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Triggers & Actions

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • The main types of flow triggers
  • Common actions you’ll use in flows
  • How to build a simple flow

1 Triggers: when does the flow start?

Every flow starts with one trigger. It’s the “when” of the flow. 🚦

Flow triggers and actions. Three trigger types: Record, for example when an incident is created or updated; Schedule, for example every Monday at 8 AM; and Application, for example when a Service Catalog item is requested. Below, common actions: Create Record, Update Record, Look Up Record, Ask for Approval, Send Email, Create Catalog Task, and Wait for Condition.
Figure 1. Triggers decide when. Actions decide what.
Trigger type Starts when… Example
Record A record is created, updated, or either A P1 incident is created
Schedule A time comes: daily, weekly, monthly, once, or repeat Every Monday at 8 AM
Application Something happens in an app A catalog item is requested, an email arrives

💡 Good to know: Record triggers have conditions, like “Priority is 1 – Critical”. Add them, or the flow will run for every record.

2 Actions: what does the flow do?

Action What it does
Create Record Makes a new record, like a task
Update Record Changes fields on a record
Look Up Record Finds a record, like the user’s manager
Ask for Approval Sends an approval and waits for the answer
Send Email / Send Notification Emails someone
Create Catalog Task Makes an SCTASK for a catalog request
Wait for Condition Pauses until a record matches a condition

3 Build a simple flow

  1. In Workflow Studio, create a new Flow. Name it “SNWR P1 alert”.
  2. Add a trigger: Record > Created, Table Incident, Condition Priority is 1 – Critical.
  3. Add an action: Send Email to the assignment group’s manager.
  4. Add an action: Update Record to add a work note: “P1 alert sent.”
  5. Click Save, then Activate. ✅

⚠️ Heads up: A saved flow doesn’t run until you Activate it. And a flow that updates the same record it triggers on can loop, so be careful with “Updated” triggers.

⭐ Remember: Trigger = when. Actions = what. Save, then Activate.

4 Let’s try it: your first flow

  1. Build the “SNWR P1 alert” flow from above.
  2. Activate it.
  3. Create a new P1 incident. Check its work notes. Did the flow add its note?

5 Quick recap

  • Trigger types: Record, Schedule, and Application
  • Add conditions to record triggers
  • Common actions: Create, Update, Look Up, Ask for Approval, Send Email, Create Catalog Task
  • Flows must be activated to run

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 A flow should run every Friday at 5 PM. Which trigger type? Show answer

Schedule (weekly).

2 Which action gets a manager’s yes or no? Show answer

Ask for Approval.

3 You saved a flow, but it never runs. What did you forget? Show answer

To activate it.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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