A Dubsado workflow automates your client process so you don’t have to do everything by hand. Instead of manually sending emails, forms, contracts, and invoices, you set it all up once and let Dubsado handle the rest.
Think of it as a step-by-step flow that tells Dubsado what to do and when to do it. It saves you hours of work as well as keeps your client experience consistent.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to set up your first Dubsado workflow. You’ll learn how to plan your process, build your workflow using actions and triggers, and test everything to make sure it works perfectly.
If you’re new to Dubsado, don’t worry! This blog post will be simple, clear, and beginner-friendly! Let’s get into it!
Why an Automated Workflow Matters
Before I automated my client onboarding process, I was drowning in to-dos.
So one day, I completely forgot to send a contract to a new client. By the time I remembered, she had already booked someone else.
That stung.
Not because I wasn’t capable but because I didn’t have a system. I was doing everything manually, hopping from emails to forms to invoices. It was a lot!
That’s when I took it upon myself to automate that part of my business. You set automations up once, and they run like clockwork. Emails go out, forms get sent, and contracts are delivered, all without you lifting a finger.
Let me show you how to achieve the same results.
Prep Before Setup
“How to set up a workflow in Dubsado” starts right here before you even touch the workflow builder. Think of this stage like packing for a trip. You need all the pieces in place before you hit “go.”
First, sketch out your full client process. What happens from the moment someone inquires to when you complete your service? Write down each step. For a financial services client, it might look like: inquiry → discovery call → proposal → contract → invoice → onboarding → monthly reporting.
Next, create the content you’ll use in the workflow. You’ll need things like:
- Email templates (e.g., welcome email, follow-up, thank you)
- Forms (e.g., client intake, discovery questions)
- Proposal & Contracts
- Packages with pricing and descriptions
- Scheduler
Once your pieces are ready, run through the full process manually in a test project. Pretend you’re the client. Send yourself the forms, contracts, emails, and scheduling link. Check that everything looks right and flows smoothly.
This step helps catch any missing pieces before you automate. It also gives you a clear roadmap for building your workflow.
Create Your First Workflow
Now, head into Dubsado and go to Templates → Workflows → Add Workflow. Give your workflow a simple name (like “New Client Onboarding”).
You’ll start adding actions next but because you’ve already done the prep, this part will feel way easier. You’re not guessing but plugging in what you’ve already tested.
Add Dubsado Workflow Actions
Each Dubsado workflow action tells Dubsado exactly what to do and when to do it. There are several common workflow actions you’ll use often like:
- Send Email – Automatically send an email to your client.
- Send Form – Deliver an intake form, questionnaire, or proposal.
- Send Contract – Send a contract for your client to review and sign.
- Send Primary Invoice – The invoice marked as Primary will be sent to the client.
- Create Invoice – Create a new invoice.
- Create To-do – Add a task for yourself or your team.
- Change Project Status – Update where the project is in your process.
- Add Tag – Label your projects for better filtering and tracking.
- Activate Client Portal – By default, all client portals start out deactivated. You must activate them before your clients can start using their portal.
- Pause Workflow – Stop the workflow until you’re ready to continue.
- Start Another Workflow – Link workflows together for more advanced setups.
- Send Appointment Scheduler – You can add this action to send your scheduler to clients.
Set Up Dubsado Workflow Triggers
A trigger tells Dubsado when to start an action. Without a trigger, nothing happens even if you’ve added the right steps.
Once you add an action in your workflow (like send email, send form, etc.), Dubsado will ask you “When should this happen?” This is where you choose between Relative and Fixed timing. They work alongside your triggers to decide exactly when each action runs.
⏱ Relative Timing
Relative means the action will run based on something else that happens in the project.
For example:
“0 days after contract is signed” → Action happens immediately.
“2 days after form is completed” → Action is delayed by 2 days after the form is done.
“1 hour before appointment starts” → Great for reminders!
You can choose the number of days, weeks, hours, or even years before or after an event. Relative timing is perfect when you want your workflow to follow the client’s pace step-by-step.
📅 Fixed Timing
Fixed means the action is scheduled to happen on an exact date or time. Fixed dates are helpful when your process is tied to a set timeline, not client actions.
Tip: Use Relative for flexibility and automation, and Fixed for anything based on a calendar date.
Now let’s break down the different types of triggers you can use:
General Triggers
- After workflow started – The moment you apply the workflow to a project, the action begins.
- After all previous actions complete – Useful when you want things to follow a certain sequence.
Client Progress Triggers
These are based on your client’s activity:
- After form is completed
- After form is not completed
- After invoice paid in full
- After contract signed by client
Appointment Triggers
Perfect if your business runs on booked calls:
- After an appointment is scheduled
- After an appointment has ended
- Before an appointment start time
Project Date Triggers
Tied to the project start or end date:
- Before project start date
- After project start date
- Before project end date
- After project end date
Use Approval & To-Dos for Control
Want to keep a close eye on your workflow before it moves forward? Dubsado gives you two great tools for that: Approval steps and To-Dos. These give you the power to pause the automation, review things, and make sure everything looks right before the next action fires.
Use Approvals
An approval step lets you stop the workflow right before an action is sent, like an email, form, or contract. You’ll get a prompt inside the project that says “Approve to send.” This is perfect when:
- You want to review a form before it goes out
- You need to double-check an email
- You’d rather send something manually just to be sure
Until you approve the action, the workflow won’t continue. It’s like hitting the pause button until you’re ready.
Use To-Dos
A to-do step creates a task for you or your team inside the project. It doesn’t stop the workflow, but it reminds you to take action manually. For example:
- Review client intake form responses
- Schedule a meeting
- Manually edit an invoice
Dubsado Workflow Examples
How to Test Dubsado Workflow
Testing your workflow is one of the most important steps before going live with real clients. You want to make sure everything works exactly the way you expect. No surprises, no missed steps.
Start by creating a fake test project. You can use your own name and email so you’ll receive every message just like a client would. This lets you experience the full workflow from their point of view.
Once your test project is set up, apply your workflow manually to that project. Watch as each action runs based on the triggers and timing you’ve chosen. You can also use the “Force Now” button inside the workflow to skip ahead and test actions instantly.
Pay close attention to:
- The timing of emails and forms
- The content and formatting of what’s sent
- Whether each trigger activates as expected
If anything looks off, like an email not sending, or a delay that feels too long, go back and adjust your workflow. You can run as many tests as needed.
In Conclusion
Dubsado workflows might seem a bit technical at first, but once you understand the pieces (actions, triggers, timing) you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them.
Ready to build your Dubsado workflow templates?
Start small. Test everything. Tweak as needed. And soon, your workflow will be doing the heavy lifting for you. If you’re feeling stuck, let’s chat. I’d love to help you simplify your systems.