# Automations: reminders, alerts and follow-ups

> Turn on ready-made automations that remind signers, tell your team when a document is signed, and follow up on their own. Adjust any of them and design the emails they send.

Tally Sign Support › [Automation](https://www.tallysign.com/support/automation)

An automation says: when this happens to a document, or this much time passes, do these things. You find them in Tally Sign under **Automations** in the menu on the left. Start from the **Library**, where each one turns on in a click or two, then adjust it. Only owners and admins can turn automations on or change them; everyone else can see what's running.

## What's in the library

Choose **Automations** in the menu on the left. The **Library** tab opens on **Most popular**, the ones most teams turn on first. The categories on the left sort the rest:

| Category | What's in it |
| --- | --- |
| **Follow-ups & reminders** | Reminders to signers after a few days, again until they sign, before the link expires, and a nudge to the rep when the customer opened it but didn't sign. |
| **Keep the team in the loop** | Emails to the rep, to owners and admins, or to anyone you name (finance, legal, the deal desk) when a document is signed, opened, declined, questioned or about to expire. |
| **Salesforce updates** | Quote and opportunity status, tasks, bell notifications and the signed PDF in the record's Files. Needs Salesforce. |
| **Revenue Cloud** | From signed quote to order, assets and contract. Needs Salesforce with Revenue Cloud. |
| **Automatic sends** | Send (or draft) a document when a Salesforce record reaches a stage. These set up a rule on the **Send from Salesforce** tab. Needs Salesforce. |
| **After signing** | Thank the customer, send the next document, check in a week later, renewal heads-up at 11 months. |
| **Deal hygiene** | Void documents nobody opened, tell the rep when one expires, void expired ones. |
| **Slack, Teams & webhooks** | Post signed deals, declines and questions to a channel, or send them to Zapier, Make or your own system. |

Each card says when it runs (the amber tag) and what it does (the grey tags). **Search automations** at the top right finds one by name. **Everything** lists them all.

![The Automations page: the Library tab on Most popular, with the categories on the left and cards like Nudge signers after 3 days and Email the rep the moment it's signed](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/automations-library.png)

*The library. Each card turns on with Turn on or Set up.*

> **Note:** **How automations work**, at the top right, explains the three parts every automation has: **When**, **Only for** and **Then**.

## Turn one on

The bottom of each card says how much it takes:

- **Works right away**: choose **Turn on**. **“Nudge signers after 3 days” is on** appears, with **Adjust** to change it straight away. The card now says **On**.
- **Takes a minute to set up**: choose **Set up**. The automation opens with the part that needs filling in already open, for example the email addresses finance gets, a Slack webhook link or the next template to send. Fill it in and choose **Turn on**, or **Save, leave off** to turn it on later.

[Video: From Home, choosing Automations in the menu on the left, then the Follow-ups & reminders category](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-open.mp4)

*Opening the library's reminders.*

[Video: Choosing Turn on on Nudge signers after 3 days; the card changes to On with Adjust, and “Nudge signers after 3 days” is on appears](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-turn-on.mp4)

*One click, and it's on.*

[Video: Set up on Send every signed PDF to finance: typing finance@northbeam.example under Email addresses, then Turn on](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-finance.mp4)

*An automation that needs an address first.*

An automation you've added keeps its **Adjust** button on the library card, and shows **On**, or **Added, off** when it's switched off. Once added, the card shows what your automation does now: its **When** and its steps. If you changed them from the ready-made version, it reads **On · adjusted**; choose **adjusted** to see it in **Your automations**. Filling in what it needed to set up (like a webhook link) doesn't count as a change.

## Adjust it

Choose **Adjust** on the card, or **•••** → **Edit** in **Your automations**. The automation reads top to bottom like a sentence, and the line under its name says the whole thing in words.

