Stage automation examples (Basic): Update account tags

Let your pipelines do the work for you: automate applying and removing account tags at any pipeline stage. For example, your leads will automatically get the New client tag instead of the Leads tag after they make a prepayment. 

In this article, you will learn how to set up this automation in pipeline stages, but this approach also applies to setting up this automation in custom job statuses.

Step 1. Create tags

Before adding the automation, you have to decide which tag must be applied or removed automatically. Use the following questions for reference: 

• Which client group would you like to see by filtering the account list? Returning clients, Tax clients, etc.
• Which client group requires a different process with specific automations? E.g. Weekly, Monthly, Quaterly.
• For which client group do my team members need a specific set of tasks to proceed with the provided services? E.g. QBO Clients
• And so on

Make sure you've created tags for particular groups of clients.

Step 2. Add the Update account tags automation to the pipeline

Note! Adding the Update account tags automation will block the stage for manual job moving for team members without the Manage tags access right.

To automatically apply or remove tags you've created, follow these steps:

1. Select the stage on your pipeline, when tags must be applied or removed, then add the Update account tags automation. While adding, select tags you want to be automatically added or removed to the client account at this stage.

2. Once the job enters the stage, tags are applied and removed accordingly. 

Note! For the Update account tags automation, it doesn't matter if automove jobs is toggled on for the stage. The automation is triggered automatically and doesn't need actions either from the client or the firm to be completed. Also, no elements are linked to the job when the automation is triggered.

This automation can be added in various ways:

• Clear existing account tags toggled on, and Add Account Tags field empty:
  When a job enters this stage, all applied tags are removed from the account.
• Clear existing account tags toggled on, and Add Account Tags field filled in:
  When a job enters this stage, all applied tags are removed from the account, and tags selected in the Add Account Tags field are applied to the account.
• Clear existing account tags toggled off, and Add Account Tags field filled in:
  When a job enters this stage, all applied tags remain assigned to the account, and tags listed in the Add Account Tags field are applied to the account.
• Clear existing account tags toggled off, and Remove Account Tags field filled in:
  When a job enters the stage, tags listed in the Remove Account Tags field are removed from the account.
• Add Account Tags field, and Remove Account Tags field filled in:
  When a job enters the stage, tags listed in the Add Account Tags field are applied to the account, and tags listed in the Remove Account Tags field are removed from the account.

Tip! Try to use this feature along with conditional stages and automations so that the next events in your pipeline will be triggered for the accounts to which the tags are automatically applied. 

Step 3. Note the order of automations

When building complex pipelines using Update account tags automation and conditional stages and automations, be aware of the order of automations. Take into consideration that automations are triggered one by one, from first to last. 

Compare the two images below for a better understanding. 

• In the example on the left, a task will be created for all accounts that have an Ext Needed tag, then the Ext Needed tag for the accounts will be removed and Ext Filed applied.
• In the example on the right, the Ext Needed tag for the accounts will be removed and Ext Filed applied, and since there are no accounts with Ext Needed tag anymore, the task will not be created.

To change the order of automations, click on any automation inside the stage, hover the mouse over the  Move icon, then drag-n-drop it. 

Change tags when moving or adding jobs

The options you choose in the pipeline settings are the default ones. However, you can always decide which tags will be applied or removed when moving your jobs manually or adding them to the pipeline.

If there is an Update Account Tags automation created inside a selected stage you are moving jobs to, it is displayed on a pop-up. You have the following options:

• If you want the automation to be triggered with the default settings, leave it as is
• If you don't want the automation to be triggered, untick the checkbox 
• If you want to change the settings for the tags, add or remove the ones you need
• If you want to clear all existing tags for the account(s), toggle on Clear account tags

Also, you can see applied tags from the kanban view, as well as add or remove tags by editing a job card on the spot.