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Workflow automation

  • October 12, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 46 views
L

Hello guys, please i need help

 

I would like to integrate some workflows where if an agent identifies a new customer and inputs their contact details as a lead, an automated email is sent to the customer and then 3days later, a follow-up mail is sent as well.

 

I have checked the internal workflow, but i cant find something of such.

I also want to create workflows on escalated tickets from intercom and its sent to slack channel directly for bug reports, Automating first response time and resolution time.
 

Best answer by Emilygav

Hey ​@Lambertcodes! Emily from Support Engineering at Intercom here 👋🏼

 

1) New lead entered by an agent → immediate email + 3‑day follow‑up

The most reliable way to drive timed email sequences based on a lead becoming “new” is an Outbound Series (not a Workflow), because Workflows can’t be triggered by a contact/user attribute change like “lead created/updated.”

 

Series lets you send an email, wait a fixed time, then send a follow‑up on autopilot.

Recommended setup:

  • Create an Outbound Series (Outbound > Series) with an entry rule that captures the exact leads you want, e.g. Role is Lead AND Created less than 1 day ago, or Tag is agent_sourced_lead (you can tag leads as part of your intake process).

  • Add an Email block “Welcome/Thanks for connecting” as the first step so it sends immediately upon entry.

  • Add a Wait block for 3 days, then add a second Email block for your follow‑up. Wait blocks are designed for “Send email → Wait X days → Send follow‑up.”

  • Delivery timing expectations: Series entry rules are checked hourly and internal rule/wait blocks update roughly every 15 minutes; new users/leads are processed faster in their first two hours, so they’ll tend to enter quickly right after creation.

  • Deliverability tip: connect and authenticate your email domain so emails send from your support address (not intercom‑mail.com). This improves deliverability and trust.

 

2) Escalated tickets → notify a Slack channel for bug reports

Use the native Slack app plus a Workflow that fires on ticket events and posts to Slack.

Steps:

  • Install the Slack app in Intercom, invite the Intercom app to the target Slack channel, and in Intercom set that channel’s purpose to “Post Slack notifications only” so it appears in the Workflow action picker.

  • Build a Workflow:

    • Trigger: “When a ticket is created” (Category: Tickets). Add filters like Ticket type is Bug or Ticket tag is bug to reduce noise. Then add action “Notify Slack channel” and select your bug‑report channel.

    • Optional “resolved” notice: Create a second Workflow with trigger “Teammate changes the state of a ticket,” filter Ticket state is Resolved, then “Notify Slack channel” to post resolution updates in the same channel.

 

Intercom SLAs are set and enforced via Workflows with the “Apply SLA” action. You can define:

  • First response time (FRT) and next response time (NRT)

  • Time to close (TTC) for conversations/tickets; and time to resolve (TTR) for tickets

You can also pause SLAs while waiting on customer or during snooze, and SLAs respect your office hours.

Add “Apply SLA” right after triggers like “Customer sends their first message” or “Ticket is created,” optionally with branches (e.g., apply tighter targets to VIPs).

 

Hope this helps get you up and running! 

    1 reply

    Emilygav
    Intercom Team
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    • EmilygavIntercom Team
    • Intercom Team
    • 161 replies
    • Answer
    • October 24, 2025

    Hey ​@Lambertcodes! Emily from Support Engineering at Intercom here 👋🏼

     

    1) New lead entered by an agent → immediate email + 3‑day follow‑up

    The most reliable way to drive timed email sequences based on a lead becoming “new” is an Outbound Series (not a Workflow), because Workflows can’t be triggered by a contact/user attribute change like “lead created/updated.”

     

    Series lets you send an email, wait a fixed time, then send a follow‑up on autopilot.

    Recommended setup:

    • Create an Outbound Series (Outbound > Series) with an entry rule that captures the exact leads you want, e.g. Role is Lead AND Created less than 1 day ago, or Tag is agent_sourced_lead (you can tag leads as part of your intake process).

    • Add an Email block “Welcome/Thanks for connecting” as the first step so it sends immediately upon entry.

    • Add a Wait block for 3 days, then add a second Email block for your follow‑up. Wait blocks are designed for “Send email → Wait X days → Send follow‑up.”

    • Delivery timing expectations: Series entry rules are checked hourly and internal rule/wait blocks update roughly every 15 minutes; new users/leads are processed faster in their first two hours, so they’ll tend to enter quickly right after creation.

    • Deliverability tip: connect and authenticate your email domain so emails send from your support address (not intercom‑mail.com). This improves deliverability and trust.

     

    2) Escalated tickets → notify a Slack channel for bug reports

    Use the native Slack app plus a Workflow that fires on ticket events and posts to Slack.

    Steps:

    • Install the Slack app in Intercom, invite the Intercom app to the target Slack channel, and in Intercom set that channel’s purpose to “Post Slack notifications only” so it appears in the Workflow action picker.

    • Build a Workflow:

      • Trigger: “When a ticket is created” (Category: Tickets). Add filters like Ticket type is Bug or Ticket tag is bug to reduce noise. Then add action “Notify Slack channel” and select your bug‑report channel.

      • Optional “resolved” notice: Create a second Workflow with trigger “Teammate changes the state of a ticket,” filter Ticket state is Resolved, then “Notify Slack channel” to post resolution updates in the same channel.

     

    Intercom SLAs are set and enforced via Workflows with the “Apply SLA” action. You can define:

    • First response time (FRT) and next response time (NRT)

    • Time to close (TTC) for conversations/tickets; and time to resolve (TTR) for tickets

    You can also pause SLAs while waiting on customer or during snooze, and SLAs respect your office hours.

    Add “Apply SLA” right after triggers like “Customer sends their first message” or “Ticket is created,” optionally with branches (e.g., apply tighter targets to VIPs).

     

    Hope this helps get you up and running! 


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