Trigger Studio: keep connected records in step instantly
No-code rules that run inside the save itself, so linked records, totals and statuses are always correct, however the record was changed.
Trigger Studio lets you write "when this happens, do that" rules that run at the exact moment a record is saved, as part of the save. Use them to link records, fill in values and keep related records in step. Because they run inside the save, they fire for every change: a form, an import, the API, a workflow or a bulk update. Nothing slips through.
Where to find it #
Open a table in the Data Builder and choose the Triggers tab. If your tables don't have a Triggers tab, Trigger Studio isn't turned on for your account yet. Contact support to ask for it.
Trigger Studio or a workflow? #
| Trigger Studio | Workflows | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs | Instantly, as part of the save | Just after the save, in the background |
| Fires on | Every change, from anywhere: forms, imports, the API, bulk updates | The triggers you choose |
| Can react to deletes | Yes | No |
| Can do | Find, link, unlink, create and update records; set values on the record being saved | Everything: email, PDFs, integrations, AI, custom code |
| Best for | Keeping data correct and connected | Doing things: notifying, generating, calling other tools |
A good rule of thumb: if the result is about your data being right (this order must be linked to its customer, this total must match), use Trigger Studio. If it's about doing something (send, generate, notify, call), use a workflow.
Build a trigger #
- WHEN this happens Pick the event: After a record is created, updated or deleted, or Before a record is created or updated. Use Before to change the record that's being saved; use After to change other records.
- Only when (optional) Add conditions: compare values, check whether a field changed, changed to or changed from a value, or check its connections (is connected to, has any or no connected record, has more than a number). Tick only when certain fields change so it doesn't run on every edit.
- THEN do this Add steps: Find a record, Link records, Unlink records, Update a found record, Create a record, Set values on this record (Before events), or Stop if....
- Test it Press Test with this record to see what it would do with a real record before you turn it on.
Values can be fixed, come from the record, or be worked out with simple functions: now, today's date, a date plus some days, join text, upper or lower case, trim spaces, round, add, subtract, multiply, divide, and use a fallback if a value is empty. A plain-English summary shows what the trigger does, and an Activity log shows each time it ran.
Examples #
- Link orders to customers by email. After an order is created: find the customer whose Email matches the order's Email, then link them. Works for orders from a form, an import or the API alike.
- Stamp when a status changes. Before a record is updated, only when Status changes to Closed: set Closed On to now.
- Tidy what people type. Before a record is created or updated: set Email to lower case with spaces trimmed.
- Clean up when something's deleted. After a project is deleted: update its open tasks to Cancelled.
Good to know #
- Changes made by a trigger don't start your workflows or webhooks unless you tick let Workflows and webhooks react to these changes.
- Triggers work on your data directly, so they aren't limited by row-level security. Only builders can create them, but think about what a trigger exposes when it copies values between records.
- For triggers that touch many records, turn on Runs in the background so saves stay fast.
- Collaborators need Trigger Studio permissions to view, change or turn on triggers.