Overview
Use this guide to decide when and why to review workflow automation performance—without feeling like you need to check dashboards constantly. Workflow Automation works best when you review it at the right moments, not all the time.
This guide is designed for busy nonprofit staff and volunteers who want to stay confident their workflows are working as intended.
Start With What Just Happened
I just turned on a new workflow automation
Check performance within the first 1–3 days.
Why:
-
Make sure contacts are entering as expected
-
Confirm steps are configured correctly
-
Catch setup issues early, before many contacts are affected
What to look for:
-
Contacts entering the workflow
-
Steps progressing without errors
-
No unexpected pauses or empty steps
👉 This is a quick confidence check—not a deep analysis.
I made changes to an existing workflow automation
Check performance shortly after the change takes effect.
Why:
-
Changes to steps, timing, or decisions can affect flow
-
Small edits can have big downstream impact
What to look for:
-
Contacts moving past the updated step
-
Decision paths behaving as expected
-
No sudden drop-offs after the change
👉 Think of this as verifying the edit worked as intended.
Start With Your Goal
I want to understand what’s working
Check performance on a regular, light schedule (for example, weekly or biweekly).
Why:
-
Spot trends over time
-
Identify steps that perform well
-
Build confidence that automations are supporting your outreach
What to look for:
-
Completion rates
-
Common wait points
-
Patterns in decision paths
👉 You’re looking for direction, not perfection.
I want to fix or improve a workflow
Check performance before making changes—and again after.
Why:
-
Performance data helps you decide what to change
-
A second check confirms whether the change helped
What to look for:
-
Where contacts slow down or drop off
-
Steps that fewer contacts complete
-
Branches that rarely get used
👉 Let the data guide small, focused adjustments.
Start With a Problem
Something doesn’t seem right
Check performance immediately.
Examples:
-
Fewer emails sent than expected
-
Supporters not receiving follow-ups
-
Staff assignments not triggering
What to look for:
-
Contacts stuck in a wait step
-
Decision steps routing unexpectedly
-
Missing or misconfigured criteria
👉 Performance views help you troubleshoot quickly.
I need to follow up with specific contacts
Check performance when you need answers about people, not steps.
Why:
-
You may need to know who is waiting, completed, or dropped off
What to do next:
-
View the workflow step details
-
Create a list of contacts in a specific step
-
Use reports to guide outreach
How Often Is Too Often?
You do not need to check automation performance daily.
For most organizations:
-
New or recently changed automations → short-term checks
-
Established automations → periodic check-ins
-
Stable workflows → review only when goals or outcomes change
Workflow Automation is meant to reduce monitoring—not create more of it.
What Do You Want to Do Next?
-
View current workflow automation performance (How do I view automation performance?)
-
Create reports for deeper insight (How do I create reports for an automation?)
-
Find specific contacts in a workflow (How do I find contacts in a specific workflow step?)
Quick Reminder
If a workflow automation is meeting your goals and supporters are getting timely follow-ups, it’s doing its job. Performance checks are there to support confidence—not create extra work.