How to use automations

Automations help you speed up your workflow by triggering actions based on specific events. They handle repetitive tasks like moving files, updating statuses, or archiving projects. This allows your team to focus on high-value work instead of manual project management.

Automations are only available on our Business and Enterprise plans.

How automations can help you

With automations, you can:

• Speed up review cycles by removing manual handoffs

• Ensure files always move to the right stage at the right time

• Reduce human error in repetitive tasks

• Keep stakeholders informed automatically

Typical use cases include legal approvals, brand reviews, content updates, and multi-step internal workflows.

Common automation use cases

• Move a file to the next review step once all reviewers approve

• Automatically notify reviewers when a file is ready

• Lock downloads or comments after approval

• Keep projects organized without manual intervention

How to set up automations

1. Open the Project dashboard

2. Click the Automation button

3. Select Create automation

4. Choose a trigger (the event that starts the automation)

5. Define the Action (what should happen automatically)

6. Review your setup and click Save automation

Once saved, the automation will run automatically whenever the trigger condition is met.

Only team members with permission to manage automations can create and edit automations. Team members without this permission can only view existing automations.

This is how triggers and actions work

Triggers define when an automation starts, while actions define what happens next.

Element Description

You can combine different triggers and actions to match your workflow needs.

Default automations

We include several preconfigured automations that cover the most common review scenarios. These are ready to use and require little to no setup.

Examples of default automations include:

• Moving a file to the next reviewer group once everyone approves

• Changing the file status automatically after a decision

• Controlling download or comment permissions based on status

These default automations help teams get started quickly without building workflows from scratch.

Custom automations

In addition to default setups, we also support custom automations for more advanced workflows.

Custom automations allow you to:

• Combine multiple conditions

• Adapt workflows to internal approval rules

• Match complex review processes used by legal, compliance, or enterprise teams

For advanced needs, we offer custom automations tailored to your specific workflow. These are ideal if you manage complex approval rules or if you want to automate manual steps in the process that go beyond standard setups.

Our Customer Success team will work with you to build and implement these high-level automations. Please note that custom solutions are scoped individually and may involve additional costs. Interested in a custom setup? Contact our team to discuss your requirements and receive a personalized quote.

What´s next? After understanding how to create and use automations, see how to use the search to quickly find the information you need.

Let us know if you have any questions by reaching out to us on chat or emailing us at support@filestage.io. We're always happy to help!