Workflow Steps

Every workflow step has a type that determines what happens when it executes. There are eight types:

• Simple Step — a manual checklist item. Someone does the work, then marks it complete. This is the default for most steps
• Send Email — sends an email to the client or team members as part of the workflow
• Document Request — creates a document request and sends it to the client, then waits for their response
• Document Approval — sends a document to the client for approval, then waits for them to approve or reject it
• Client Confirmation — emails the client asking them to confirm something (e.g. "all accounting entries have been made"), then waits for them to click a confirmation link
• Send Form — sends a form to the client to collect information, then completes when they submit it
• Update Client Record — shows the assigned user a focused form of just the client fields (standard or custom) that need setting, so they can update them without leaving the task
• Set Service Stage — automatically updates the stage on the client's service when the step runs

You choose the type when building the workflow template. A step-by-step wizard guides you through the configuration options for each type, making it straightforward to set up even the more advanced step types.

Many steps can be automated rather than done by hand. These steps run in one of two modes:

• Automatic — the step executes as soon as its dependencies are met, with no human intervention. If it's the first step in the workflow, it runs when the task starts. If it depends on earlier steps, it fires the moment those are complete
• Manual — the step waits for the assigned user to trigger it. The user sees the fully drafted email or request in a composer view and can review, edit the wording, adjust recipients, and make any changes they like before clicking send

Document approval steps can run either way too. If the user needs to select or upload the file — or fill in custom values on a template — the step waits for them. If the document is generated from a template with nothing to fill in, it can run fully automatically.

Use automatic for routine, predictable actions. Use manual when you want a human eye before anything is sent. Many users start with steps in manual mode until they're comfortable with what's happening, then switch them to automatic once they trust the process.

When you have dozens of tasks running workflows with manual steps, you don't want to open each task individually to find the ones that need your attention. The Requests page gathers every manual-mode step that's waiting for you in one place — emails, document requests, approvals, confirmations, and forms across every task in your practice. Click any row to open the composer or dialog directly, review and send, then move to the next one.

Learn more about the Requests page →

Automatic execution raises an obvious question: if a step runs as soon as its dependencies are met, what stops every automatic step in the workflow firing the instant the task starts? You wouldn't want the approval email going out before the draft accounts have been prepared. That's what dependencies are for.

Some steps can't start until others are finished. You can configure dependencies so that steps within a group are completed in the right order — an automatic step simply waits until the steps it depends on are done, then runs.

This is particularly powerful with automated steps. For example: step 1 is a manual "Prepare draft accounts" step. Step 2 is an automatic document approval step that sends the draft to the client. Step 3 is a client confirmation step asking the client to confirm they're happy to proceed with the filing.

Complete step 1, send the document in step 2, and when the client approves it the confirmation email goes out automatically — each step triggering the next without anyone touching the workflow.

An email step sends a message as part of the workflow — chasing a client for information, confirming a filing deadline, or notifying someone that work is ready for review.

There are two ways to define the email content:

• Content block — reference a reusable content block template. Ideal for emails you send repeatedly across many workflows, where having a single source of truth for the content makes maintenance easier
• Inline content — define the subject line and body directly on the step. Sometimes creating a content block for a simple email feels like overkill — inline content keeps things simple without any loss of functionality

Both options support Liquid syntax for personalisation — client name, contact details, task dates, and more — so emails are always tailored to the recipient regardless of which approach you choose.

Recipients are configured on the step too. You can send to client contacts (main, billing, payroll, accounts, directors), team members (task owner, client manager, client partner, client associate, service manager), or specific email addresses. Separate To and CC lists give you full control.

In automatic mode, the email is sent and the step completes without any intervention. In manual mode, the step presents the composed email in a familiar email composer view. The assigned user can review the rendered content, adjust recipients, edit the subject or body, and send when they're satisfied.

A document request step creates a document request and sends it to the client. You configure the request title, description, and a client-facing deadline (e.g. "14 days from when the step runs").

When the step executes, the request is created and the client is notified by email. The workflow step stays in progress while the client uploads their documents and submits a response.

In manual mode, the assigned user sees the fully drafted notification email in a composer before it goes out. They can edit the wording, adjust the tone, or add client-specific context before clicking send — just like manual email steps.

Once your team reviews and accepts the submission, the workflow step completes automatically — and any steps that were waiting on it can proceed. No one needs to manually update the workflow status.

If the submission is rejected, the request re-opens for the client to try again. The workflow step remains in progress until a submission is accepted.

A document approval step sends a document to the client for approval. There are two ways the document can be produced.

Choose an existing file. The assigned user uploads or selects the document at execution time — picking the file, setting a title, and categorising it.

Generate from a template. The step can instead create the document automatically from a document template, merging in the client's data as it goes. You decide how hands-on this is:

• Fill in custom values when the task runs — if the template has custom tokens that change each time (a tax liability figure, an advisory note), the assigned user is prompted to enter those values before the document is generated and sent.
• Fully automatic — if there's nothing to fill in, the step generates the document from the template and sends it for approval on its own, with no manual step.

Once sent, the client sees the document in their portal and can approve or reject it. If they approve, the workflow step completes automatically. If they reject it, the step stays open so you can address their feedback and resend.

