Project & Task Automations

Modified on Wed, 26 Aug at 1:23 PM

This is the richest area of automation: keep clients informed as projects progress, bill automatically at the right moments, and keep tasks moving — including chasing overdue work. Project tasks live inside projects, so their triggers and actions are covered here too.

Project & Task Triggers

Project Created - | Event | A project is created — directly, or auto-created when a quote is accepted.
Project Status Updated | Event | A project's status changes (including completion).
Task Created - | Event | A project task is created.
Task Status Updated - | Event | A project task's status changes.
Task Assigned - | Event | A task is assigned to a user or team.
Project Timer - | Timer (daily) | Runs daily over open projects (not completed/cancelled).
Task Timer - | Timer (daily) | Runs daily over open tasks. Used for overdue chase-ups.

Project & Task Conditions

Common project & task fields to filter on:

Project Status - the most common: act only when a project reaches a status you choose (e.g. "Completed", "On Hold", "Installed"). Because every account names its statuses differently, most project templates leave this for you to fill in.
Task name / status- target a specific task.
Task due date (End date) - for overdue nudges (e.g. 1, 3 and 7 days overdue).

Project & Task Actions

Communication

Send Project Email - emails the project's client, manager, contact or billing contact. *To*, *Subject* and *Message* required; optional document template and product file attachments. Supports project placeholders.
Send Project Chat Message - posts a message into the project's chat channel as GuruBot. Just a *Message* (supports project placeholders).
Send Project Notification- sends an in-app notification to the project manager, a chosen user, or all users. *Message* required; optional severity.

Tasks & Status

Update Task Status by Name - moves a named task to a status you set (e.g. complete "Design" → move "Build" to In Progress). *Task name* and *Status* required.
Update Project Start / Due Date - recalculates a project date by adding or subtracting days/weeks/months from a chosen source date, with optional month-end adjustments.
Update Task Start / End Date - same date maths applied to matching task lines (filter by task name/status).
Complete Project - marks the project complete.
Create To-Do - adds a to-do linked to the project (see To-Do Automations).

Billing

These run against the project and respect your markup, tax and credit-term settings. Production jobs are skipped automatically. See also Invoice Automations

Create Project Percentage Invoice - bills a percentage of the project. *Percentage* required (pre-filled on templates).
Create and Send Percentage Invoice - same as Create Project Percentage Invoice but provides and email template to send the invoice to the client. This also lets you choose *the invoice status (Draft (default) or Approved (gets a real invoice number) before sending.
Create Final Invoice - bills the remaining balance against the quote plus any un-invoiced billable purchases.
Create and Send Final Invoice - same as Create Final Invoice but provides and email template to send the invoice to the client. This also lets you choose *the invoice status (Draft (default) or Approved (gets a real invoice number) before sending.
Create Invoice by Actual Usage - bills logged time, stock used and billable purchases not yet billed.
Create and Send Invoice by Actual Usage - same as Create Invoice by Actual Usage but provides and email template to send the invoice to the client. This also lets you choose *the invoice status (Draft (default) or Approved (gets a real invoice number) before sending.

Note: Create only billing actions always leave a Draft invoice for you to review. Create and Send actions default to Draft but can be set to Approved automatically.

Automation Library Project & Task Templates

Communication & Status

Send a kickoff email when a project is created ⭐ | Project Created | Ready
Notify the client when a project reaches a chosen status | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set message
Let the client know when a project goes on hold | Project Status Updated | Choose status
Notify the project manager when a project reaches a status | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set message
Post a chat update when a project reaches a status | Project Status Updated | Choose status; write message
Send completion documents when a project is finished | Project Status Updated | Choose status & document template
Post a chat brief when a task is assigned | Task Assigned | Write message
Start the next task when one is completed | Task Status Updated | Name the completed task & the next task
Create a kickoff to-do when a project starts ⭐ | Project Created | Ready
Create a review to-do when a project is completed | Project Status Updated | Choose status

Billing

Raise a deposit invoice when a project is created ⭐ | Project Created | Ready (deposit % pre-filled)
Raise and email the deposit invoice when a project is created | Project Created | Choose draft/approved; set email
Raise a progress invoice at a milestone status | Project Status Updated | Choose status
Raise and email a progress invoice at a milestone | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set email
Raise the final invoice when a project is completed | Project Status Updated | Choose status
Raise and email the final invoice when a project is completed | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set email
Raise, approve and email the final invoice when a project completes | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set email
Invoice actual usage when a project is completed | Project Status Updated | Choose status
Invoice actual usage and email it when a project completes | Project Status Updated | Choose status; set email

⭐ = Starter Pack / popular. These feature in the Operations Efficiency Pack and the Cashflow Accelerator Pack.

Project & Task Workflow Tips

Almost every project template asks you to pick **which status** triggers it — that's because your status names are unique to your account. This is the field that blocks activation until set.
Overdue task chase-ups (chat nudge or PM notification) fire at 1, 3 and 7 days overdue by default — each once, not every day.
Be deliberate with **approve-and-send** billing automations: test with **Draft** first so you can eyeball the invoices before letting WorkGuru approve them.