Workflow actions: How to send an email | PeopleForce help center

⚠️ Available with any of the following subscriptions: Standard or Professional packages

Once you've set up the trigger event, the next step is to add tasks for execution.

To get started, click the '+' icon within the trigger field and choose what you'd like to add. Here are the available options:

Create a task: Define specific tasks that need to be completed as part of the workflow.
Request a form: Prompt people to fill out a form—for example, to collect personal details, update profile information, or submit a change request.
Request feedback: Automate feedback collection at key stages of the employee journey via Lifecycle Surveys.
Send an email: Automate the process of sending emails to relevant individuals or a group of employees.
Send a welcome letter: Automatically send an invitation to the system.
Generate a document: Configure the system to generate specific documents, such as offer letters, contracts, or reports.
Upload a document: Upload documents that are the same for all employees (e.g., NDAs, policies) and automate their signing within the workflow.
Send a webhook: Integrate with external applications or services by sending webhook notifications.
Trigger the workflow: Automate workflow activation within existing workflows.
Google Workspace action: Automate the creation or deletion of Google Workspace for new hires or terminated employees.

Automatic workflows run once a day at 10:00 according to the user’s profile time zone.

In this article, we will tell you how to send emails effectively. Here's an example of how it appears within the system:

Giving the name to the workflow action

Give a descriptive name that will make it easier to understand later in the sequence of actions what the purpose of this letter is.

In the "Recipient Type" field, you have several options:

1. "Affected employee" - If you select this option, the email will be sent to the affected employee. This might be a welcome letter or a letter with further instructions.

2. "Manager of the affected employee" - Choosing this recipient type sends the email to the manager of the affected employee.

3. "Referenced employee of the affected employee" - This option lets you choose a specific employee, like an HR manager, identified in the affected employee's profile using a custom field. For instance, if Eva Novak is Ilya Scherbakov's HR manager, selecting this option will arrange the sending of the email to Eva.

For more detailed guidance, refer to our custom employee fields guide.

4. "Specific employee" - This option enables you to choose a particular individual to receive an email.

5. "Group of employees" - This option enables you to select a group of employees to send an email to. For instance, you can create a group that includes members from both the HR and IT departments.

6. ''External emails''- Now, when writing emails in the workflow, you can send them to external email addresses. This is useful if your task concerns a freelancer or an external team member.

✨ Additionally, this option lets you thank or greet remote employees who are not part of the internal team.

Using placeholders in emails

When writing the body of the email, use placeholders - platform-generated prompts with useful information - such as the employee's full name, position, manager's name, department, etc.

This will save you time by not having to look up this information separately when composing the text.

List of placeholders you can use

The placeholders listed below are based on system fields. In addition to system fields, you can also use placeholders for some custom profile fields created in your account.

Employee variables

{{Employee - Date of birth}}: Employee’s date of birth from the profile.
{{Employee - Department}}: Current department the employee belongs to.
{{Employee - Department (previous)}}: Department assigned before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Department (upcoming)}}: Department that will be assigned after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Division}}: Current division the employee belongs to
{{Employee - Division (previous)}}: Division assigned before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Division (upcoming)}}: Division that will be assigned after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Eligible for rehire}}: Indicates whether the employee is marked as eligible for rehire.
{{Employee - Email}}: Employee’s corporate email address.
{{Employee - Employment type}}: Employment type, e.g. full-time, part-time, contractor.
{{Employee - First name}}: Employee’s first name.
{{Employee - Gender}}: Employee’s gender as stored in the profile
{{Employee - Job level}}: Current job level / grade of the employee.
{{Employee - Job level (previous)}}: Job level before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Job level (upcoming)}}: Job level after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Last day in the office}}: Employee’s last working day in the company.
{{Employee - Last name}}: Employee’s last name.
{{Employee - Location}}: Current work location of the employee (office / city / country field).
{{Employee - Location (previous)}}: Work location before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Location (upcoming)}}: Work location after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Personal email}}: Employee’s personal email address.
{{Employee - Position}}: Current position / job title of the employee.
{{Employee - Position (previous)}}: Position before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Position (upcoming)}}: Position after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Salary}}: Current base salary amount stored in the profile.
{{Employee - Salary (previous)}}: Base salary amount before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Salary (upcoming)}}: Base salary amount after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Salary currency code}}: Currency code of the current salary (for example, USD, EUR).
{{Employee - Salary currency code (previous)}}: Salary currency code before the latest approved change.
{{Employee - Salary currency code (upcoming)}}: Salary currency code after the upcoming approved change.
{{Employee - Salary effective date}}: Date from which the current salary becomes effective.
{{Employee - Salary effective date (previous)}}: Effective date of the previous salary.
{{Employee - Salary effective date (upcoming)}}: Effective date of the upcoming salary.
{{Employee - Starts on}}: Employment start date of the employee.
{{Employee - Termination date}}: Date on which the employment is terminated in the system.
{{Employee - Termination reason}}: Termination reason selected in the employee’s termination record.
{{Employee - Termination type}}: Termination type/category.

