How to Create a Custom Email Workflow to Share Timely Tracking Updates?

AfterShip lets you create email workflows so that updates for different delivery statuses like ‘Info received,’ ‘Delivered,’ ‘Exception,’ ‘In transit,’ Available for pickup,’ ‘Failed attempt,’ and ‘Out for delivery’ reach customers’ email inbox at the right time.

Maximum 50 custom workflows are allowed for each Premium and Enterprise plan user.

📨 Steps to create a custom email workflow

Custom email workflow can be used if you are on the Premium or Enterprise plan. So, upgrade your plan if required :)
Go to the ‘Email notification settings of your AfterShip account’ and click on the ‘Create email workflow’ option


Decide what kind of updates you want to share. Available options are Shipment status, Order status, and Estimated delivery date .

Note: We are taking Shipment status as an example for this guide, which will be the same for Order status as well. However, if you want to learn how you can create a custom email workflow for EDD, click here

You will be requested to choose any of the two options

➡️ Scenario 1: When you choose the 'updates to' option

It means an email notification will be pushed when the shipment status updates to one for which you have a workflow.
So, after selecting 'updates to' option, choose the shipment status for which you want to push email notifications > Click on the 'Create' button


In case you want to send precise tracking updates to specific users, make use of filters given in the ‘Trigger fields’ tab while creating a custom email workflow. Seven types of filters are available:

Sub Status
Origin Country
Destination Country
Source
Slug
Transit time
Custom fields (Multiple entries are allowed, but duplication isn't possible)

Note that you have to choose the 'any of' option from the dropdown menu if you want to mention more than one origin country, destination country, and slug. In case you want to unselect more than one origin country, destination country, and slug, choose the 'none of' option.
Once you are satisfied with all the settings, click on the ‘Enabled’ option mentioned under the ‘Status’ field and then hit the ‘Save’ button to start sending email notifications based on your preferences 🤟

➡️ Scenario 2: When you choose the 'remains' option

It means an email notification will be triggered if the shipment gets stuck for a particular period defined by you.

So, after selecting 'remains' option, choose the shipment status and the number of days so that your shoppers can be notified if their order gets stuck at a particular checkpoint for specific period. Once done, click on the 'Create' button.


Of course, you'll be able to set the aforementioned filters given in the ‘Trigger fields’ tab while creating a custom email workflow. So, set them wisely and then choose the ‘Enabled’ option of the 'Status' field

Hit the ‘Save’ button to start the email workflow based on your preferences 🤟

Be sure while defining the number of days because if you decide to modify later on, it will be applicable only for newly added shipments. It means email notifications will be triggered according to your earlier settings for old shipments.

🤔 Can I make changes to my created email workflow later on?

Yes, just tap on the 'Edit' option of your created workflow and select 'Edit workflow' option to make the required changes. In case you want to delete or rename your email workflow, click on the three horizontal dots and choose the right option to make it happen.

👀 Is there anything else I should be aware of?

Just take the following details into account:

👉 In the event of downgrading to Free or Essentials plan, custom workflows will be disabled with immediate effect. It means customers won’t get email notifications. However, default workflows can come to your rescue if they are enabled.

Your custom workflows will come into effect as soon as you upgrade again to Pro/Enterprise plan :)
👉 Be careful while settings the filters because your customers will get multiple notifications in case of same filters

👉 Only one email will be triggered for each custom workflow

👉 In case you change the shipment status before the email gets sent and have no custom workflow for that particular status, your customers will not get any notifications

👉 Make sure you edit the email template based on your needs for each workflow, as it will help you share all necessary information in an attention-grabbing manner at once

Got some questions regarding the custom email workflow? Share them with our chat support team now 👍

Updated on: 12/10/2022