Creating an Automation

Setting up automations in Bullhorn Automation is a powerful way to streamline your workflows and enhance efficiency. This guide walks you through the steps of creating a new automation from scratch or using pre-built blueprints designed for common use cases. You’ll learn how to configure essential settings, such as selecting the automation type, defining record types, and optimizing sending schedules. The article also explains key features like re-entry settings, high-priority automation, and staggered starts, helping you manage the flow and timing of your automations effectively.

Whether you're building a simple, one-step automation or a complex, multi-step workflow, this guide will help you understand the options available and configure settings that align with your business goals. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully configured automation that’s ready to enhance your processes and boost productivity.

Adding a New Automation

Follow the steps below to add and configure a new automation:

1. Click on Automations > Add Automation.
2. Fill out the following information: 
   • Automation Type When selecting an automation type, there are two options: Standard and Center on Date Field. The Standard option means that the list(s) alone will control who enter the automation. The Center on Date Field option, in addition to list criteria, controls entrt based on a relative date.: You can choose to create your automation from scratch, or select from several pre-built common use cases known as blueprints. Selecting one option over another won't limit your choices, but will pre-populate the automation with the appropriate steps to save you time.
   • Record Type: Select whether your automation will be designed around Candidates, Sales Contacts, Placements, Submissions, Jobs or Leads.
     • Leads is an Enterprise only feature.
     • You’ll only be able to use lists, engagements, and merge tags in automations of the same entity. For example, if you want to send out a Placement based survey engagement, you will need to create a Placement based automation. Candidate and Contact based surveys can also be used in Submission or Placement based automations.
   • Automation Name: Enter a name for your automation. Please note that you cannot save automation names, group names, list names, or stage names that contain the following characters: < > " ' % ; ( ) & +
     
   • Automation Type: You can choose between Standard or Center on Date Field. In Standard automations, the list(s) alone will control who enters the automation. For automations with Center on Date Field selected, in addition to the list criteria, entry is controlled by a relative date. For example: in a Candidate automation, you can select to have Candidates enter the automation when they match the list criteria and one week before their birthday.
     • The available trigger options for a Center on Date Field automation vary depending on the entity you select. The automations can be build around any standard or custom date fields that are synced to Automation. The following are examples of options:
       • Placement: Start Date, End Date, Fixed Date
       • Submission: Interview Date, Fixed Date
       • Job: Job Start Date, Fixed Date
       • Lead: Date Last Visited, Date Last Comment
       • Candidate: Date Available, Birthday, Appointment Date, Fixed Date, Internal Interview Date
       • Sales Contact: Appointment Date, Fixed Date, Birthday
   • Choose the type of contact: If you are creating a Placement, Submission, or Job based automation you will also be prompted to select whether Candidates or Sales Contacts will go into the automation.

     Job based automations only allow the selection of Sales Contacts, and not Candidates.
     

3. Click Save to create the automation.

After you have created your Automation, Configure the Automation Settings.