How can I associate alerts, tasks or field updates to workflow rules?

Workflow rules are meaningful only if an alert, task, or field update is associated to the rule. These alerts, tasks and field updates are grouped under Actions that can either be Instant Actions or Time Based Actions.

Note:
  • A workflow alert, task or field update can be associated with many rules.
  • For each action, you can associate a maximum of 5 alerts, 5 tasks, and 3 field updates.
  • A maximum of 5 Time Based Actions (that includes alerts, tasks, and field updates) can be created for a rule.
  • If your Zoho Recruit account is downgraded or the subscription expires, the workflow rules will be disabled. If you renew the subscription, you will need to manually enable the rules.


 

Create Instant Actions

Instant action includes alerts, tasks, and field updates that are triggered immediately when the rule is executed. There are two options to associate alerts, tasks, and field updates.

  • Create alerts, tasks, and field updates and associate them to the rule
  • Select existing alerts, tasks, and field updates to associate to the rule
     
To create an instant action:

If you are creating a workflow rule, directly go to step 4

  1. Click Setup > Automation > Workflow > Rules.
  2. In the Workflow Rules page, click on the rule for which you want to create an action.
  3. Click Edit to modify the rule settings.
  4. Under Instant Actions section, do the following to associate Alerts to the rule:
    • Create Alert - Click the add icon and specify the details to create an alert. See Also Create Alerts
    • Select Existing Alerts - Click the message icon to select existing alert(s) to associate to the rule.
  5. Under the Instant Actions section, do the following to associate Tasks to the rule:
    • Create Task - Click the add icon and specify the details to create a task. See Also Create Tasks
    • Select Existing Tasks - Click the message icon to select existing task(s) to associate to the rule.
  6. Under the Instant Actions section, do the following to associate Field Updates to the rule:
    • Create Field Update - Click the add icon and specify the details to create a field update. See Also Create Field Updates
    • Select Existing Field Updates - Click the message icon to select existing field update(s) to associate it to the rule.
  7. Click Save.

 

Create Time Based Actions

Time Based actions include alerts, tasks, and field updates that are triggered on a specified time after the rule is executed. You can schedule the actions to be triggered based on the Rule Trigger Date, record Created Time, record Modified Time as well as other time or date fields in the module. You can see the list of scheduled actions for individual records under "Upcoming Actions".

There are two options to associate alerts, tasks, and field updates:

  • Create alerts, tasks, and field updates and associate them to the rule
  • Select existing alerts, tasks, and field updates to associate to the rule
 

To create time based actions:

If you are creating a workflow rule, directly go to step 4

  1. Click Setup > Automation > Workflow > Rules.
  2. In the Workflow Rules page, click on the rule for which you want to create an action.
  3. Click Edit to modify the rule settings.
  4. Under the Actions section, click Add a Time Based Action.
  5. Enter a Name for the time based action.
  6. Specify the Execution Time (when the associated alerts, tasks and field updates should be triggered).
  7. Click Save.
  8. Under the Time Based Actions section, do the following to associate Alerts to the rule:
    • Create Alert - Click the add icon and specify the details to create an alert. See Also Create Alerts
    • Select Existing Alerts - Click the message icon to select existing alert(s) to associate it to the rule.
  9. Under the Time Based Actions section, do the following to associate Tasks to the rule:
    • Create Task - Click the add icon and specify the details to create a task. See Also Create Tasks
    • Select Existing Tasks - Click the message icon to select existing task(s) to associate it to the rule. 
  10. Under the Time Based Actions section, do the following to associate Field Updates to the rule:
    • Create Field Update - Click the add icon and specify the details to create a field update. See Also Create Field Updates
    • Select Existing Field Updates - Click the message icon to select existing field update(s) to associate it to the rule.
  11. Click Save.
 

Important Notes:

  • For a workflow rule, all alerts and tasks will not be listed. If the rule is for Candidates, then only the field updates, tasks and alerts created for Candidates will be available for association.
  • You can create a maximum of 5 time based actions for a workflow rule.
  • Each Time Based Action can have a maximum of 5 alerts, 5 tasks and 3 field updates.
  • If the Email Opt Out option is enabled, emails will not be sent to the customers.
  • For the Workflow Management feature, the Organization's Time Zone will be considered for calculating a day. In the absence of the time zone being defined, the Primary Contact's Time Zone will be considered.
  • Time Based Actions are not minute based. There can be a delay of few minutes for the time based actions to be triggered.
  • When email alerts reach the limit for the day, any remaining emails to be sent the same day will not be sent.
  • If the Execution Time that is calculated is a time in the past, then the action will be triggered immediately. There can be a delay of few minutes for the time based actions to be triggered.
  • The scheduled actions for a records will be listed under Upcoming Actions in the Records Details Page.
 

Notes on Per Day Limits

  • (No. of Users * 100) or 5000, whichever is lower, will be taken as the maximum limit per day for emails to be sent using workflow alerts.
  • (No. of Users * 50) or 2500, whichever is lower will be taken as the maximum limit per day for the execution of time based actions (that includes alerts, tasks, and field updates).
  • A maximum of 300 actions will be triggered every hour. If there are more than 300 actions per hour, the remaining actions will be executed in the next hour.
  • The Primary Contact of your Recruit account will be notified if the workflow email alerts limit is exceeded for the day. 
  • The per day limits (for e.g.: email limit) is calculated based on PST.
  • For default workflow, the number of workflow alerts are unlimited.
 

Instances when the time based actions will be rescheduled:

  1. The Execution Criteria for the Rule is either Edit or Create or Edit. When the rule criteria is satisfied for a record, the instant actions are triggered and time based actions are scheduled for the record.
    If a user edits the record and the rule criteria is not fulfilled, then the time based actions scheduled earlier will be deleted. If the record is edited again and the criteria is satisfied, then the time based actions will be rescheduled.
  2. For Time Based Actions, the Execution Time can also be based on the custom Date & Time field. When a rule criteria is satisfied for a record, the instant actions are triggered and time based actions are scheduled for the record. 
    If a user edits the record to change the value of the date & time field, the time based actions will be rescheduled as per the new date & time value.


 

Instances when the time based actions will not be rescheduled or deleted:

  1. The Execution Criteria for the Rule is either Edit or Create or Edit. When the rule criteria is satisfied for a record, the instant actions are triggered and time based actions are scheduled for the record.
    If a user edits the record but the rule criteria is not fulfilled, then the time based actions will not be scheduled again.
  2. When a candidate is converted, all the time based actions that are scheduled for the record will be deleted.
  3. When the Enterprise Edition is downgraded to the Free Edition, all the time based actions that are scheduled for the record will be deleted.
  4. When records are deleted, all the time based actions scheduled to the record will also be deleted. If the deleted records are restored, the time based actions will not be rescheduled.