Transcript
Throughout the last couple of days, we've been working on an HR portal. The idea is that you can create a job listing and then send out a form for applicants to apply to that job.
We already built our user database where someone can log into the application and create new jobs. We have a table called job listings where all the new jobs go, like product designer or software engineer.
In the first lesson, we also set up some database agents, linked fields, and roll-up fields. Databases are really fundamental for how you set up your application and just getting the data right.
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Note from Softr: While this walkthrough shows manual setup, you can use the AI co-builder to generate your initial Softr Databases and interface pages instantly from a simple prompt.
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Beyond the database, we moved into Softr interfaces. We used a Vibe-coding block to create a hero section and a Quick Links block for navigation. We also used a dynamic listing block that brings in data from our HR portal.
Today we are going to expand this use case. When an application is submitted, we want to send the applicant an email and send a Slack message to the team. We also want to update the record to track that those automations ran.
Tom is going to lead us through the build, and then I will show you how to trigger a workflow from a button in the interface. We can even show a wait screen to the user while the workflow runs.
Let's talk about the anatomy of a workflow or an automation. There is a triggering event, which is something that happens inside of an application, in this case, the Softr Databases.
When that trigger happens, it has data points like the record ID. It is important for your trigger to be focused and intentional so the rest of your automation doesn't run into errors by using the wrong information.
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Note from Softr: You can build powerful internal tools for your team by using Softr Workflows to handle logic like email notifications and status updates without leaving the platform.
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The second part of the workflow involves action steps. These include searches, updates, and other actions. Different apps have different abilities based on their API limitations.
If you are trying to do more complicated things, you can use an API call. An API call allows you to connect Softr Workflows to literally any public application that has an API.
Branches are helpful for breaking up a workflow into logical steps based on deterministic paths. If certain conditions are filled, the workflow goes down a specific path with remaining actions.
A filter is another great tool to check if a condition is true before proceeding. This ensures you are not spending more credits than you need to or running workflows unnecessarily.
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Note from Softr: For many typical business processes like project management, Softr Workflows can handle your logic natively, reducing the need for external tools like Zapier or Make.
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In this first flow, we want to send an email to the applicant. We can use a Gmail step, which will ask you to authenticate your account. You can even have multiple Gmail accounts for different departments.
The 'To' field will be dynamic. We get variables from the trigger, and every time the workflow runs, that email variable will change to match the specific applicant.
You can mix dynamic and static data. We can hard-code a subject line like 'Thanks for applying' and then insert the dynamic name variable to make it personal.
Softr makes it easy to add variables using the at sign. You can select the variables that appear from the menu to build out the body of your email.
When testing an email step, it is safer to use a mock test. A mock test shows you the information without actually sending a draft email to a real person.
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Note from Softr: If you're building a client portal, using native Forms combined with personalized emails creates a professional experience for your users.
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Next, we want to notify our team internally. We can use a Slack message for this. We can post a channel message or a direct message and include details like the job title and applicant name.
You could even add an AI step to search the internet for more information about an applicant. This could help enhance the data your team sees before they even open the application.
If you want to update the original record in the Softr Databases, you use the update record action. You select the record ID from the trigger step to tell the system exactly which row to change.
We can also trigger workflows directly from a button in the Softr interface. This is called a 'Run Custom Workflow' action on an item button.
When a user clicks that button, we can send the specific record ID to the workflow. This allows the workflow to know exactly which item the user is interacting with.
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Note from Softr: If you need to build a custom component that isn't available in the standard library, you can use the Vibe-coding block to prompt for exactly what you need.
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In our example, we used AI to take a long job description and generate a short summary. Then, we updated the job listing record with that new summary automatically.
We can even redirect the user to a specific page after the workflow finishes. By constructing the URL with the record ID variable, we can send them straight to the detail page of the item they just updated.
Softr Workflows is a powerful tool you can use as a standalone automation engine or to enhance your existing Softr apps. One subscription gives you access to the database, the interface, the forms, and the automations.
