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Overview

Automations are the workflow engine of Firstwork. They let you define event-driven processes that automatically execute actions when specific conditions are met. From sending welcome emails to advancing candidates through stages, automations eliminate manual work and ensure consistency.

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Anatomy of an Automation

Every automation has three components:
  1. Trigger — The event that starts the automation
  2. Rule (optional) — A condition that must be satisfied
  3. Actions — One or more operations to perform

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Triggers

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Trigger Configuration

Each trigger can be scoped to:
  • Specific hiring flows
  • Specific stages within a flow
  • Specific forms or form elements
  • Specific contract types or statuses

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Actions

Automations can execute one or more actions in sequence:

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Communication Actions

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Data Actions

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Integration Actions

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Flow Control

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Input Variables

Automations support Input Variables that allow you to parameterize workflows:
  • Map data from the triggering event to action inputs
  • Use Object Graph paths to dynamically resolve values
  • Set default values for optional inputs
Example:

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Automation Execution

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Execution Records

Every automation run creates an Automation Execution record:

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Action Executions

Each action within an automation also creates an Action Execution record:

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Reliable Execution

Automations execute reliably in the background with:
  • Automatic retries on transient failures
  • Durable state — progress is preserved even during maintenance
  • Full execution history for debugging and auditing
  • Scalable processing — handles thousands of concurrent automations

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Common Automation Patterns

Trigger: OnChange — Application created Action: Send email with application confirmation and next steps Trigger: FormElementSubmission — All required fields submitted Rule: Compliance check passes Action: Update Application — Advance to next stage Trigger: OnChange — Application enters “Background Check” stage Action: Webhook — Send candidate data to Sterling API Trigger: Schedule — Daily at 9 AM Rule: Document expires within 30 days Action: Send email reminder to candidate Trigger: OnChange — Application status changed to “Rejected” Action: Slack message to #hiring-team channel Trigger: OnChange — Contract created with status ACTIVE Actions:
  1. Send welcome email
  2. Enroll in orientation course
  3. Assign onboarding forms
  4. Notify manager via Slack

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Webhook Triggers

External systems can fire automations using webhook triggers. Each automation with a webhook trigger gets a unique URL that external services can call to start the workflow. This is useful for:
  • Receiving results from background check providers
  • Integrating with custom internal tools
  • Connecting to third-party services like Zapier or Make
See Webhooks and the API Reference for details.

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Best Practices

[!NOTE] Avoid infinite loops: Be careful when automations trigger other automations. Use rules to prevent re-execution on data that an automation itself modified.
  • Start simple — Begin with single-action automations and add complexity as needed
  • Use descriptive names — Make it clear what each automation does and when it fires
  • Monitor executions — Regularly review execution logs for failures
  • Test in staging — Always test automations in a staging environment first
  • Use rules wisely — Add conditions to prevent unnecessary action executions