> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.join.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.join.com/candidates-and-applications/automations.md).

# Automations

Automations let you configure automated actions related to the hiring process for a job. Learn how to set them up, what happens when they trigger, and how to manage them.

A pipeline automation is an action JOIN takes for you when a candidate's application reaches a particular [pipeline stage](#user-content-fn-1)[^1], instead of you having to do it manually.

Automations are attached to pipeline stages, so setting one up assumes you're already familiar with pipelines and stages. If you're not, start with [Pipeline management](/candidates-and-applications/pipeline-management.md).

> For example, you can set up an automation to email a candidate with confirmation as soon as they apply, or to reject a candidate who's been sitting in review 3 weeks, without anyone on your team needing to remember to do it.

{% hint style="info" %}
Only users with `System Admin` or `Standard` roles can add, edit, or remove automations in a pipeline template.
{% endhint %}

You don't have to configure anything for automations to start working. Every pipeline template already includes a default setup: a `Send email` automation on the `Applied` stage, which sends candidates a confirmation email as soon as they apply.

{% hint style="success" %}
We recommend reviewing all automations on a pipeline's template before you assign it to a job.
{% endhint %}

***

### Pipeline automations

Automations live inside a pipeline template, not inside a job. It's part of how that pipeline, and therefore any hiring process built on it, behaves.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Go to `Settings` > `Pipeline templates`
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Select the name of the pipeline template you want to edit
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
This opens the pipeline template builder, where you can add, edit, or remove automations on any stage

The builder shows one card per stage, laid out in the order candidates move through them: `Applied`, `Application Review`, any custom stages you've added, `Offer`, and `Hired`.

A few things to know before you start adding automations:

* Hover between two stages and a `+` icon appears, letting you add a new stage at that point in the pipeline.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FSFJ0vc6FHTFLgZk4Vwai%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=177ef81e-ddea-473f-9b5f-7dffd453a626" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Click a stage and use its <i class="fa-square-ellipsis">:square-ellipsis:</i> menu to duplicate it, edit its name and type, add an automation to it, or delete it.

{% hint style="warning" %}
`Applied`, `Application Review`, `Offer`, and `Hired` are fixed stages, they can't be renamed, reordered, or deleted, while custom stages can be added, edited, reordered, or deleted. For the full detail on working with stages themselves, see Pipeline management.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FbzCOUyndS2NyvlZMnxzI%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=69712769-d878-482d-b577-7a49b2075583" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

### Adding automation to a pipeline stage

You can start adding an automation to a stage in any of three ways:

* Click the `Add automation` button on the stage card
* Click the automation icon <i class="fa-bolt">:bolt:</i> on the stage card
* Click the <i class="fa-square-ellipsis">:square-ellipsis:</i> menu on the stage card and select `Add automation`

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Open the stage you want to add an automation to, then use one of the entry points above to open `Add automation`
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Choose an automation type

{% hint style="info" %}
Which automation types you're offered depends on the stage's `Stage type`.

An `Application review`-type stage offers two options, `Send email` and `Auto-reject application`.

An `Interview`-type stage offers one option, `Send email`.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Select an email template
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Set your [delivery options](#delivery-options)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Click `Save changes`
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FnXIeoVk2Kz3jiFgXiKc1%2Fautomations.gif?alt=media&amp;token=806f70a7-be5f-435e-92ff-f7332ab48400" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Auto-reject application

Automatically rejects the candidate and sends them a rejection email once they've spent a set amount of time in the stage. Only available on stages with the `Application review` stage type.

See [Automated emails](/candidates-and-applications/candidate-messaging/automated-emails.md) for the templates you can use, and how to edit them.

#### Send email

Sends the candidate an email using a template you choose. Available on any stage in the pipeline — the fixed `Applied`, `Application Review`, `Offer`, and `Hired` stages, plus any custom stage you've added, regardless of its stage type.

See [Automated emails](/candidates-and-applications/candidate-messaging/automated-emails.md) for the templates you can use, and how to edit them.

#### Delivery options

Each automation has delivery options you can set:

* `Send on business days only`: when turned on, JOIN only triggers the automation on the next business day at 10am, in the timezone of the recruiter who moved the candidate.
* `Add a delay` (`Send email` only): when turned on, choose how long JOIN waits before sending, in minutes, hours, days, or weeks. The default is 1 day.

If both are turned on, JOIN waits out the delay first, then triggers on the next business day at 10am, whichever business day that ends up being.

{% hint style="info" %}
Changes to automations only affect applications that enter the stage after you save. Applications already in the stage aren't affected.
{% endhint %}

#### Automation limits

* Up to 3 `Send email` automations per stage
* Up to 1 `Auto-reject application` automation per stage

Once a stage reaches its limit, `Add automation` is disabled with a tooltip: "The maximum of available automations is reached."

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can't change an automation's type after creating it. To switch a `Send email` automation to `Auto-reject application`, or the reverse, delete it and add a new one.
{% endhint %}

***

### Editing and removing pipeline automations

**To edit an automation**, click it. A panel opens on the right where you can change any of its settings, template, or delivery options. Click `Save changes` when you're done.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FFaz1MM5AGCpIK4d12rDm%2Fautomations-edits.png?alt=media&amp;token=6c64ea6d-2572-4cfc-804e-9d669cff1d11" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**To remove an automation**, hover over it to reveal a delete icon, then click it. A confirmation modal asks you to confirm the removal.

