Automations

Save hours every week by automating routine tasks, reminders, and notifications. Set up rules once and let WeekdayApp handle the rest.

How Automations Work

1. When (Trigger)

Choose what event or condition should start the automation — like a deadline approaching or an invoice becoming overdue.

2. Check (Conditions)

Optionally filter which records it applies to — like only high priority tasks or invoices over a certain amount.

3. Do (Actions)

Tell WeekdayApp what to do — send a notification, create a task, send an email, or all of the above.

What Can Automations Do?

Each automation can perform one or more of these actions. Chain multiple actions together to build powerful workflows.

In-App Notification

Alert team members with a notification in their notification bell

Send Email

Send a branded email to team members or clients via Resend

Send WhatsApp

Reach clients on WhatsApp for reminders about documents, invoices, or deadlines

Create Task

Automatically create tasks with deadlines, assignments, and checklists

Update Task

Change task priority, status, assignee, or add notes when conditions change

Create Invoice

Generate invoices from unbilled time entries or fixed amounts

Update Invoice

Modify invoice status or add notes automatically

Webhook

Send data to external systems via HTTP with automatic retry

Getting Started: Use a Template

The fastest way to get started is with a pre-built template. WeekdayApp includes 10 templates designed for South African accounting firms.

Deploy a Template in 5 Steps

1Go to Automations from the sidebar
2Click New Automation in the top right
3Choose Start from Template
4Browse by category or search, then click Use This Template
5Give it a name, review the settings, and click Save — your automation is now live!

Template	Category	What It Does	Setup
VAT Return Reminder	Compliance	Notifies the assigned accountant 7 days before a VAT return is due	2 min
Invoice Follow-up (14 Days)	Billing	Sends a friendly payment reminder email to clients	2 min
Invoice Follow-up (30 Days)	Billing	Escalates to managers when invoices are 30 days overdue	2 min
Client Document Chase	Client	Sends weekly WhatsApp reminders for outstanding documents	3 min
Task Overdue Escalation	Task	Auto-escalates tasks that are 3+ days overdue to high priority	3 min
Compliance WhatsApp Alert	Compliance	Urgent WhatsApp 3 days before any compliance deadline	2 min
New Client Onboarding	Client	Creates a full onboarding checklist when a new client is added	5 min
Monthly Bookkeeping	Task	Creates a bookkeeping task every Monday for junior staff	3 min
AFS Preparation	Compliance	Creates a 10-step AFS preparation task 30 days before filing	5 min
Provisional Tax Alert	Compliance	Emails clients 14 days before provisional tax payments are due	3 min

Recommended for new users

Start with the VAT Return Reminder and Invoice Follow-up (14 Days) templates. These are the most commonly used and provide immediate value.

Building a Custom Automation

When templates don't cover your exact need, build a custom automation using the 5-step builder.

The 5-Step Builder

Trigger

Details

Conditions

Actions

Review

Step 1: Choose a Trigger

Select which type of data this applies to (tasks, invoices, clients) and what event or condition should cause it to fire.

Step 2: Configure Details

Set thresholds (e.g., "7 days before due"), schedule times, or which field to watch for changes.

Step 3: Add Conditions (Optional)

Filter which records the automation applies to. For example, only high priority tasks, or only invoices above R5,000. Skip this step to apply to all matching records.

Step 4: Choose Actions

Select what should happen when the automation fires. Add multiple actions to run in sequence (e.g., notify manager, then create a task).

Step 5: Name and Review

Give your automation a clear, descriptive name, review the summary, and click Save.

Available Triggers

Triggers determine when your automation fires. There are two kinds:

Deadline Approaching

Time-based

Fires when an item is due within a certain number of days

Example: Notify me 7 days before a VAT return is due

Overdue

Time-based

Fires when an item is past its due date by a certain number of days

Example: Send a reminder when an invoice is 14 days overdue

Inactive Client

Time-based

Fires when a client has had no activity (tasks, invoices, or time entries) for a set period

Example: Alert me when a client has been inactive for 30 days

Schedule

Time-based

Fires at specific times on specific days of the week

Example: Create a bookkeeping task every Monday at 8 AM

Created

Event

Fires immediately when a new item is added to the system

Example: When a new client is created, create an onboarding task

Field Changed

Event

Fires when a specific field changes to a specific value

Example: When a task priority changes to "urgent", notify the manager

Status Changed

Event

Fires when the status of an item changes

Example: When an invoice is marked as "paid", notify the account manager

Adding Conditions (Filters)

Conditions are optional filters that narrow down which records your automation applies to. Without conditions, the automation fires for every matching record.

