Automations are automated workflows built based on user research and subject matter expertise. Currently, there are up to 18 pre-built Plan Type Automations that use various triggers, conditions, and actions so that repeat actions occur automatically to save admins time in their workday. The good news is that if admins love and appreciate how Via has configured Plan automations, there is no need to edit or customize anything!
Given that admins want to make changes or create new Plan Type Automations, that power is now available for Plan-based triggers and conditions.
Plan Type Automations can assist Education Abroad and Risk and Safety teams to support various Risk Management processes, monitor critical changes to submitted travel registries, and stay informed of any actions that could endanger compliance protocols.
Utilizing Plan Automations saves offices time and allows the Via robots to help automate the deployment of forms to travelers, send customized mailers to travelers or Admins, and automate the status change of a plan.
Via Travel provides 18 pre-built Plan Automations
- Traveler adds Itinerary item to Solo plan
- Admin cancels Group Plan
- Traveler leaves Group Plan
- Traveler joins Group Plan
- Traveler or Admin reinstates Solo Plan
- Traveler or Admin cancels Solo Plan
- Traveler creates Solo Plan
- Admin Removes A Detail in the Group Itinerary Traveler Notification
- Admin edits a detail in the group itinerary
- Admin adds a detail to the group itinerary
- Group Plan: Admin edits Group Plan
- Group Plan: Admin reinstates Group Plan
- Group Plan: Admin cancels Group Plan
- Group Plan: Admin adds Traveler to Group Plan
- Group Plan: Traveler leaves Group Plan
- Group Plan: Traveler joins Group Plan
- Solo Plan: Admin changes Solo Plan status
- Solo Plan: Traveler creates Solo Plan
- Solo Plan: Traveler or Admin cancels Solo Plan
Plan Automations are only available to Via Travel Partners. If you're interested in learning more about Plan Automations, reach out to support@via-trm.com.
Please note that when editing automations and/or creating new ones, admins will have the potential to create duplicative automations.
Via recommends creating internal processes to ensure that all automations are carefully configured and reviewed to avoid duplicate actions.
For example, Via currently sends one mailer notification when a traveler creates a Solo plan. Admins now have the ability to create unlimited custom mailer notifications that are sent when a solo plan is created.
As a result, internal coordination and review before an Automation is Active is highly recommended.
Triggers
A Trigger is what sets an Automation in motion, often referred to as the 'big bang' of an Automation. In the list below, you'll see the possible triggers available for Plan Automations.
Available Triggers
- Plan [is] Created
- Plan [is] Cancelled
- Plan [is] Reinstated
- Plan [is] Edited
If no condition is saved, all relevant plans will be impacted by the active Automation. For example, I want to curate special messaging when a Solo Plan is created for independent travelers. As an administrator, if I do not select the Condition for Travel Type is Solo Plan, then all created Group and Solo plans will be relevant to this Automation. Therefore, all travelers included in a plan will receive this messaging.
Condition
A Condition is a circumstance that must be true in order for an Automation to run. Conditions allow admins to create Automations with precision, with the goal of targeting a specific circumstance relating to a plan or traveler within it. Conditions in Via are optional and not required for an automation happen. If no condition is saved, Via will use the selected trigger as the only requirement to run the Automation.
Available Conditions
- Plan Status [is] Registered, Pending Approval, Approved, Not Approved
- Travel Type [is] Group Plan, Solo Plan
- Plan Country [is] or [is not] desired country(ies)*
- Traveler Status [is] Going, Not Going
Actions
An Action is the step Via takes once a trigger has occurred and all conditions of an automation are met. Once an action is selected, admins can customize the details of the Action. For example, after choosing 'Send Traveler Mailer' as an Automation's Action, admins can customize the subject line, message content, the button text of a mailer, and the destination of the mailer when travelers click into it.
Via highly recommends creating clear naming conventions when new automations are created. This will allow offices to easily audit, update, and keep track of Automations if processes are streamlined in the future.
To Create a Plan Automation...
- Click Builder
- Click Automations
- Click Create New
- Select Plan Automation
- Enter Automation Name
- (Step 2)Select a Trigger
- (Step 3 OPTIONAL) Select Condition(s), if needed
- Select an Action and save any changes
- Scroll to the top of the page
- Set the Automation Status
- Click Save