A client confirmation step emails the client with a question or statement that needs their explicit confirmation — "please confirm all accounting entries have been made" or "confirm you're happy for us to proceed with the filing."

You configure the confirmation message shown to the client, the button text (e.g. "Confirm"), and a thank-you message displayed after they respond. The client clicks a link in the email, sees the message on a branded page, and clicks to confirm.

In manual mode, the assigned user sees the fully drafted email in a composer view before it's sent. They can edit the wording to suit the specific client or situation before sending — the same composer experience as email and document request steps.

Once the client confirms, the step completes automatically. You can optionally notify the assigned user when the confirmation comes in, so they know the client has responded without having to check.

If the client doesn't respond, Sodium can chase them automatically. As with everything else, you control the content of the chase email and how often it goes out — and chasing stops as soon as the client clicks to confirm.

A send form step sends one of your forms to the client to collect structured information — an onboarding questionnaire, an annual tax return pack, an AML verification, or anything else you've built. The form is pre-populated with the client's current data, so they only fill in what's missing or changed.

Like email and document request steps, send form steps can run automatically as soon as their dependencies are met, or wait for the assigned user to review and trigger them manually. The client receives the form by secure link — no portal sign-up required.

The step stays in progress until the client submits, then completes and the workflow moves on. Submitted answers flow back into the client record exactly as they would for any other form, ready for review.

A Set Service Stage step automatically updates the stage on the client's service when it executes. You choose which stage to set when configuring the step in the workflow template.

When the step runs, it sets the stage and completes instantly — there's nothing for anyone to do manually. Place these steps at key points in your workflow to keep the service stage in sync with actual progress.

For example, a VAT Return workflow might include a Set Service Stage step at the start to set "Awaiting Records", another after preparation to set "Return in Progress", and a final one to set "Filed" when submission is complete.

An update client record step prompts the assigned user to set values on the client — either standard fields or your own custom fields. Think of it as the forms feature turned inward: instead of asking the client for information, it asks your team to record it.

You could always navigate to the client record, find the relevant fields, update them, then come back to the workflow and mark the step done — the result would be exactly the same. The point of this step type is to save you that round trip. You choose which fields need updating (and can mark any of them as required), and when the task runs the user sees a form showing just those fields — ready to fill in and move straight on to the next step.

These steps can also run automatically. When you already know the value that should be set — rather than needing someone to type it in — the step writes it to the client record on its own the moment its dependencies are met, with nothing for anyone to do.

Say you're working a VAT Return task. The return's been submitted, and you want to keep a note on the client of their VAT liability. Add a custom field for the figure, then add an update client record step asking the user to fill it in. The next step could be an automatic Send Email step that tells the client their liability — its template references the same custom field you just updated, so the figure flows straight through. After that, a client confirmation step could be added to ask them to confirm once they've paid. And to round it off, you could add a final update client record step set to run automatically once that confirmation completes, setting a "VAT paid" field to true — all without anyone touching the record.

When adding a step to a workflow template, a guided wizard walks you through the process. You start by choosing the step type, then the wizard presents the relevant configuration screens for that type — name, content, recipients, behaviour, and assignment.

The wizard keeps each step type simple to set up. For an email step, you pick the content source and recipients. For a document request, you set the title and deadline. For a client confirmation, you write the message and button text. Each type shows only the options that apply.

After creation, you can edit any step directly in the workflow template editor to fine-tune settings, adjust dependencies, or add checklists.

Different steps often require different people. A junior might handle data entry while a manager does the review. Steps can be assigned to:

• The task owner (whoever the task is assigned to)
• A specific person
• The client manager, client partner, or client associate
• The service manager for that client's service
• A task team
• Left unassigned for anyone to pick up

When the workflow is attached to a task, these assignments resolve to actual people based on the client and task context. Steps also appear in each person's focus panel so they know what's waiting for them.

Sometimes a step involves a handful of smaller items that need checking off. Rather than creating additional steps for every detail, you can add a checklist to any step.

For example, a "Prepare draft accounts" step might have a checklist covering specific items to review or verify before marking the step complete. Check them off as you go — it's a lightweight way to add detail without cluttering the workflow structure.

As steps are completed, progress is tracked automatically. You can see at a glance:

• Which steps are done, in progress, blocked, or waiting
• Overall percentage complete
• For automated steps — what was sent and the current status (awaiting response, approved, confirmed, etc.)

The progress bar on the task gives managers instant visibility without needing to drill into the detail.

When a workflow is attached to a task, it becomes an instance that can be customised for that specific job. Skip a step that doesn't apply, reassign work to a different team member, or adjust the email content — all without affecting the template.

The template defines the starting point. Each task gets its own working copy.

You don't need to open the full task page to work through workflow steps. The Focus Panel — a slide-out side panel — lets you view, execute, and complete steps without leaving your task list.

Mark simple steps as done, trigger manual email sends, launch document requests, send documents for approval, and fire off client confirmations — all from the panel. The composer views for manual steps open right there, so you can review and send without navigating away from what you were doing.

It's the fastest way to work through a workflow, especially when you're processing multiple tasks in sequence.