How to Create Workflows in Flodesk

A simplified guide to automation, step-by-step

Workflows (also called email sequences, email series, drip campaigns, or automations) help you send emails automatically based on subscriber behavior or key events—so you can grow and nurture your list on autopilot.

Whether you’re welcoming new subscribers, sending freebie downloads, or following up on cart abandonment, Flodesk workflows give you full control.

A workflow is a series of connected steps that guide your subscribers through a journey.

Each step performs an action—like sending an email, waiting a few days, or checking if someone clicked a link.

Think of workflows like a smart email assistant that runs in the background, 24/7.

You can build any workflow using the following steps:

Let’s break each one down.

• Hover over the connecting line between two steps and click the plus (+) icon

• Select the type of step you’d like to add

Every workflow begins with a trigger—this is what tells Flodesk “Start the journey!”

You can trigger a workflow when:

• A subscriber is added to a segment

• Someone submits a specific opt-in form

• A purchase is made in Flodesk Checkout

• A cart is abandoned in Flodesk Checkout

• A purchase is made or a cart is abandoned in a connected Shopify store

You can also add subscribers to a trigger segment via:

• Bulk actions

• Link clicks in emails

• Preferences

• Integrations (e.g. Zapier)

Learn more about the Trigger step in Flodesk workflows here.

The Email step sends an email to a subscriber exactly when they hit that step in your workflow. Use this to:

• Welcome new subscribers

• Send a free download

• Follow up after a cart is abandoned

• Pitch an offer

Learn more about how to add emails to your workflow here.

The Time delay step tells Flodesk to wait before moving to the next step. You can delay by:

• A certain amount of time (e.g., 1 hour, 3 days)

• A certain day of the week (e.g., Monday)

• A certain time of day (e.g. 10:00 AM)

• A specific day of year (e.g. June 24 at 10:00 AM)

Useful for spacing out emails in a sequence or waiting before checking a condition.

For example, if you have three emails in your sales workflow and want them sent 3 days apart, you would add a Time delay step of “Wait 3 days” between each Email step.

Learn more about these various Time delay steps you can add to your workflow here.

The Condition step creates two paths—YES or NO—based on subscriber behavior or data.

Use it to personalize automation flows. For example:

• “Did they open the last email?”

• “Did they click the product link?”

• “Is their custom field ‘Wedding month’ set to May?”

• “Are they in a specific segment?”

Add a Time delay before using conditions like “opened” or “clicked” to allow time for engagement.

Learn more about how to use condition steps in Flodesk workflows here.

The Action step helps you:

• Add subscribers to a new segment

• Remove them from a segment

Great for segmenting customers, creating follow-up lists, or enrolling them in new workflows.

Example: When a subscriber completes your welcome series, use an action step to move them into your newsletter segment.

Learn more about how to use the action step here.

Use the Exit step when you want subscribers to finish the workflow and be marked as Completed.

If you remove the Exit step, subscribers will hold at the end and remain active in the workflow—useful if you plan to add more steps later.

Learn more about the Exit step here.

1. Go to the Workflows tab

2. Click + New workflow

3. Choose your trigger

4. Add emails, delays, actions, and conditions

5. Add an Exit step if you want subscribers to complete the workflow

6. Click Publish

Ready to put it into practice?

Follow this tutorial to build your first freebie delivery workflow

It’s one of the easiest and most powerful ways to grow your email list and start automating right away.