What the Automation Builder Does

The Automation Builder lets you build multi-step automated workflows using a visual canvas. You drag When and Then elements onto the canvas to define what triggers an automation and what actions follow. The builder is available on Keap Pro, Max, and Ultimate editions. To access the builder from a Classic account, toggle on Ultimate first.

Important: For SMS and email components to work correctly in the Automation Builder, pop-ups must be allowed in your browser. Most browsers block pop-ups by default, which can prevent email and text message editors from opening. Allow pop-ups for your Keap app in your browser settings before building automations that include email or SMS steps. Instructions for enabling pop-ups: Google Chrome pop-up settings and Safari pop-up settings.

Understanding Whens and Thens

The Automation Builder uses two primary building blocks — Whens and Thens — which correspond to the previous Goals and Sequences terminology:

• When — A trigger condition that starts the automation. Whens correspond to what were previously called Goals in the legacy builder. Each When defines a specific event that must occur for a contact to enter the automation — such as submitting a form, making a purchase, or having a tag applied.
• Then — An action or communication that happens after the When is triggered. Thens correspond to what were previously called Sequence elements. A Then Sequence is a group of Thens that run together within a single sequence.

To begin building an automation, drag any When or Then from the left-hand panel onto the canvas.

The Automation Builder canvas displays When elements connected to Then Sequences by lines showing the flow. The left-hand panel contains the When tab and the Then tab, each listing the available elements you can drag onto the canvas.

Canvas Toolbar Icons

A row of small icons is displayed at the bottom of the canvas. From left to right, these icons allow you to view keyboard shortcuts, add a note to the canvas, center the canvas view, zoom in, and zoom out. Hover over any icon to see a descriptive tooltip.

How to Search for Elements on the Canvas

The Automation Builder includes a search feature that lets you locate any element on the canvas by name without scrolling through the full automation visually. This is especially useful for large, complex automations with many connected elements.

1. Click the search icon at the bottom-left of the Automation Builder canvas to open the search panel.

   

2. Type a search term to find Whens, Thens, Decision Diamonds, Notes, or Status elements by name.

   

   The search panel displays matching elements as a list below the search field. Each result shows the element name and type.

3. To narrow results further, use the filter options to show only specific element types — such as Whens only, or Notes only.

   

4. Click any element in the search results to jump to that element on the canvas. The selected element is highlighted so you can find it immediately.

Then Sequence Settings and the Ready Toggle

Then Sequences open in their own pop-up modal rather than full screen, so you can still see the context of the larger automation while editing a sequence. Within a Then Sequence, the Ready toggle is turned on by default, indicating the sequence is ready to be published. To mark a Then Sequence as not ready — for example, while it is still being configured — click the Ready toggle in the kebab menu in the upper-right corner of the sequence.

The Then Sequence modal displays the sequence editor in the foreground while keeping the full automation canvas visible in the background. You can also search for Whens and Thens in the left-hand panel while working inside the sequence modal.

How to Configure Builder Preferences

Builder Preferences let you choose whether When and Then configuration panels open automatically when you drag an element onto the canvas, or whether they remain collapsed until you click them.

1. Click the kebab menu (three-dot icon) in the upper-right corner of the Automation Builder canvas.

   

2. Click Builder Preferences to open the preferences panel.

   

3. Select your preferred setting and click Save.

   

   The Builder Preferences panel displays the available options for automatic configuration opening. Click Save to apply your preference to all future Automation Builder sessions.

How to Access the Playbook

The Playbook is a built-in checklist that guides you through building your automation step by step and tracks your progress as you complete each item.

Click the Playbook icon in the bottom-right corner of the Automation Builder canvas to open the Playbook panel.

The Playbook panel displays a checklist of steps for building your automation. Completed steps are marked with a checkmark. Use the Playbook to track your progress and identify any steps you have not yet completed.

How to Turn Off the New Automation Builder

If you need to revert to the previous Automation Builder, click your avatar in the left-hand navigation and toggle off New Automation Builder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all the same Whens and Thens available in the new Automation Builder?

Most Whens and Thens are available in the new builder. However, the following items have been removed and are no longer available: Fax, Traffic Sources, and Voice Broadcast. If any of your existing automations contain these elements, remove them from those automations and republish the automation to avoid disruptions.

The following items are still present in existing automations but can no longer be created from the When/Then side panel:

• HTTP POST — Replaced by HTTP Request in the new builder.
• Legacy drag and drop emails — These emails must be converted to the new email builder before they can be edited in the Automation Builder. You can convert legacy drag and drop emails to the new email builder on the fly while working in the Automation Builder.
• Legacy landing page editor — Automations that reference legacy landing pages will still trigger contacts into the automation. However, the legacy landing pages cannot be edited from within the new Automation Builder.
• Action Sets — Existing automations that include Action Sets can still be edited and will run on the canvas. However, new Action Sets cannot be created from the When/Then side panel in the new builder.

The following items have reduced functionality in the new builder:

• Legacy web forms and internal web form editors — These editors now open in a new browser tab rather than within the Automation Builder. Web form thank you pages cannot be edited in the new builder.
• Form editor change history — The ability to revert changes for web form editors under actions is not available in the new builder.

Will my reports look the same in the new Automation Builder?

Yes. All the same reporting information is available in the new builder, displayed in an updated format.

What do the colored dots on automation elements mean?

The colored dots on automation elements are publish status indicators. A yellow dot means the element has changes that have not yet been published. A red dot means the element requires additional setup before the automation can be published.

Which Keap editions have access to the new Automation Builder?

The new Automation Builder is available on Keap Pro, Max, and Ultimate. If you are on a Classic account, toggle on Ultimate to access the new builder.