Click `Remove` to confirm. This deletes the automation from the stage. Actions it already triggered remain scheduled on the candidates' profiles.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FOBjhl9r80NivXB38Tbe8%2Fdelete-automation.gif?alt=media&amp;token=b5713519-b1ad-45c0-a18a-4ac2673b8746" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
Removing an automation from a pipeline template that's already in use can't be undone once you save the pipeline. It only stops the automation from running for candidates going forward, it doesn't cancel activities already pending for candidates currently sitting in that stage.

For example: an email that's already queued to send will still go out as scheduled. You can still cancel one of those individually from the candidate's profile — see [Upcoming automations for a particular candidate](#upcoming-automations-for-a-particular-candidate) below.
{% endhint %}

See [Upcoming automations for a particular candidate](#upcoming-automations-for-a-particular-candidate) below.

***

### Viewing an automation on the pipeline

Once a pipeline is live on a job, you can see its automations in action from the job's `Applications` page.

Any stage with at least one automation shows the automation icon <i class="fa-bolt">:bolt:</i> next to its name, both on the stage card in Kanban view and in the stage dropdown in table view. Hover the icon to see how many automations are attached to that stage.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FbDSiNML8HZJshFoJB0iE%2Fviewing-automation-icon.png?alt=media&#x26;token=49d710e2-d248-4db9-a3ae-2718870e920a" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

When you move a candidate into a stage that has automations, a pill appears at the bottom of the board showing how many automations were just queued and a short countdown, for example `2 automations in 58s`. Moving several candidates in at once queues all of their automations together, and the pill shows the combined count.

Click `View` on the pill to open a preview of what's queued for that move:

* Each queued `Send email` automation is listed here; click one to preview the exact email that will be sent.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FWYMdFQJkEv68XsADG652%2Fpill-on-applictions.gif?alt=media&amp;token=562ed632-1591-44a7-8208-7b6c607fcad4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
`Auto-reject application` automations don't appear in this preview — see [Upcoming automations for a particular candidate](#upcoming-automations-for-a-particular-candidate) on the candidate profile instead.
{% endhint %}

* Hover over an automation in the list to reveal a delete icon. Click it to cancel just that automation before it runs; you'll be asked to confirm, since this can't be undone.

{% hint style="warning" %}
This preview is for reviewing and canceling what's queued, it isn't where you change an automation's settings. To edit what an automation does, or its delivery options, go back to the pipeline template builder. See [Editing and removing automations](#editing-and-removing-automations) above.
{% endhint %}

Once an automation runs, JOIN confirms it with a brief notification, for example `2 automations successfully triggered`.

***

### Pending automations for a candidate

To see everything queued for one candidate in a single place, open their candidate profile.

Automations that are queued to run appear under `Pending activities`, at the top of the `Overview` tab. Any automated `Send email` and `Auto-reject application` activities appear here.

<figure><img src="https://1825767176-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FEdFjOFlkC1DEfDv3nGRh%2Fuploads%2FwsVprRbfEOvH5p1uaAsI%2Fpending-activities-CP.png?alt=media&amp;token=0e84782e-5ab4-4457-9ab3-74072a27748f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
A scheduled `Auto-reject application` only appears in `Pending activities` starting **1 week** before it's due to run. To cancel one earlier, move the candidate to a different stage, or edit or remove the automation from the pipeline template.
{% endhint %}

Hover over an activity to reveal two actions:

* `Cancel`: cancels the automation. It won't run.
* `Send now`: runs the automation immediately, instead of waiting out the delay.

***

### Pipeline automations on mobile

On mobile, you can view a pipeline's automations, but you can't add, edit, or remove them. Use a desktop browser to manage automations.

***

### FAQs

<details>

<summary>What is Auto-reject application?</summary>

An automation that automatically rejects a candidate and sends them a rejection email once they've spent a set amount of time in an `Application review`-type stage. See [Auto-reject application](#auto-reject-application) above.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How do I cancel a scheduled auto-reject before it runs?</summary>

Move the candidate to a different stage, or cancel it directly from `Pending activities` on their profile. You can cancel it from `Pending activities` only once it appears there, starting 1 week before it is due to run. To disable the `Auto-reject application` automation for future applications, remove it from the pipeline template.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens if I delete an email template that's linked to an automation?</summary>

If the template linked to your `Applied`-stage confirmation automation, or an `Auto-reject` automation, is deleted, JOIN falls back to the default `Application Confirmation` or `Rejection Confirmation` template. For any other `Send email` automation, deleting the linked template removes the automation entirely. Either way, activities already pending when you delete the template still send using the original template.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens to pending automations if I move a candidate to a different stage?</summary>

Any pending `Send email` automation, visible in `Pending activities` or the countdown pill, still runs on its original schedule after you move the candidate. Moving a candidate to a different stage cancels a scheduled `Auto-reject application`. If the new stage also has automations, JOIN queues those too.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I change an automation from Send email to Auto-reject application?</summary>

No. Delete the automation and add a new one of the type you want.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does duplicating a pipeline copy its automations?</summary>

Yes. Duplicating a pipeline template copies every automation configured on its stages.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens to automations if I archive a pipeline?</summary>

Nothing changes for jobs already using it. Automations keep triggering normally for any active job on that pipeline. Archiving only stops the template from being assigned to new jobs.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does importing a candidate or assigning them to a job trigger stage automations?</summary>

Importing a candidate, adding one from your talent pool, or assigning them to a job skips any automation on the `Applied` stage. Automations on other stages, including `Application Review`, still trigger normally once the candidate reaches them.

</details>

[^1]: A pipeline stage is a step in your hiring process, such as `Application Review` or `Interview`. It shows where a candidate's application is and can trigger automations. Read more on [Pipeline management](/candidates-and-applications/pipeline-management.md)


---

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