1. Click the name at the top and type your own, for example *Remind signers until they sign*.
2. Open **When** to choose what starts it: something that happens right away (**It's sent**, **A signer opens it**, **Everyone has signed**, **A signer declines**, **Someone asks a question** and more) or **After some time** (**Not signed after a while**, **Nobody opened it**, **Opened but not signed**, **Before the links expire**, **After everyone signed**).
3. For a time-based one, type the number of days in the box. For reminders, choose **Repeat until it's signed**, then set how often and how many times, for example again every **2** days, up to **3** times. **Don't repeat** goes back to once.
4. Open **Only for** to narrow it down: **Documents made from** one or more templates (or **Any template**), **Only documents sent from Salesforce**, or **Only when the total is at least** an amount. Leave it on **All documents** for everything.
5. Open each **Then** step to change what it does. **Add another step** adds up to ten, and the arrows and bin on a step move or remove it.
6. Choose **Save**. **Automation saved** appears.

[Video: Adjust on the reminder: opening When, changing 3 days to 4, then Repeat until it's signed, which adds then again every 2 days, up to 3 times](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-reminder-days.mp4)

*Changing when a reminder goes out, and repeating it.*

[Video: Renaming the automation to Remind signers until they sign, opening Then: Remind the signers, typing a note, and Save](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-reminder-note.mp4)

*A name of your own and a note in the reminder.*

![Edit automation: Remind signers until they sign. When it's not signed 4 days after sending, then every 2 days (up to 3 times); Only for All documents; Then Remind the signers](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/automation-editor.png)

*When, Only for and Then, with the whole automation in one sentence at the top.*

**See how it runs**, under the name, plays the automation out day by day on a sample document, with each email shown the way people will get it. Names, dates and amounts in it are examples. Nothing is sent: automations don't have a test mode, so this is the way to check one before it runs.

[Video: See how it runs: the Order Form is sent on day 0, still not signed after 4 days, the reminder email to Dana Whitfield with the note, then again on days 6 and 8](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-see-how-it-runs.mp4)

*A reminder played out on a sample document.*

## Change the email it sends

Reminders and emails come as your standard company email: your logo, the message and a button. To change the words, open the step under **Then**:

- **Remind the signers**: type a line under **Note in the reminder (optional)**. It's shown above the reminder's own text. The subject and the **Review and sign** button stay the same.
- **Send an email**: choose who gets it under **To** (**The sender (rep)**, **The signers**, **Owners and admins** or **These people…** with their addresses), then change **Subject** and **Message**. The buttons under **Message**, like **+ Document title** and **+ Customer company**, add fields that fill in from each document. Check **Attach the signed PDF (once everyone has signed)** to send the signed copy with it.

[Video: Opening Then: Email the rep, changing the Subject to Signed: {{document.title}} for {{customer.company}} and adding Next step: book the kickoff call. to the Message](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-email-words.mp4)

*Changing what the email says.*

To change how it looks, choose **Design email** on the step (**Edit design** once it has one). The designer shows the email on the right as people will get it, with your logo, brand color and company name, filled in with sample names. If your logo and colors can't be loaded (for example, the connection drops), the preview says so with **Try again** instead of showing a stand-in.

1. Under **Look**, choose **Standard**, **Banner**, **Card**, **Minimal** or **Letter**.
2. Under **Accent color**, pick a color for the button and banner. The first one is your brand color; the pipette picks any color, or type a hex value.
3. Optional: under **Background** pick a page color, and under **Top of the email** choose **Show your logo**, **Color band**, **Your cover photo** or **Upload a picture** (up to 2 MB; about 1200 × 400 px works best), and **Left aligned** or **Centered**.
4. Under **Words**, change the **Heading**, the **Message** (or the reminder's note), the **Button** text and an optional **Footer**. Clear the button text to hide the button.
5. Choose the phone icon above the preview to see it on a phone, then **Use this design**.
6. Back in the automation, choose **Save**. The design is only kept once the automation is saved.

