Understanding workflow triggers

Learn the basics of workflow triggers

What are triggers

Triggers define when a workflow starts.

A trigger listens for a specific event. When the trigger occurs, the workflow is automatically executed, and relevant data is passed to subsequent workflow steps.

Every workflow can have only 1 trigger. Without a trigger, a workflow cannot run.

Types of triggers

Event	Event type	When it fires	Data available
Product restock	product.restocked	Inventory changes from 0 to > 0	Product/variant ID Inventory level Subscriber list Campaign ID Restock timestamp Location/warehouse
Customer signed up	customer.signed_up	Customer submits "Notify Me" form	Email Product/variant ID Timestamp Source Consent

Product restock

Starts when a product that was out of stock becomes available again.

Example:

Trigger: Product restock → Action: Send back-in-stock email

Prebuilt workflow: Send a back in stock notification

✨ Explore more pre-built workflow templates: Get started with workflow templates library

New customer sign up

Learn more: Available triggers, actions, and conditions

How triggers work

Triggers work automatically. Once set up, no manual action is needed for the workflow to run.

1

An event happens in the system (for example, a product comes back in stock).

2

The trigger listens for that event.

3

When the event occurs, the trigger automatically activates the workflow.

4

Event data is passed to the next steps in the workflow.

Want a full picture? Learn more about how workflows work: How workflows work

Common workflow triggers use cases

Trigger	Common use cases
Product restock	Send a notification to all waitlist subscribers once the subscribed product is back in stock Alert the internal team about high-demand restock Create a limited-time discount for waitlist customers Implement VIP early access (send to VIPs first, then general waitlist)
Customer signed up	Send an immediate confirmation email Thank the customer for signing up Set expectations about notification timing Offer signup incentive (e.g., discount for waitlist)

Examples of workflow triggers

Example 1: Product restock

Trigger: Product restock

→ Condition: Customer criteria: Order count. Order count > Greater than 0 → Action: Create discount code → Action: Send email 🔗 Learn more: Back in stock with exclusive discount for loyal customers

Example 2: New customer sign up

Trigger: New customer signs up

→ Action: Send an initial welcome email to the new customer. → Action: Wait 3 days → Action: Send a follow-up brand story email. 🔗 Learn more: Welcome email series for new subscribers

Related articles

Available triggers, actions, and conditionsCreate a workflowAssign a workflow to your campaign

---

📩 Need help?

We’re here to make your XFlow experience smooth and successful. Our support team is always ready to assist you—no matter how big or small your question is.

Chat now Message us