Setting up automation workflows is essential for ecommerce; they send the right message at the right time, without manual work. Omnisend offers 15+ preset workflows (Welcome, Abandoned Cart, Post‐Purchase, and more) with recommended triggers, delays, and message templates. Filter by goal or channel, customize, and launch in minutes.
Automations Library
Go to Automation → Create Workflow. You'll see the Automations Library with pre-built workflows and a "Create from scratch" option.
We recommend starting with a pre-built since it includes best‐practice settings and preset message templates.
Browse and Select a Pre-built
Filter pre-built workflows by Type, Goal, or Channel to find what you need:
Available Pre-built Workflow Types
Welcome – triggered when a contact subscribes to your Email channel.
Abandoned Cart and Abandoned Checkout – triggered when a contact adds items to cart or starts checkout but doesn't complete the purchase (functionality varies by ecommerce platform).
Browse Abandonment – includes Browse Abandonment, Product Abandonment, and Search Abandonment (Shopify only) workflows, triggered by browsing behavior.
Transactional – includes Order Confirmation, Shipping Confirmation, Cancellation Confirmation; triggered when order status changes.
Post-Purchase – includes Product Reviews, Cross-Sell, Order Follow-up, Customer Reactivation; triggered after an order is placed.
Special Occasions – triggered before, on, or after a contact's birthday.
💡 Not sure which workflow to use?
Filter by goal (e.g., "Convert Subscribers" or "Cross sell") to see relevant options.
Or check our Blog for more recommendations on the must-have automation workflows:
Multi‐Channel Workflows
Omnisend automatically checks contact availability and subscription status for email, SMS, and push notifications. You can choose pre-built workflows that use one or multiple channels.
💡 Tip: Omnisend lets you reach contacts using different channels, automatically checking phone number or email address availability and subscription status. Learn more about Workflow Channel Settings.
Customize Your Pre-built Workflow
Once you select a pre-built workflow, all settings (trigger, delays, messages, exit conditions) are pre‐configured. You can edit any part:
Change message content or add new messages.
Adjust delays between messages.
Add audience filters, exit conditions, or A/B test splits.
Multi‐message workflows include content templates for each email or SMS.
When to Build a Custom Workflow
Need a trigger that's not in the pre-built workflows (e.g., Contact Enters Segment, Custom Event)? Click Create from scratch to build a custom workflow using your selected triggers, such as:
Custom event (AfterShip Delivered, Gorgias Satisfaction Survey, etc.).
Next Steps
Set up your first automation workflow – learn about workflow settings, triggers, and filters.
Explore individual pre-built workflows:
Optimize your workflows:
FAQ
What's the difference between the pre-built automation workflows?
Each pre-built workflow is designed for a specific customer action:
Abandoned Cart – Sends emails when someone adds items but doesn't check out.
Abandoned Checkout – Sends emails when someone starts checkout but doesn't finish.
Welcome Series – Sends a sequence of emails to new subscribers (choose x1 for one email or x3 for three emails).
Order Confirmation – Sends automatic receipt emails after purchase.
Cross-Sell – Recommends related products after a purchase.
If you're unsure, start with Abandoned Cart to recover lost sales, or Welcome Series to engage new subscribers.
Should I use both Abandoned Cart and Abandoned Checkout automations?
Yes, use both. They target different customer behaviors:
Abandoned Cart triggers when someone adds items but never starts checkout.
Abandoned Checkout triggers when someone starts checkout but doesn't complete the purchase.
The system prevents duplicate emails. If a customer starts checkout, they exit the Abandoned Cart workflow and only receive Abandoned Checkout emails. Using both ensures you recover sales from customers at different stages.
When should I use a pre-built workflow vs. create an automation from scratch?
Pre-built workflows come with triggers, timing, and exit conditions already configured. Use pre-built workflows for common automations like Welcome, Abandoned Cart, or Post-Purchase.
Create from Scratch gives you full control over triggers and trigger filters. Use this option for custom automations based on segments, custom events, or specific business rules.
💡 Tip: If you're new to Omnisend, start with a pre-built workflow – it's faster and includes best-practice settings.
Which automations should I set up first?
Start with these three essential automations:
Welcome Series – Engages new subscribers.
Abandoned Cart – Recovers lost sales (highest ROI).
Order Confirmation – Builds trust with purchase receipts.
Once these are live, add Abandoned Checkout, Cross-Sell, and Customer Reactivation to maximize revenue.
If you still have any questions or need any assistance, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or via in-app chat.