[Video: Design email: choosing the Banner look, then a blue accent color; the preview updates each time](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-email-design.mp4)

*Picking a look and a color.*

[Video: Typing Signed and on its way as the Heading; the banner in the preview changes to match](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-email-heading.mp4)

*The heading at the top of the email.*

[Video: The phone preview, Use this design, then Save in the automation; Automation saved appears](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-email-save.mp4)

*Checking it on a phone and saving.*

![Design the email: the Banner look in blue with the Northbeam logo, the heading Signed and on its way, the message and an Open the document button](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/email-designer.png)

*The email designer with the preview on the right.*

> **Note:** When the assistant is available, **Describe it** at the top of the designer lets you say what you want, for example *A warm thank-you after they sign*. The preview updates as it goes and each change can be undone. **Back to the standard email** puts the plain company email back, and **Reset** on the step does the same without opening the designer.

## Pause, edit or delete

**Your automations** lists every automation you've added, what it does, how many times it ran and when it last ran. If its last run couldn't do something, the reason is shown in red under it.

![Your automations: Signed: post to Slack switched off, and Quote to cash, Signed PDF to Salesforce Files, Signed: email the rep and Nudge signers after 3 days switched on, each with how many times it ran](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/your-automations.png)

*Each automation with its switch, what it does and how often it ran.*

- **Pause**: turn off its switch. **“Remind signers until they sign” is off** appears. It keeps its settings and its history.
- **Turn it back on**: turn the switch on again. It starts fresh: a time-based one doesn't catch up on the days it was off.
- **Edit**: choose **•••**, then **Edit**, change it and choose **Save**.
- **Delete**: choose **•••**, then **Delete**, and **OK** when your browser asks. Its activity is deleted with it. **Automation deleted** appears.

[Video: Automations → Your automations: turning off the switch on Remind signers until they sign; “Remind signers until they sign” is off appears and the count at the top drops to 2 on](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-pause.mp4)

*Pausing an automation.*

[Video: ••• on Remind signers until they sign, then Delete; the automation leaves the list and Automation deleted appears](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-delete.mp4)

*Deleting an automation.*

[Video: Your automations → ••• on Signed: email the rep → Edit; the Edit automation window opens](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-edit-open.mp4)

*Opening an automation to edit it.*

## Activity

The **Activity** tab shows everything your automations did, newest first: which automation, which document (click it to open the document), what each step did, and the outcome. Choose **Refresh** to see new runs.

| Outcome | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Done** | Every step did what it should. |
| **Partly done** | Some steps worked and some couldn't. The ones that couldn't start with **Couldn't:** and say why. |
| **Nothing to do** | Every step was skipped, for example **Skipped: Everyone has signed** for a reminder. |
| **Failed** | No step worked. The reason is on each step. |
| **Waiting on Salesforce** | A Salesforce step is queued, for example until Salesforce is reconnected. The run updates when it finishes. |
| **Running** | Its steps are still going. |

![The Activity tab: Quote to cash, Signed PDF to Salesforce Files and Signed: email the rep on Order Form 00000039, Nudge signers after 3 days reminding a signer, each marked Done](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/automations-activity.png)

*Every run, with what each step did.*

Each run is also written in the document's history, as **Automation “Signed: email the rep”: Emailed Avery Brooks**.

## Which ones need Salesforce

Until Salesforce is connected (**Settings → Salesforce**), the library only shows automations that work without it. Once it's connected, three more categories appear, **Salesforce updates**, **Revenue Cloud** and **Automatic sends**, along with **Renewal task in Salesforce at 11 months** under **After signing** and **Flag expired quotes in Salesforce** under **Deal hygiene**.

