An automation does a routine step for you when something happens. A sequence sends follow-ups in order — a message, a task, a wait — and stops as soon as the customer replies. Both live under CRM in the sidebar.
How an automation is built
- Trigger — a record is created or updated, a field changes, a deal changes stage or is won or lost, a message arrives, a store order or an abandoned cart comes in, a customer or deal goes quiet, a task is overdue, or a quote is viewed or accepted.
- Conditions — narrow it down, up to 30 rules.
- Actions — create a task, assign an owner (round robin included), update a field, move a stage, add a tag, create a deal, add a note, call a webhook, add the customer to a sequence, or send an approved WhatsApp template. Add waits and yes/no branches between steps.
Start from a template, use Test to see what would happen, then switch it on. Each automation runs at most once per record for the same reason, so loops are cut off.
Sequences
A sequence can have up to 20 steps. Add customers one by one, from a saved view, or up to 500 at once with a bulk action. When a customer replies, their sequence stops.
What costs money
Tasks, owners, stages, tags, notes and webhooks cost nothing. A WhatsApp template sent by an automation or a sequence is a WhatsApp message that Meta bills per message; the price depends on the template category and the customer’s country. See WhatsApp pricing in 2026.
The safety limits
- Only approved templates are sent — never free text.
- An automation or sequence with a message step can’t be switched on until you confirm the cost. Editing it pauses it until you confirm again.
- A daily cap limits how many messages it may send (200 by default).
- Customers without marketing consent are never messaged.
Tip: begin with steps that cost nothing — a task when a quote is opened, an owner for each new lead — and add WhatsApp steps once you have seen the results.