Auto Actions allows users to automate simple tasks and data entry. They are commonly used to:
- Notify users of upcoming or expiring dates
- Update a category (such as Case Stage) to help define your records
- Send an email communication to clients upon receipt of information
Auto Actions can be setup with any combination of the following triggers and actions.
Triggers | Actions |
Update a field | Send an Email |
Insert a record | Add an Alert |
Delete a record | Insert single record or Prefill Group |
On a schedule | Update a field or fields |
Insert a Checklist |
Find your Auto Actions
Access via Settings > Auto Actions. Enabled Auto Actions are shown. Many are included in your initial SAM setup.

Sidebar options
The side bar presents links to:
- Go back to main Settings screen
- Create a New Auto Action
- Auto Actions schedule: shows a list of all upcoming scheduled Auto Actions that will affect any records
- View disabled actions in addition to active ones
- View only disabled actions
View details
Click the name of an Auto Action to open the details screen. Click the green pencil to edit that section. From here you can:
- Make modifications to the Auto Action (by clicking the green pencil)
- Create a new Auto Action from an existing one
- Disable the Auto Action
- Delete the Auto Action (under advanced options on sidebar)
- Edit the email template connected to this auto action (under advanced options on sidebar or click the green pencil)
Trigger types: what will trigger the action
This is the event that will cause the automated task to be performed. It causes the action to occur.
When setting up a new Auto Action, you'll be asked to select from the following trigger types:
- Update Field when entering or changing information in a specified field, an action will perform.
- Insert Record When a new record is added. This could be a main record, such as Child or Person or for a sub 1:Many record, such as Parent Education, Background Check or Progress Report.
- Delete Record when removing a record.
- Schedule set tasks that are done continually at a set time period. For detailed instructions go to: Scheduled Auto Actions.
Action types: what action you want to happen
After you determine the trigger, you'll need to tell SAM what action you want to happen as a result of the trigger.
Action types include:
- Send an email: an email goes out (users can require a manual confirmation or automatically send)
- Add an alert: an alert will pop up in a record
- Update a field: change a field's content such as inserting a date or name, etc.
- Add a checklist section: add another section to a checklist
- Prefill group: adds a prefill group into a record - click here for a description of prefill groups
- Insert a record: create a new record such as adding a background check to a family record
Sort & Filter Your Auto Actions
Above the list of Auto Actions are drop down lists to help you find Auto Actions. Filter/search by:
- Action Type: The action it will take (what you want it to do), for example, send an email
- Trigger Type: What happens that tells SAM to take that action, for example, a date is entered into a child's record
- Table: such as case or home study
- Field: such as home study expiration date or inquiry received date

Next Up: Before You Create A New Auto Action, Do This
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