---
title: "Create a custom automation"
slug: "create-a-custom-automation"
abstract: "Create a custom automation from scratch in Sitecore Send by selecting specific triggers, conditional or control steps, and actions."
---
# Create a custom automation

In Sitecore Send, you can [create an automation using a recipe](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-an-automation-from-a-recipe.html "Create an automation from a recipe"), but you can also create your own automations from scratch. You start by defining what [triggers](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/set-a-trigger-in-an-automation.html "Set a trigger in an automation") your automation, and then add the [steps](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/add-a-conditional-or-control-step.html "Add a conditional or control step") and [actions](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/add-an-action-to-an-automation-workflow.html "Add an action to an automation workflow") that you want it to perform.

To create a custom automation:

1. On the menu bar, click **Automation**.
2. Click **New** > **Custom automation**.

    The automation designer is displayed on a new page containing the name, status, and task list of the automation in the left pane, and the trigger step in the design pane.

    ![Automation designer displaying the default page when creating an automation from scratch.](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/send/en/users/sitecore-send/images/Send_custom_automation.png)

3. Click **New automation**, enter the name of your automation, and click **Save**.
4. In the design pane, click **Select your trigger**.
5. In the **Select a Trigger** dialog, navigate to the specific [type of trigger](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/different-types-of-triggers.html "Different types of triggers") that you want to use and click ![arrow.png](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/send/en/users/sitecore-send/images/arrow.png) to select the trigger.
6. In the **Trigger only once?** field, in the drop-down list, select the appropriate option for your trigger, whether you want your trigger to activate once or every time. Click **Save**.

    > [!note]
    > The triggers that are involved with specific products from your website will request you to provide the product code for the product action that triggers your automation.

7. To add a step to your automation workflow, click **Add flow step**![add_flow_step.png](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/send/en/users/sitecore-send/images/add_flow_step.png) in the desired location.
8. Navigate to the specific [conditional/control step](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/add-a-conditional-or-control-step.html "Add a conditional or control step") or [action](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/add-an-action-to-an-automation-workflow.html "Add an action to an automation workflow") that you want to add and click ![arrow.png](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/send/en/users/sitecore-send/images/arrow.png) to select the flow step.
9. Fill out the required fields for the flow step and click **Save**.

    Continue adding conditional or control steps and actions until you achieve the workflow that you want.

    > [!note]
    > You can also [delete, duplicate, or merge steps](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/work-with-automations.html "Work with automations") as necessary.

10. In the left pane, check the [task list](https://doc.sitecore.com/send/en/users/sitecore-send/using-automation/create-a-custom-automation/work-with-the-task-list.html "Work with the task list") for any pending tasks indicated by ![incomplete_task.png](https://doc.sitecore.com/api/markdown-image/send/en/users/sitecore-send/images/incomplete_task.png).
11. Click the pending task you want to work on, fill out the required fields, and click **Save**.

    > [!important]
    > You must complete all the tasks contained in each step of the workflow to enable you to activate your automation. Until all tasks are completed, your automation has an *Incomplete* status.

12. Click **Save as recipe** to save your automation.
13. In the **Save Workflow as a Recipe** dialog, enter the  **Recipe Name** and click **Save**.
14. To activate the automation, in the left pane, set the **Inactive** toggle switch to *Active* status.