Workflow Automation creates or updates Copper records when conditions you define are met. Every rule has a trigger and at least one action: the trigger tells Copper when the rule should run, and the action tells Copper what to do.
A Workflow Automation rule follows a simple pattern: when X happens, do Y.
⚠️ Admin access required: Only Copper Admins can create Workflow Automation rules.
Looking to automate an Email?: Workflow Automation cannot send emails. Use Email Automation when you want Copper to send an automated email.
Before you begin
Plan out your first Workflow Automation by write the trigger and action rule you want to create as a sentence:
When [something happens], then [create or update something].
For example:
When an Opportunity is marked Won, create a follow-up Task.
Which type of record should start the workflow?
When should Copper evaluate the rule?
What conditions must be true?
Should Copper create a new record or update the triggering record?
Could the action run more than once for the same record?
1. Open the Workflow Automation builder
In the Copper web app, go to Tools > Automations > Workflow Automation, then select Add Workflow.
Select Add Workflow to open the workflow builder.
2. Name your Workflow Automation rule
Enter a name that describes both the trigger and the action. A descriptive name makes the rule easier to find and maintain later.
Example: Opportunity won - create thank-you Task
3. Configure the trigger
Choose the record type
Select the record type that should start the workflow: Lead, Person, Company, Opportunity, Project, or Task. Formula variables used later in the rule reference fields on this triggering record.
Choose when Copper should evaluate the rule
Trigger Event | When it runs | Best for |
Created | When a new record is created. | Actions that should run once when a record enters Copper. |
Update or Created | Whenever a record is created or updated including field updates outside of the specified fields, if the conditions are met the workflow automation will trigger.
Note: This workflow automation will trigger multiple times.
| Recalculating values or keeping fields synchronized. Use carefully when the action creates a new record. |
Specific field is updated | The first time the conditions are met this workflow automation will trigger.
Note: This workflow automation will only trigger one-time, the first time the criteria is met.
| Stage, status, or other transition-based workflows. |
Check Once a day | Evaluates matching records approximately every 24 hours. | Date-based conditions and calculated fields such as Inactive Days. |
Choose the trigger event that matches when Copper should check the rule.
Add trigger conditions
Each trigger condition has three parts:
Field: the record information Copper evaluates.
Operator: how Copper compares the field with a value.
Value: the value the field is compared with.
Common operators include Equals, Does Not Equal, Greater Than, Less Than, In, and Contains. Available operators depend on the field you select.
Choose how multiple conditions are evaluated
Filter logic | How it works |
All conditions are met (AND) | Every condition must be true. |
Any condition is met (OR) | At least one condition must be true. |
Custom Logic | Combine condition numbers with AND, OR, and parentheses. Example: (1 AND 2 AND 3) OR (4 AND 5 AND 6). |
Example trigger: the Opportunity is Won and belongs to the Sales pipeline.
4. Configure the action
Choose Create or Update
Action | What it does |
Create | Creates a new Lead, Person, Company, Opportunity, Project, or Task. |
Update | Updates the same record that started the workflow. Copper automatically uses the trigger record type. |
Set the action fields
Add each field Copper should populate or update. For every field, choose one of these value types:
Value type | Use it when |
Standard | Use a fixed value that should be the same every time. |
Use a Formula | Calculate a value or copy data from the triggering record. |
For example, a rule that creates a Task after an Opportunity is won could use:
Task field | Value type | Value |
Name | Standard | Send thank-you note |
Due Date | Formula | CURRENTDATE() |
Description | Formula | primary_contact_full_name |
Select Add Action when the same trigger should perform more than one action. For example, a won Opportunity could create a thank-you Task now and a customer check-in Task six months later.
5. Save, activate, and test the rule
Select Save.
Turn on the rule using the Workflow On toggle. Saving a rule can leave it turned off, so confirm its status after every edit.
Test the rule with a sample record that will not affect live customer data.
After saving, confirm that the Workflow On toggle is enabled.
Test checklist
The correct record activates the workflow.
Every required condition is met.
The expected record is created or updated.
Formula values are populated correctly.
The rule does not run more times than expected.
Processing time: An action normally appears within a few seconds, but it can take several minutes. Refresh the record page if the result is not immediately visible. |
Troubleshooting
The rule did not run
Confirm that the workflow is active.
Confirm that the record was created or updated after the workflow was activated.
Verify that the trigger event matches what happened to the record.
Check every AND condition and each group of OR conditions.
Allow several minutes for the action to complete.
The rule created duplicate records or Tasks
A rule using Update or Created can run whenever the triggering record changes. Use Specific field is updated or add conditions that prevent the create action from running more than once.
A calculated field did not activate the rule
Inactive Days, Stage Duration, Days in Stage, and Interaction Count are calculated in the background and do not count as direct record updates. Use Check Once a day for rules that depend on these fields.
One workflow did not activate another workflow
Workflow Automation rules cannot trigger other Workflow Automation rules. This prevents automation loops.