Pinpoint's workflow automations feature gives you the ability to automate sending emails to candidates upon application or when you move them to a specific hiring workflow stage, freeing you up to focus on other hiring activities.
Please do not confuse this with the Application Received email template which is automatically sent to all candidates upon application. You can edit the text of the Application Received email template by going to Settings > Templates > Email Templates > Standard Candidate Templates.
This guide is intended for users who wish to send additional emails to candidates either upon application or when reaching a specific stage of the hiring process, for example - sharing additional application requirements or information with candidates.
Preparation
Create a custom email template
Go to Settings > Templates > Email Templates and click on Create New.
You'll then see the Create Email Template screen. Specify the email type as "Custom" and complete the Name, Subject, Salutation, Body, Signature, Tags and Attachment fields as appropriate. Once you're done creating your email template, click Submit.
Congratulations, you have completed the first preparation step by defining your custom email template.
Create a workflow automation template
The next step is to create a workflow automation template. This will define the automated actions that the system needs to take on your behalf.
Go to Settings > Templates > Create New.
You'll see the Create Automation screen.
Section 1. Details
This is for you to define an internal title for the automation, call it something that makes sense for you like "Assessment Auto-send Automation Template"
Section 2. Automation Trigger
This is for you to define when this automation will be triggered. You have two choices, Job Application Stage Changed and New Job Application Received.
Choosing New Job Application Received here will specify that the automation runs when a new application is received.
Choosing Job Application Stage Changed will specify that the automation runs when the candidate is moved to a specific hiring workflow stage - you will define what workflow stage this is later on.
3. Automation Conditions
This section defines the conditions for the workflow to be active. You have four options here: Stage Name Equals; Multiple Choice Question Answers Include; Question Answer Matches, Stage Equals Applied.
If you want the automation to run when the candidate applies, choose Stage Equals Applied and click Add Condition.
If you want the automation to run when you move the candidate to a specific stage, choose Stage Name Equal and click Add Condition. You'll then see a drop-down box appear where you'll need to choose which stage you'd like the automation to apply at.
4. Automation Targets
This stage is for you to specify which object in Pinpoint is affected by the workflow automation, you only have one choice currently, so choose Job Application.
5. Automation Action
This stage is for you to define what happens when the conditions you've specified above have been met.
What should this automation do?
Here you'll need to select "Send Email to Applicant"
What email template should we use for this automation action?
Choose the custom email template you defined earlier.
Which user should we use to populate email template variables?
If your custom email template includes user variables, the user's details you specify here will be populated in the email templates. For example if the custom email template has the {{sender_name}} variable included in the text, then the sender's name would be taken from the user specified in this field.
Which tags should be set on this application as part of the automation?
You can choose to apply tags from your pre-existing list of tags to the candidate's application when this automation runs. Some customers use this to keep track of progress - so if you're using this to send an assessment task to a candidate, you could specify here that the "Assessment sent" tag is applied to applications affected by this automation.
How long should we wait until triggering the automation?
You can define the time between the conditions being met and the automated action being taken by Pinpoint - you can specify delays of minutes, hours or days, and can also choose to limit messages to being sent between 9am and 5pm. This helps your automations feel a little more "human".
Once you have finished your automation set up, you will see a summary of the automation and the Create Workflow Automation button at the bottom of the Create Automation page.
Click Create Workflow Automation to save your template. You have now set up a template for your workflow automation.
Please note that workflow automation templates only apply to jobs where you have specified them in the New Job or Edit Job screen. They do not apply globally across all of your jobs.
Apply the workflow automation template to the job
Once you have created your template, you need to apply this to the specific job. If you haven't created the job yet, go to Jobs > New Job to open the new job creation screen. If you have created the job already, go to Jobs > Manage Jobs > select the Job you'd like the automation to apply > Edit > Edit Job. You'll see a screen that looks like this.
Scroll down to the Automations section at the bottom of the form. Click on the automations field to reveal a drop down list of all the workflow automation templates you have set up. Choose the workflow automation you'd like to apply to the job by clicking on its name, in this case "Assessment Auto-send Automation Template".
You'll see the screen looking like this once you've selected your workflow automation. Click on Publish Job to save your changes.
Congratulations! You have defined the workflow automation template and applied to the job. Now when an application is made by a candidate which meets the conditions you've set in the hiring workflow template, the workflow automation will trigger and Pinpoint will take the action on your behalf.