How to Set Up Automated Booking Email Workflows

What is the Workflow Engine for Automated Emails

Meeting Hub Pro customers can use workflows to automatically send booking-related emails at selected times.

For example, you can send:


  • A booking reminder before an upcoming reservation.
  • Access instructions on the day of a booking.
  • Security bond payment information after a booking is made.
  • A follow-up or thank-you email after the booking.


Automated emails help keep customers informed, reduce missed bookings and remove the need to send routine communications manually.


How automated email workflows work

Each automated email workflow has two components:


  1. Email template: The message that will be sent to the customer.
  2. Workflow: The rules that determine when the email will be sent.



The workflow combines a selected email template with a timing trigger, such as:

  • Send the booking reminder email one day before the booking date.


Meeting Hub regularly checks active workflows throughout the day and sends eligible emails automatically.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

  • Access to the Meeting Hub administration area.
  • Permission to manage email templates and workflows.
  • Created the email template you want to automate.
  • Confirmed when the email should be sent.


Create the email template

Before configuring a workflow, create the email that will be sent.

  1. From the administration menu, go to Manage Spaces / Facilities.
  2. Select Email Templates.
  3. Create a new template or edit an existing template.
  4. Enter a clear email subject.
  5. Add the email content.
  6. Use the available Merge Tags to automatically include relevant customer and booking information.
  7. Review the template and select Save.


Meeting Hub provides baseline templates to help you get started.

Email templates can be created for scenarios such as:

  • Booking reminders.
  • Security bond requirements.
  • Venue or space access instructions.
  • Booking confirmations.
  • Post-booking thank-you emails.
  • Customer follow-ups.



Open the workflow settings

Once the email template has been created:

  1. From the administration menu, go to Manage Spaces / Facilities.
  2. Select Workflow.



Create the workflow

Select the option to create a new workflow and complete the mandatory fields. Mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk.


Workflow name

Enter a descriptive name that makes the workflow easy to recognise.

For example:

  • Booking Reminder – One Day Before
  • Access Instructions – Booking Day
  • Security Bond Requirements – After Booking
  • Thank You Email – One Day After


Action type

Select Send Email.

This tells Meeting Hub that the workflow should send an email when its trigger conditions are met.



Email template

Select the email template you created for this workflow.

Make sure the selected template matches the purpose and timing of the workflow.



Configure the trigger condition


The trigger condition determines when the email will be sent.

Complete the following fields:


Time Unit

Select the unit used to calculate the workflow timing:

  • Minutes
  • Hours
  • Days


Time Value

Enter the number of minutes, hours or days to use.

For example:

  • A time unit of Days and a time value of 1 means one day.
  • A time unit of Hours and a time value of 24 means 24 hours.


Direction

Choose whether the email should be sent:

  • Before the selected event variable.
  • After the selected event variable.


Event Variable

Select the date that the workflow timing will be calculated from:

  • Event Date: The date and time the booked event is scheduled to take place.
  • Transaction Date: The date and time the booking was created.



Example workflow configurations

Booking reminder

To send a reminder one day before a booking:

  • Time Unit: Days
  • Time Value: 1
  • Direction: Before
  • Event Variable: Event Date


Access instructions

To send access instructions two hours before a booking:

  • Time Unit: Hours
  • Time Value: 2
  • Direction: Before
  • Event Variable: Event Date


Security bond instructions

To send security bond information one hour after a customer makes a booking:

  • Time Unit: Hours
  • Time Value: 1
  • Direction: After
  • Event Variable: Transaction Date


Post-booking thank-you email

To send a thank-you email one day after a booking:

  • Time Unit: Days
  • Time Value: 1
  • Direction: After
  • Event Variable: Event Date


Save the workflow

After reviewing the settings, select Save.

The workflow will then run automatically when a booking meets the selected trigger conditions.


Test the automated email

Before relying on the workflow for customer communication:


  1. Create a test booking.
  2. Confirm the booking meets the workflow conditions.
  3. Check that the email is sent at the expected time.
  4. Review the email subject and content.
  5. Confirm that all merge tags display the correct information.
  6. Check that the workflow does not create duplicate or conflicting emails.


Testing is particularly important when several workflows are configured around the same booking.


Managing existing workflows

Review your workflows regularly to ensure they remain accurate.

Update or disable a workflow when:


  • Booking procedures change.
  • Access instructions are updated.
  • An email template is replaced.
  • The timing of a customer communication changes.
  • The workflow is no longer required.



Clear workflow names will make ongoing administration easier.