🧠 Build Automations That Only Trigger When Prerequisites Are Met
Too many automations move fast — but not smart. 💡 Precision beats speed when the goal is reliability, consistency, and customer trust. Here’s how to make sure your automations only run when the groundwork is done 👇 ✅ Why Prerequisites Matter 🔒 Prevent errors Avoid incomplete actions, missing data, or skipped steps. 🧩 Keep processes logical Trigger actions only in their proper business context. 📊 Improve data quality Validate that required fields, approvals, or conditions are in place before firing automations. 🔧 How to Build Prerequisite-Driven Workflows 🗂️ 1. Define Clear Conditions What must be true before this automation runs? (Example: Form completed, deal marked “Closed Won”, approval granted.) 🧠 2. Use Conditional Logic In tools like Zapier, Make, or n8n, build smart logic like: IF payment received AND contract signed → THEN send onboarding email 🔁 3. Stack Dependencies Sequence multi-step automations to ensure each action depends on a completed step. 🚨 4. Add Fail-Safes Build error-handling logic or alerts for missing prerequisites to avoid silent failures. 📦 Real Example: Sales Handoff Automation 🔑 Prerequisite: Deal marked “Closed Won” All contract fields are filled ⚙️ Triggered Action: Automatically generate onboarding tasks for operations ✅ Outcome: No premature handoffs Zero missing details Smoother client onboarding 🧠 Keys to Automation Success ✔ Design with dependencies—not just triggers ✔ Test for edge cases and skipped steps ✔ Regularly review and update your workflow conditions 📣 Bottom Line: Smart automations wait until they’re needed. They don’t just do things—they do the right things, at the right time. Make your workflows smarter, more predictable, and trusted.