> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.railmail.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Automations

> Send emails automatically based on triggers and rules.

**Automations** send email automatically in response to events, for example a welcome email when someone subscribes. You build a flow as a visual graph of nodes, activate it, and Railmail runs it for every subscriber who enters.

## Create an automation

Choose how to start:

| Way                        | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Editor**                 | A drag-and-drop canvas. Add nodes and connect them to design the flow.                                                                                                                                                  |
| **Templates**              | Start from a proven flow: Welcome sequence, Onboarding (SaaS), Win-back, Birthday/Anniversary or Re-engagement.                                                                                                         |
| **Assistant flow builder** | Switch to **Chat** and describe your goal in plain language, and the assistant generates the whole flow on the canvas, which you then review and refine. See [Building with the assistant](/en/guide/building-with-ai). |

## Triggers

A trigger is what starts the flow for a subscriber:

* **Subscriber joins list** (subscribes to a topic)
* **Enters segment**
* **Leaves segment**
* **Custom event**
* **Manual**

## Nodes

Build the flow from these node types:

| Node                          | Purpose                                             |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| Trigger                       | The entry point.                                    |
| Email                         | Send an email.                                      |
| Delay                         | Wait a period of time.                              |
| Condition                     | Branch on a rule.                                   |
| A/B split                     | Randomly split the path for testing.                |
| Goal                          | Mark a conversion.                                  |
| Webhook                       | Call an external URL.                               |
| Topic action / Segment action | Subscribe/unsubscribe or add/remove from a segment. |

## Activate and manage

Edit nodes on the canvas (add, delete, or **Edit with assistant**); changes auto-save. When the flow is ready, **Activate** it; **Pause** it to stop new entries. Automations can be **Active**, **Paused**, **Draft** or **Archived**.

The **Executions** view shows the runs of an automation: who entered the flow and metrics like subscribers in flow and conversion rate.

<Tip>
  Generating a flow with the assistant consumes [AI credits](/en/guide/ai-credits) (for example, *Generate flow (5 credits)*).
</Tip>