| Needs | Automations |
| --- | --- |
| Nothing | Everything in **Follow-ups & reminders**, **Keep the team in the loop** and **Slack, Teams & webhooks**, and all but one in **After signing** and **Deal hygiene**. |
| Salesforce | **Salesforce updates**: quote Presented, Accepted or Denied, opportunity Closed Won, Next Step, account type, the signed PDF in the record's Files, tasks for the rep and Salesforce bell notifications. Also the renewal task and flagging expired quotes. |
| Salesforce with Revenue Cloud | **Revenue Cloud**: create the order, activate it, create assets and the contract, **Full quote to cash**. A card says **Needs Revenue Cloud** until it's available. |
| Salesforce and a template | **Automatic sends**: **Set up** opens the **Send from Salesforce** tab with a rule filled in. See [Automation rules](https://www.tallysign.com/support/automation/automation-rules#create). A card says, for example, **Needs a Quote template** until you have a template used on that object. |

Salesforce automations only act on documents sent from Salesforce. **Only for** can narrow one to a single object, for example **From Quotes**.

[Video: In a company with Salesforce connected: the Salesforce updates category, then Turn on on Mark the quote Accepted when it's signed; “Signed: quote Accepted” is on appears](https://www.tallysign.com/university/automation/clip-auto-salesforce-recipe.mp4)

*With Salesforce connected: marking the quote Accepted when it's signed.*

> **Note:** In the automation window, the Salesforce steps you can add under **Then** say **Connect Salesforce first** until it's connected. If Salesforce is disconnected later, Salesforce steps wait, shown as **Waiting on Salesforce** in **Activity**, and run once an admin reconnects. The other steps of the automation run as usual.

## Good ones to turn on first

| Automation | When | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Nudge signers after 3 days** | Not signed 3 days after sending | Reminds everyone still waiting to sign, once. |
| **Keep nudging every 2 days, up to 3 times** | Not signed 2 days after sending, then every 2 days | Reminders on day 2, 4 and 6 until it's signed. |
| **Resend when nobody opened it in a day** | Not opened 1 day after sending | Sends the signing link again. |
| **Warn signers 2 days before the link expires** | 2 days before the links expire | A last reminder, saying the link expires soon. |
| **Tell the rep when it was opened but not signed** | Opened but not signed after 1 day | Emails the rep: the moment to call. |
| **Email the rep the moment it's signed** | Everyone has signed | Emails whoever sent it. |
| **Customer asked a question: alert the rep** | The customer asks a question or comments | Emails the rep the question, with a link to reply. |
| **Send every signed PDF to finance** | Everyone has signed | Emails the signed PDF to the addresses you give it (**Set up**). |
| **Alert admins when a deal is declined** | A signer declines | Emails owners and admins, with the reason. |
| **Tell the rep 3 days before it expires** | 3 days before the links expire | Emails the rep while there's still time. |
| **Tell the rep when a document expires** | The signing links expire | Emails the rep to resend it or close it out. |
| **Renewal heads-up 11 months after signing** | 335 days after everyone signed | Emails the rep a month before a yearly agreement comes up. |
| **Post every signed deal to Slack** | Everyone has signed | Posts to a Slack, Teams or Discord channel (**Set up**: paste the channel's incoming webhook link). |

> **Why it matters:** Most unsigned documents are simply forgotten. A reminder a few days in and a heads-up to the rep when the customer looked but didn't sign get them signed without anyone chasing.

## Good to know

- Each automation runs once per document, and once per repeat for reminders. One on **It's sent** runs again when an edited document is sent again.
- Time-based automations only cover documents that reach that point after you turn them on, so turning one on never reminds a pile of old documents. They're checked every few minutes.
- Reminders stop on their own once the document is signed, declined or voided, and aren't sent once the signing links have expired.
- Opening or signing your own document never counts as the customer opening or signing it.
- An internal note from your team never reaches the customer: steps that would email the signers or anyone outside your company are skipped for it.
- Everything an automation does, including anything it couldn't do and why, is in **Activity** and in the document's history.

> **Watch out:** Emails and reminders go to real people as soon as an automation is on. Check it with **See how it runs** first, and use **Save, leave off** when you set one up and aren't ready yet.

Next guide: [Automation rules](https://www.tallysign.com/support/automation/automation-rules)

Source: https://www.tallysign.com/support/automation/automations-library