Manager variables

{{Manager - Date of birth}}: Manager’s date of birth from the profile.
{{Manager - Department}}: Current department the manager belongs to.
{{Manager - Division}}: Current division the manager belongs to
{{Manager - Eligible for rehire}}: Indicates whether the manager is marked as eligible for rehire.
{{Manager - Email}}: Manager’s corporate email address.
{{Manager - Employment type}}: Manager’s employment type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.).
{{Manager - First name}}: Manager’s first name.
{{Manager - Gender}}: Manager’s gender as stored in the profile.
{{Manager - Job level}}: Current job level / grade of the manager.
{{Manager - Last day in the office}}: Manager’s last working day in the company (for exits or planned leave).
{{Manager - Last name}}: Manager’s last name.
{{Manager - Location}}: Current work location of the manager.
{{Manager - Personal email}}: Manager’s personal email address.
{{Manager - Position}}: Current position / job title of the manager.
{{Manager - Salary}}: Manager’s current base salary amount stored in the profile.
{{Manager - Salary currency code}}: Currency code of the manager’s current salary.
{{Manager - Salary effective date}}: Date from which the manager’s current salary becomes effective.
{{Manager - Starts on}}: Employment start date of the manager.
{{Manager - Termination date}}: Date on which the manager’s employment is terminated in the system.
{{Manager - Termination reason}}: Termination reason selected in the manager’s termination record.
{{Manager - Termination type}}: Manager’s termination type/category.

Manager (upcoming) variables

{{Manager (upcoming) - Date of birth}}: Manager’s (upcoming) date of birth from the profile.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Department}}: Current department the manager (upcoming) belongs to.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Division}}: Current division the manager (upcoming) belongs to
{{Manager (upcoming) - Eligible for rehire}}: Indicates whether the manager (upcoming) is marked as eligible for rehire.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Email}}: Manager’s (upcoming) corporate email address.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Employment type}}: Manager’s (upcoming) employment type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.).
{{Manager (upcoming) - First name}}: Manager’s (upcoming) first name.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Gender}}: Manager’s (upcoming) gender as stored in the profile.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Job level}}: Current job level / grade of the manager (upcoming).
{{Manager (upcoming) - Last day in the office}}: Manager’s (upcoming) last working day in the company (for exits or planned leave).
{{Manager (upcoming) - Last name}}: Manager’s (upcoming) last name.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Location}}: Current work location of the manager (upcoming).
{{Manager (upcoming) - Personal email}}: Manager’s (upcoming) personal email address.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Position}}: Current position / job title of the manager (upcoming).
{{Manager (upcoming) - Salary}}: Manager’s (upcoming) current base salary amount stored in the profile.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Salary currency code}}: Currency code of the manager’s (upcoming) current salary.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Salary effective date}}: Date from which the manager’s (upcoming) current salary becomes effective.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Starts on}}: Employment start date of the manager (upcoming).
{{Manager (upcoming) - Termination date}}: Date on which the manager’s (upcoming) employment is terminated in the system.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Termination reason}}: Termination reason selected in the manager’s (upcoming) termination record.
{{Manager (upcoming) - Termination type}}: Manager’s (upcoming) termination type/category.

Other variables

{{Other - Today}}: the current date on which the workflow action runs
{{Other - Company name}}: your company name as defined in the account/company settings.

How to generate a document in the employee profile

Navigate your profile

Request form action for workflows

Automate Notifications for Promotions, Transfers, Relocations, and Salary Updates

Workflow actions: How to request a form