Affiliate workflow triggers
The following triggers are available for affiliate-related workflows:| Trigger | Fires when |
|---|---|
| Affiliate enrolled | A new affiliate is added to a campaign |
| Affiliate sale | A sale is recorded for an affiliate |
| Commission approved | A commission is approved for payout |
| Commission paid | A commission payment is processed |
| Affiliate link clicked | A contact clicks an affiliate’s tracking link |
Common automation recipes
Welcome sequence for new affiliates
Trigger: Affiliate enrolled
Set the trigger to fire when a new affiliate is enrolled in any campaign (or a specific campaign).
Send a welcome email
Add an email action with your affiliate welcome message — include their portal login link, tracking link, and a quick-start guide.
Sale notification to affiliate
- Trigger: Affiliate sale
- Action: Send SMS or email to the affiliate: “Congrats! You just made a sale of [amount] in the [campaign name] program. Keep it up!”
- Optional: Add an internal notification to your team
Automated lead assignment notification
- Trigger: Affiliate link clicked (contact created)
- Action: Assign the contact to the affiliate’s account manager
- Action: Send an internal notification: “New lead from affiliate [name]“
Commission milestone celebration
- Trigger: Commission approved
- Condition: Check if total commissions for this affiliate exceed a threshold (e.g., $1,000)
- Action: Send a congratulatory email and upgrade the affiliate to a higher commission tier
Automating commission assignments
For programs with complex commission rules that go beyond the standard percentage or flat-rate model:- Create a workflow triggered by Affiliate sale
- Use If/Else conditions to check:
- The product purchased
- The affiliate’s total sales count
- The customer’s location or plan type
- Based on the conditions, set a custom commission amount using a Custom Field Update or Webhook action to your commission tracking system
Best practices
Keep affiliates informed
Keep affiliates informed
Automated sale notifications keep affiliates motivated. Seeing real-time results encourages continued promotion.
Use delays thoughtfully
Use delays thoughtfully
Space out onboarding emails over 3-5 days. Too many emails at once can overwhelm new affiliates.
Track automation performance
Track automation performance
Monitor workflow statistics to see how many affiliates complete the welcome sequence, click through onboarding emails, and start generating sales.
Combine with portal
Combine with portal
Reference the affiliate portal in your automated messages. Direct affiliates to their portal for tracking links, materials, and commission status.