Build a workflow

Create an automation workflow in Eloope using the visual workflow builder. Connect triggers, conditions, and actions on a drag-and-drop canvas to automate any process.

Open the workflow builder

1. Navigate to Automation in the left sidebar.
2. Click New Automation in the top-right corner.
3. The workflow builder canvas opens with an empty workspace.

You can also duplicate an existing workflow by clicking the three-dot menu on any workflow and selecting Duplicate. This creates a copy you can modify without affecting the original.

Step 1: Add a trigger

Every workflow starts with a trigger. This is the event that kicks off the automation.

1. Click the trigger node ("When...") on the canvas.
2. Select the Application (Expense, Report, Advance, or Trip).
3. Choose the Automation Type:
   • Event-based: Fires when a specific event occurs (e.g., "Expense Created", "Report Submitted").
   • Date-based (Scheduled): Fires relative to a date field. Configure: which date field to track, how many days before or after, time of day, and whether it runs once or on a recurring cycle (daily, weekly, monthly).
4. Click Save on the trigger node.

Each workflow needs exactly one trigger. The trigger determines what data is available to the rest of the workflow.

Step 2: Add conditions (optional)

Conditions let you filter which items continue through the workflow. If the conditions are not met, the workflow stops.

1. Click the condition node ("If...") on the canvas.
2. Configure your filter rules:
   • Field: Choose what to check (amount, category, department, employee, status, etc.)
   • Operator: How to compare. Available operators include: equals, not equals, greater than, less than, greater than or equal, less than or equal, contains, not contains, in, not in, before, after, is empty, is not empty, is true, is false.
   • Value: The value to compare against (context-specific: text, number, date, or user).
3. Use the AND/OR toggle to combine multiple conditions with logical operators.
4. Click Save on the condition node.

You can chain multiple conditions. Choose AND to require all conditions to be true, or OR to proceed if any condition is met.

Step 3: Add actions

Actions define what happens when the trigger fires and all conditions pass.

1. Click the + button below your last node.
2. Select an action type:
   • Send email: Compose a message using the template editor with variables like {employee_name}, {amount}, and {report_name}
   • Send notification: Deliver an in-app notification
   • Send Slack message: Post to a Slack channel or DM
   • Send Teams message: Post to a Microsoft Teams channel
   • Upload to Google Drive: Send receipts or reports to a specified folder
   • Upload to OneDrive: Send files to a OneDrive folder
   • Sync to QuickBooks: Create an expense entry in QuickBooks
   • Sync to Xero, FreshBooks, or Sage: Push data to your accounting tool
   • Auto-approve: Approve the item automatically
   • Auto-reject: Reject the item automatically
   • Send webhook: Send a POST request to any URL (for Zapier or custom integrations). Set a Signing Secret to have Eloope sign each payload with HMAC-SHA256 — see Verifying webhook signatures for details.
3. Configure the action details.
4. Click Save on the action node.

You can add multiple actions to a single workflow. They execute in the order they are connected.

Connect nodes

Drag a line from the output port of one node to the input port of the next. The visual connections define the flow of your automation from trigger through conditions to actions.

Save, test, and activate

1. Click Save in the top-right corner to save your workflow.
2. Click Test/Validate to run a dry-run check. This verifies that your trigger is configured, at least one action is present, all required fields are filled, and integration credentials are valid.
3. Click Run Manual Test to trigger the workflow manually and see results.
4. Toggle the Active switch to turn the workflow on.

A saved workflow that is not active will not run. You can deactivate a workflow at any time without deleting it. You can also Duplicate existing workflows to create variations.

Related articles

• Automation overview
• Triggers, conditions, and actions
• Verifying webhook signatures