Triggers

A trigger is how an automation starts. Every automation has exactly one trigger step; it defines when the run begins and what input data is available to later steps.

Types of triggers

• Manual — You (or someone) start the run from the Run tab by clicking Run and optionally filling inputs. Good for one-off tasks and testing.
• Scheduled — The automation runs on a schedule (e.g. daily at 9am, every hour). You set the frequency and timezone in the trigger.
• Event-driven — Something in an external system starts the run (e.g. new Slack message, new email). The trigger fires when the event occurs.
• Polling — Decoder periodically checks an external system (e.g. new row in a sheet, new HubSpot contact). When new items appear, the automation runs (often once per item). Examples: HubSpot, Gmail, Google Calendar/Drive/Sheets, Airtable, Todoist, Fireflies, Avoma, and more — see Triggers Reference for the full list.

What triggers provide

• Inputs — Configuration (e.g. which channel, which folder). You set these when building the automation.
• Outputs — Data from the event (e.g. the new email, the new contact). You reference these in later steps with variables (e.g. #Trigger.email#).

Next

• Triggers Reference — Full list and links to each trigger category.
• Manual & Scheduled Triggers — Manual trigger and scheduled trigger in detail.
• Variables — How to use trigger outputs in steps.