-time send > Schedule an email

If you’re ever unsure, that question will usually point you in the right direction.

Yes. Most members do. They’re designed to work side by side.

No. Workflows are for automated sequences. Newsletters are best sent by scheduling emails individually.

Not directly, but you can reuse the same email design inside a workflow if you want to automate it going forward.