Transcript
If you're building apps in Softr and you still rely on Zapier and Make or custom scripts for every approval or notification or status change, this update is a big deal. Softr introduced workflows late last year, and this is one of those features that quietly but fundamentally changes what the platform can do. If you've been using Softr for a while, you've probably noticed the evolution.
First it was pages and blocks, then Softr introduced native databases, and now with workflows, they've added an automation and logic layer. This is what finally turned Softr into a true full-stack platform. They've also introduced forms, meaning you're no longer just building interfaces, you're actually building full-on systems.
In this video, I'm going to walk you through what Softr Workflows do, why they matter, their limitations, and when you should use them. We're going to build a quick workflow with an applicant tracking system I've been creating so you can see it in action. Before I show you how the workflows operate with this ATS application, I want to explain what Softr Workflows are at a high level.
Essentially, Softr Workflows are event-driven automations that live directly inside your Softr application. For example, if something happens in your app like a form submission, a button click, or a record update, Softr can automatically run logic in the background.
Before workflows, Softr handled the front end and the data, but the logic lived somewhere else like n8n, Make, or Zapier. Now, that logic lives natively inside Softr.
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Note from Softr: Keeping your logic close to your design is one of the biggest advantages of Softr Workflows. By automating tasks natively, you can consolidate your tool stack and reduce reliance on third-party platforms like Make or Zapier.
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Why does this matter? Real applications don't just display data, they react to it. Think of approvals, onboarding steps, notifications, status-based actions, and guardrails that prevent mistakes.
Now that workflows are native, you can build them directly within your Softr application. When a form gets submitted, you can attach that flow into your form to perform a certain action.
Every workflow starts with a trigger, which is the event that kicks it off. Some of the most common triggers you'll use are form submissions, button clicks, record created or updated, scheduled workflows, or webhooks. This means that workflows respond to user actions and data changes, not just timers.
You have a few options to start from scratch or start with a template on the workflow canvas. Softr already has a few templates that you can preview, but I'm going to be starting from scratch to show you the canvas.
You have a few triggers you can use, like Softr Databases, Softr apps, webhooks, and one-time or recurring schedules. You also have integrations like Airtable, Gmail, Google Sheets, and Notion.
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Note from Softr: While you can seamlessly integrate with external sources like Airtable or Google Sheets, Softr Databases is our powerful, native solution. It allows you to manage data directly within Softr for maximum performance and deeper integration with native workflows.
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I'm going to click Softr Databases because that's what I'm using for my ATS application in Softr, and select record added to show you the canvas. This is the heart of the workflows where you usually build your logic starting with a trigger. This is followed by chaining actions step-by-step.
If you've used tools like Make or Zapier, this will look familiar to you, but the big difference is that this logic runs inside your Softr application. Once the workflow starts, you define actions, which are the steps Softr should take. Some of the most useful actions include creating or updating records, sending emails or Slack notifications, calling external APIs, adding weights, and branching logic with conditions.
Each step can reference data from earlier steps, which makes workflows dynamic and feel like real backend logic. Instead of always doing one thing, you can use conditional rules to say if a status is approved, do this, or if rejected, do something else. This is the difference between a simple automation and actual business logic.
One of the most underrated features is that workflows include AI steps. You can use AI to summarize texts, clean up form inputs, generate emails, and draft internal notes. AI can even generate a starter conversation for a workflow to help you get unstuck, though you still need to think through the logic yourself.
Softr Workflows shine when the logic is tightly tied to your app, you want fewer external dependencies, you need approvals or notifications, or you want fast integrations. For most internal tools and portals, workflows replace a large chunk of external automations. However, it's important to remember that every system has limitations.
AI steps consume credits, and very complex integrations might still belong in external tools like n8n, Make, or Zapier. Complex workflows also require thoughtful testing and structure. The right mindset is to use native workflows first, and then bring in external automations only when absolutely needed.
Now it's time to create an actual workflow in this applicant tracking system I've created. I'm going to open this in a new tab to show you the demo we'll be building. I have my applicant tracking system here, which includes a careers page that most companies use for external applicants to apply for positions.
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Note from Softr: If you're building an internal portal or tracking system from scratch, another great option is to use the AI co-builder. It can generate a complete app, database schema, and pages instantly, leaving you to just customize the finer details later!
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I have a few job openings created so that when an applicant comes to the careers page and hits apply, a form will open up. They will fill out their first name, last name, upload their resume and cover letter, and answer typical ATS questions. Once this form gets submitted, it generates an email that can be sent to a shared mailbox for your recruiting team.
This workflow uses Gmail, but you can also set up a Slack notification letting the team know a new application has come through. I've set the notification title to include the requisition name, and the body contains candidate information like name, email, and phone number. This is the data the workflow gathers every time a new application gets submitted.
Now let me show you the actual workflow inside Softr. You have options to start from scratch or use a template, but we are going to start from scratch. This will trigger from the Softr app, but you can also trigger it from Softr Databases, webhooks, or scheduled events.
You simply select Softr apps and choose the submit form trigger. Let me show you how you attach this workflow to a form within the application. When configuring the new job application form, you can navigate to the steps section to attach your workflow.
As you can see, after submission, I've selected the option to run a custom workflow and attached the new applicant email workflow. If you have more workflows, they will appear here, and if you don't, you can easily create one right from this menu.
