> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.laposta.org/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.laposta.org/_mcp/server.

# Creating your first automation

> Create an automation in the editor, choose a trigger and the actions, and activate your automation.

An automation consists of two parts: the start (what causes the automation to begin?) and the content (what happens next?). You put both parts together in the editor and turn the automation on as soon as it is complete.

## How to create an automation

#### Create a new automation

On the ‘Automations’ page, click ‘New automation’ and give your automation a meaningful, recognisable name. You can change this name later by clicking on it in the top left of the automation.

You will then enter the editor. The actions are on the left, and the empty automation is in the middle.

#### Add a startevent

Every automation starts with at least one startevent. Click ‘Add startevent’ and choose the type of event that will start the automation. Then follow the screens for that choice. When you save, a block with a short summary appears.

![The Choose startevent window with the nine types of startevents in three columns](/_fern-files/_img/1d0ef8caa349f5ac8c869d04c3693e7444f824a909a1ad8b43afd727d9d952cd.webp)

You can edit a startevent by clicking on it. You can delete it using the small cross that appears when you hover over the block with your mouse.

You can add multiple startevents. The automation will then start as soon as at least one of those startevents is met (an OR function). You can read about the available startevents and what to configure for each type in [Choosing a starting moment](/de-startmomenten-van-een-automation).

#### Drag the actions into place

Drag an action from the left to the plus sign in the middle to specify what should happen after the startevent. You can place as many blocks as you like, in any combination. You can pick up a placed block and move it somewhere else.

Click on a block to open its settings. If there is a red border around it, the content is not yet complete.

You can undo and restore any change, such as placing or deleting a block or adjusting settings, using the Undo and Redo buttons at the top.

#### Activate the automation

An automation only runs once you turn it on. To do this, click ‘Activate’ next to the relevant automation in the ‘Automations’ overview. You can stop it again using ‘Pause’.

> **Note**
>
> If you edit an automation that is already running, those changes will only take effect after you have clicked ‘Activate changes’. See: [Activating or pausing an automation](/het-activeren-of-pauzeren-van-een-automation).

## The actions

There are eleven actions. Four of them perform an action (such as sending an email), four update your subscriber's details, and three determine when and how the automation continues.

![The editor with the actions on the left and the plus sign in the automation](/_fern-files/_img/3fc5b4a87eadd6a935c196bf8ffda47407089350d32d71721023161932b6565c.webp)

| Actions                                                   | What it does                                                                           |
| --------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Send email](/verstuur-e-mail)                            | Sends an email from this automation at a moment you specify                            |
| [Notification](/notificatie)                              | Sends a message to an email address as soon as a subscriber reaches this step          |
| [Webhook](/automation-bouwstuk-webhook)                   | Has Laposta call an external URL as soon as a subscriber reaches this step             |
| [Start automation](/automation-bouwstuk-start-automation) | Starts another automation from within this automation                                  |
| [Subscribe](/inschrijven)                                 | Automatically adds the subscriber to a list                                            |
| [Unsubscribe](/afmelden)                                  | Automatically unsubscribes the subscriber from a list                                  |
| [Change](/wijzigen)                                       | Automatically changes a field of the subscriber in a list                              |
| [Labels](/automation-bouwstuk-labels)                     | Adds one or more labels to the subscriber, or removes them                             |
| [Pause](/pauzeren)                                        | Makes the automation wait for a specified time before the next action                  |
| [Wait until…](/wacht-tot)                                 | Only continues once a specific moment is reached or a condition is met                 |
| [If/then](/als-dan)                                       | Determines how the automation continues depending on whether a condition is met or not |

The emails sent by an automation belong to that automation and not to your campaigns. You create and manage them via ‘View emails’, as described in [Emails in an automation](/hoe-maak-ik-een-e-mail-in-een-automation).

## Related articles

#### [What are the starting points for an automation?](/de-startmomenten-van-een-automation)

You can choose from nine starting points for an automation. Depending on the starting…

#### [Starting another automation from your automation](/automation-bouwstuk-start-automation)

Divide a large automation into smaller parts that start each other.

#### [Making an automation wait for a condition](/wacht-tot)

Only let your automation proceed to the next step once a subscriber meets your condition.

#### [Sending an email to a subscriber in an automation](/verstuur-e-mail)

Choose which email you send in this step of the automation and configure when it is sent.