Triggers (custom field, address, contact, form submitted, receipt)

A trigger is the start condition for an automation — the event that causes it to run. Every automation begins with exactly one trigger. On the automation canvas, click the Trigger automation node to open the Add a trigger panel ("Choose what starts this automation."), then click a trigger type. Its settings open straight away; click Add trigger when you have finished.

Available trigger types

The panel groups the triggers into When a record changes (Address updated, Contact updated, Custom field updated), When something happens (Form submitted, Receipt) and On a schedule (Schedule).

• Custom field updated — "A specific custom field value changes." Fires when a chosen custom field on a Person or Organisation is updated.
• Address updated — "An address on a profile has changed." Fires when a contact's address is added or updated.
• Contact updated — "A contact detail on a profile has changed." Fires when a contact detail (such as a phone number or email) is added or updated.
• Form submitted — "A person completed a specific form." Fires when a chosen form is submitted.
• Receipt — "A new receipt is created or the status has changed." Fires on receipt activity, and always builds around conditional branches. See Receipt-triggered automations.
• Schedule — "Start daily or at a regular interval." Runs on a timetable rather than in response to something a contact does. Pair it with the Find people and organisations action to work through a list of matching records each time it runs — see Automation actions.

Setting up a "Custom field updated" trigger

When you choose Custom field updated, the panel heading reads Select the fields that will trigger this automation:

1. Choose the Record Type the field belongs to — Person or Organisation.
2. Under Fields, tick one or more custom fields you want to watch. Fields are grouped by their custom field group (for example, "Custom Fields > Category Type" or "Client Details > Client Type"); the exact fields shown depend on how your account is configured.
3. When you tick a field, its change condition appears directly beneath it. Choose one:
   • Trigger on any value change — fires whenever the field's value changes at all.
   • Trigger if value changed from — fires only when the field changes away from a value you specify. A Value to check field appears where you enter that value.
   • Trigger if value changed to — fires only when the field changes to a value you specify. A Value to check field appears where you enter that value.
4. Click Add trigger to confirm.

Setting up an "Address updated" trigger

When you choose Address updated, a configuration panel appears with three sections:

1. Only trigger when this action is done — choose which change starts the automation: Address was added, Address was changed, or Address was removed.
2. Only trigger on this record type (required) — Person or Organisation.
3. Only trigger on this address type (optional) — Street Address or Postal Address. Leave this blank to trigger on any address type.

Then click Add trigger to confirm.

Setting up a "Contact updated" trigger

When you choose Contact updated, a configuration panel appears with three sections:

1. Only trigger when this action is done — choose which change starts the automation: Contact was added, Contact was changed, or Contact was removed.
2. Only trigger on this record type (required) — Person or Organisation.
3. Only trigger for these contact type(s) — tick any combination of Phone, Mobile, and Email to limit the trigger to those contact types. Leave all unticked to trigger on any contact type.

Then click Add trigger to confirm.

Setting up a "Form submitted" trigger

• Choose Form submitted. Under Select the form this automation will apply to, use the searchable Search forms dropdown to pick the specific form you want to watch, then click Add trigger.
• The automation then runs every time that form is submitted, and the submitter becomes the affected contact for the actions that follow.
• Form triggers also make the form's answers available as merge field values, and forms with a Transaction block expose transaction details for receipts. See Merge fields availability & limitations by trigger for detail.

Setting up a "Receipt" trigger

• Choose Receipt to start the automation from receipt activity (a receipt being created or its status changing).
• SwiftFox shows a notification that the trigger requires conditions, and automatically adds conditional branches based on receipt status. See Receipt-triggered automations for full detail.

Setting up a "Schedule" trigger

A scheduled automation has no triggering contact. It runs at the times you set, and the actions that follow usually begin with Find people and organisations so there are records to act on.

1. Choose Schedule. The panel opens with a Step name (shown on the canvas; "Schedule" by default).
2. Under When it runs, choose how it Repeats:
   • Daily at a set time — pick a Time and a Time zone. The panel confirms the result in words (for example "Every day at 9:00 am, Melbourne time") and notes that it follows daylight saving: if a clock change skips the chosen time, that day's run is missed.
   • At an interval — choose how often under Every (5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours or 12 hours) and a Time zone. The panel confirms the cadence (for example "Runs every hour, on the hour") and shows the next run time.
3. Click Add trigger. The canvas shows the schedule on the trigger node, with an Edited chip and a Next run in … countdown above it.

The panel carries a notice headed Save as a draft first: scheduled automations can't be published straight away. Save a draft, then reopen the automation to publish it. A published schedule runs in the circle the automation belongs to, or in the context (a circle or Global) you had selected when you published it.

The "affected contact"

The affected contact is the contact tied to the trigger — for example, the person who submitted the form, or the record whose custom field was updated. Actions such as Send an email and Update custom fields can target this contact directly; the option's label depends on the trigger (for example Affected Contact for Custom field updated, or The contact who filled the form for Form submitted).

Why the trigger matters beyond starting the automation

The trigger you choose determines which merge field values are available later in the journey. A Schedule trigger has no contact of its own, so contact fields only become available inside a Find people and organisations step. Not all custom fields are available in every automation — availability depends on the trigger context. See Merge fields availability & limitations by trigger for full detail.