In this video:
About Automation
Add Automation
How Does Automation Work in Tasks?
Automation allows you to trigger actions automatically when specific conditions are met within a Task, Subtask, or Client Request.
You likely learned Apollo Root Cause Analysis methodology in math class. It states that conditions and actions must coexist for something to happen. Well, that’s exactly what automation is!
Table of Contents
Understand How Automation Works
Automation is applied to:
Tasks
Subtasks
Client Requests (within a Task)
Automation is built using conditions and actions—also known as if-then statements.
Condition (If/When) – The trigger
Action (Then) – What happens next
Example:
Condition: When the task status is Ready
Action: Set assignee to Angela Martin
In other words:
If the task status becomes Ready, then assign it to Angela Martin.
Both a condition and an action are required for automation to work.
Add Automation to a Task
You can add automation after creating a task or subtask inside the Task Workspace.
Example: Automatically Reassign a Task Before It’s Due
Open an existing Task.
Add or confirm a Due Date.
Click Add Automation.
Next, you’ll configure:
A Condition
An Action
Step 1: Choose a Condition
Click the first dropdown under Conditions.
Select a condition type. Examples include:
When the task status is…
When a task is approaching a date
When the task reaches a date
When the task is past a date
Example setup:
Select When the task is approaching a date.
Enter the number of days (for example, 3).
Choose the date type (such as Due Date).
This means:
If the task is 3 days away from its due date…
Step 2: Choose an Action
Select Set assignee(s) from the Action dropdown.
Choose the team member(s) to assign.
This means:
…then assign the task to the selected team member(s).
Click Add Automation.
Once saved, you’ll see a summary of your if-then statement under the Automation section.
Important: Automation will not save unless both a condition and an action are configured.
Edit or Add Additional Automation
To edit an existing automation:
Click the three dots next to the automation rule.
Select Edit.
Make your changes.
You can:
Add multiple automation rules to a task
Apply automation to Tasks, Subtasks, or Client Requests
Configure automation during task creation or afterward
Best Practice: Use automation to manage hand-offs between preparers and reviewers to reduce manual reassignment.
How Actions Are Determined
Canopy only displays actions that are compatible with your selected condition.
In other words:
Available actions depend on your chosen condition.
Example:
If your condition is:
When a date is approaching
You might see actions such as:
Set assignee
Send an email
However:
If a contact does not have an email address on file, the Send Email action will not appear.
Once an email is added to that contact, the email action becomes available.
This reduces setup errors and keeps automation logic aligned with real data.
Handle Automation Errors
Automation may stop working if an element tied to the condition or action is removed.
Example:
A Custom Date is used in a condition
The Custom Date field is later deleted
To resolve:
Recreate or select a valid date field.
Update the automation condition.
Always review automation rules after deleting:
Custom fields
Custom dates
Status options
Summary
Automation in Canopy:
Uses simple if-then logic
Applies to Tasks, Subtasks, and Client Requests
Helps automate reassignment and deadline management
Displays only compatible actions to reduce setup errors
When used strategically, automation keeps work flowing between team members and reduces manual follow-up.
Need Help?
Contact Support or ask Penny, our AI Support Bot, for assistance.