Each condition has three parts

Field+Operator+Value

Example: priority · equals · high

Available Operators

Equals / Not equals — Exact match or exclusion
Greater / Less than — Numeric comparisons
Contains — Text includes a word
Is in list — Value is one of several options
Is empty / Not empty — Check if a field has a value

AND vs OR Logic

AND (All must match)

Priority is "high" AND status is "pending"

OR (Any can match)

Priority is "high" OR priority is "urgent"

Using Variables in Messages

Variables let you insert real data into your notifications, emails, and task descriptions. They use double curly braces and get replaced with actual values when the automation runs.

Variable	Description	Example Output
{{task.title}}	Task name	Submit VAT201 for ABC Pty Ltd
{{task.dueDate}}	Task due date	2026-03-25
{{task.assignedToName}}	Who the task is assigned to	Sarah Johnson
{{task.clientName}}	Client name from task	ABC Pty Ltd
{{invoice.invoiceNumber}}	Invoice number	INV-00042
{{invoice.totalAmount}}	Invoice amount	15000
{{invoice.daysPastDue}}	Days overdue	14
{{client.name}}	Client name	XYZ Holdings
{{client.daysSinceActivity}}	Days since last activity	45
{{compliance.deadlineType}}	Type of compliance deadline	VAT201
{{compliance.dueDate}}	Deadline date	2026-03-31
{{compliance.daysUntilDue}}	Days until the deadline	7
{{today}}	Today's date	2026-03-20
{{company.name}}	Your company name	Smith & Associates

Example message

"The VAT return for {{compliance.clientName}} is due in {{compliance.daysUntilDue}} days. Please ensure it is submitted on time."

Managing Your Automations

Enable / Disable

Toggle automations on or off. When disabled, the rule is paused but your settings are preserved.

Test a Rule

Run a rule once immediately to verify it works correctly before leaving it on.

Duplicate

Copy an existing rule and tweak it. Saves time when creating similar automations.

View History

See a log of all automation runs — what fired, when, and whether it succeeded or failed.

Troubleshooting

Automation doesn't seem to be firing

Check the automation is enabled (green toggle)
Verify matching records actually exist (e.g., are there overdue invoices?)
Check the 24-hour cooldown — it may have already fired for this record recently
Review your conditions — they may be filtering out all records
Try the Test button and check History for errors

"Could not resolve recipient"

The task or invoice doesn't have someone assigned. Either assign a user or change the recipient type to "role" (e.g., all managers).

"No phone number on file" or "WhatsApp not enabled"

The client needs a mobile number on their profile AND must have opted in to WhatsApp notifications via the portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do automations check for new matches?

Every 5 to 15 minutes. There can be a short delay between a condition being met and the automation firing.

Will I get the same notification over and over?

No. Each automation has a 24-hour cooldown per record. Once it fires for a specific task or invoice, it won’t fire again for the same record for 24 hours.

Can I have multiple actions in one automation?

Yes! You can chain multiple actions together. For example, send a notification AND create a follow-up task from a single trigger.

Who can create automations?

Only Admins and Managers can create and manage automation rules. All team members will receive the notifications and tasks created by automations.

What happens if an action fails?

The failure is logged in the execution history with an error message. The automation will retry the next time it runs (after a 1-hour cooldown for failures).

Can I send WhatsApp messages to any client?

Only to clients who have verified their WhatsApp number and opted in to receive that specific type of message. This is required by WhatsApp’s policies.

Will automations run during weekends?

Deadline and overdue triggers run 24/7. Schedule triggers only run on the days and times you configure.

Best Practices

Start with templates — they're pre-tested and cover the most common workflows.

Always test first — use the Test button before relying on a new automation.

Use clear names — "VAT deadline – 7 day reminder" is better than "Rule 1".

Don't over-notify — too many alerts leads to notification fatigue. Focus on the most important triggers.

Layer reminders — set up multiple automations at different intervals (14 days, 7 days, 3 days).

Review monthly — check history for rules that never fire or fire too often.

WhatsApp Important Note

WhatsApp messages can only be sent to clients who have verified their WhatsApp number and opted in to receive that type of message. Reserve WhatsApp for important, time-sensitive communications. Overusing it can lead to clients opting out.

Compliance Tasks Settings