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Managing Elements in the Workflow Canvas

The Workflow Canvas is the central workspace of the Automation Builder in Sendigram EMS. It visually displays all your triggers, actions, and rules in a connected sequence, allowing you to design, organize, and optimize your automation flow.

Each block (or element) represents a step in the automation — such as a trigger, email action, time delay, or conditional split. This guide explains how to add, edit, connect, and manage those elements efficiently.

Understanding Elements

An element is any block that performs a function in your automation. Elements fall into three main categories:

  • Triggers – define when the automation starts or what event activates a step.
  • Actions – define what happens after a trigger (e.g., send an email, add to a list).
  • Rules – control the timing or logic between steps (e.g., delays, A/B tests, conditions).

Each element has its own visual icon and color to help you recognize it quickly on the canvas.

Important: Every automation must begin with a Trigger block. You cannot start an automation with an Action or a Rule.

Adding Elements to the Canvas

You can add new elements to the workflow using several methods:

1. Drag and Drop

  1. Open the left panel and select Triggers, Actions, or Rules.
  2. Click and hold an element, then drag it to the workflow area.
  3. Drop it on a highlighted "+" connector — the placement will glow when valid.
  4. The Settings panel opens automatically so you can configure it.

2. Click on "+" Between Steps

  • Hover between two existing elements and click the "+" icon.
  • The side panel expands automatically.
  • Choose the element you want to insert (trigger, action, or rule).
  • It will appear in that position and open for setup.

3. Right-Click Menu

  • Right-click on a "+" connector in the flow.
  • A context menu appears showing available element types.
  • Hover over a type (Action, Trigger, or Rule) to expand its options.
  • Click the desired element — it will be inserted at that point.

4. Left Panel Quick Add

  • Expand the Triggers, Actions, or Rules tab.
  • Click directly on the element you want to add.
  • The valid connection points on the canvas will highlight.
  • Click a glowing "+" to insert the element into the workflow.

Rearranging and Connecting Elements

  • You can move elements by dragging them to new positions in the flow.
  • Connectors (lines with arrows) show the sequence of events.
  • When dragging an element, valid connection points highlight automatically.
  • The workflow updates dynamically as you rearrange or connect elements.
  • If a connection is invalid (for example, an Action before a Trigger), the "+" indicator will be disabled.

Editing Elements

Click any element on the canvas to open its Settings panel on the right side.

There you can:

  • Configure or update the element's properties (e.g., trigger conditions, email content, delay times).
  • Click Save to confirm changes.
  • Click X to close the settings without saving.
  • Click the ✏️ icon (if visible) to open advanced editors, such as contact attributes or email templates.
  • Click the 🗑 icon to reset all settings for that element.

Replacing, Duplicating, and Deleting Elements

Each element on the workflow canvas includes a set of quick-action icons that let you modify, copy, or remove it easily.

Replacing an Element (↻ icon)

If you want to change one element type to another — for example, replacing a "Send Email" action with "Add Contact to Group" — click the ↻ (replace) icon.

This opens a menu of available element types. Once you choose a new one, the existing block will be swapped instantly, and its settings panel will appear so you can reconfigure it.

Duplicating an Element (📄 icon)

To quickly create an identical copy of an element, click the 📄 (duplicate) icon. A copy of the element will appear right below it (for Actions and Rules) or next to it (for Triggers).

This is especially useful when you need to repeat similar steps in the same workflow, such as multiple follow-up emails or parallel branches.

Deleting an Element (🗑 icon)

To remove an element completely, click the 🗑 (delete) icon. You'll see a confirmation message — "Element has been removed."

Once deleted, the element and its connections are removed from the workflow, so be sure you no longer need it before confirming.

Viewing Element States

Elements can appear in different states depending on whether they're configured correctly:

  • Configured (Complete) — the block is active and ready to run.
  • Incomplete — missing required fields; a red counter appears on the block showing the number of incomplete settings.
  • Running (Live) — the block is active in a running automation; you can hover to view stats.
  • Paused or Disabled — temporarily inactive when automation is paused.

Hovering over an email action displays performance metrics, such as:

  • Number of emails sent
  • Deliverability rate
  • Open rate
  • Click rate

Clicking on metrics opens a detailed Statistics window for deeper analysis.

Managing Multiple Elements at Once

If your automation includes many similar emails or actions:

  • When you edit one template, Sendigram detects duplicates and offers to update all identical elements.
  • You'll see a prompt: "You have changed the content of this email for this automation. Would you like to apply these changes to every step where this email template is used?"
  • Apply changes – update all instances.
  • Cancel – keep changes only for the current step.

This feature ensures consistency across complex workflows.

Canvas Navigation Tools

To navigate large automations, use these controls:

  • Zoom In/Out – adjust canvas size (50%–200%).
  • Click and drag the empty canvas area to move around.
  • Mini-map (if enabled) – jump directly to any section of the flow.
  • Show Connection Lines – toggle visibility of redirect or split lines using the Builder settings checkbox.

Undo and Redo Changes

Made a mistake? You can easily reverse it.

  • Undo (Ctrl + Z) – revert the last change.
  • Redo (Ctrl + Y) – reapply the most recent undone change.

You can undo or redo up to 100 steps in the Builder.

Saving and Autosave

  • The automation is automatically saved every minute.
  • You can also manually click Save at any time.
  • The timestamp of your last save (e.g., Last saved: 03:22 PM) appears at the top-right corner of the Builder.

Exiting the Workflow Canvas

To leave the Builder:

  • Click the ← Back to Automations button in the top-left corner.
  • All saved changes remain available in your My Automations list.
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