Sift Sequences

Sequences are automations in Sift that trigger actions when specific events occur. They ensure no lead slips through the cracks by automatically creating tasks, changing statuses, moving cards, and sending notifications.

Quick Reference

Component	Purpose	Required
Trigger	Event that starts the automation	Yes
Condition	Additional rules that must be met	No
Action	What happens when triggered	Yes

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user wants to:

1. Create a new sequence from scratch
2. Ideate sequence workflows for their business
3. Troubleshoot why a sequence is not working
4. Understand how sequences interact with SiftLine, tasks, and statuses
5. Learn how Events, Tasks, Sequences, and Drip Campaigns work together

The Sift Automation Ecosystem

Understanding how the four core components work together is essential before building sequences.

How Events, Tasks, Sequences, and Drip Campaigns Connect

Component	What It Is	How It Connects
Events	Container for Tasks and Appointments in your account	Tasks created by sequences appear here
Tasks	Individual action items with deadlines	Created manually or automatically via sequences
Task Presets	Reusable task templates	Used by sequences to auto-create consistent tasks
Sequences	Automations triggered by status/card/tag changes	Create tasks, move cards, add to drip campaigns
Drip Campaigns	Delayed SMS/Email sequences over time	Added to records via sequence actions

The Integration Flow

Status Change → Sequence Triggers → Creates Task (from Preset) → Task appears in Events
                                 → Adds to Drip Campaign → Drip sends SMS/Email over days
                                 → Moves Card on SiftLine

Task Completed → Can trigger another Sequence → Creates next Task in chain

Events Section Overview

The Events section of Sift is where you manage all appointments and tasks. Key features:

Feature	Description
All Events Tab	View appointments and tasks combined
Filtering	Filter by date range, assigned user, or assigner
Task Presets	Access reusable task templates
Google Calendar	Sync appointments and tasks with your calendar

Appointments vs. Tasks: Appointments include a location and outcome tracking. Tasks are action items with deadlines and recurrence options.

For complete Events documentation, see: references/events-overview.md

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Default Account Setup (Accounts Created After 4/16/2025)

Important: Default accounts include pre-built sequences, task presets, and boards. Understanding what comes included versus what you need to build yourself prevents confusion.

What's INCLUDED in Default Accounts

Category	Included Items
SiftLine Boards	Lead Management, Acquisitions, Transactions, Wholesale, Flips, Rentals
Sequences	Lead Management, Acquisitions, and Transactions automations
Task Presets	Call New Lead, No Contact New Lead, Nurture New Lead, Cold/Warm/Hot Follow-up, Make Offer, Offer Follow-Up, Send Back to LM
Filter Presets	My Tasks, Acquisitions, Lead Management, Transactions, REISift Base Presets
Property Statuses	New Lead, No Contact New Lead, Cold/Warm/Hot Lead, Ghosting Lead, Dead Lead, Not Interested, Listed, Sold, Under Contract, Closed

Default Task Presets Discovery

When recommending a starting point, explain what each default task preset does:

Task Preset	Purpose	Default Due	Frequency
Call New Lead	Initial contact with new lead	Same day	Once
No Contact New Lead	Follow-up when lead hasn't responded	3-5 days	Daily
Nurture New Lead	Long-term nurture for unqualified leads	3-6 months	Weekly
Cold Follow-up	Re-engage cold leads	45 days	Every 45 days
Warm Follow-up	Maintain warm lead relationships	14 days	Every 14 days
Hot Follow-up	Aggressive follow-up for hot leads	7 days	Every 7 days
Make Offer	Present offer to qualified lead	Same day	Once
Offer Follow-Up	Follow up after offer presented	1-2 days	Daily
Send Back to LM	Return declined offers to Lead Management	1 day	Once

What's NOT INCLUDED (Must Build Yourself)

Clarification: The following are recommended patterns from this skill documentation, NOT pre-built defaults:

Pattern	Description	Why Build It
Follow-up chain sequences (HOT A01-A16)	Task completion triggers next task	Creates automated cadence without manual intervention
Custom temperature cadences	Specific timing for your market	Tailors follow-up frequency to your business
Board-to-board workflows	Duplicate cards between boards	Tracks KPIs across workflow stages
Conditional routing	Route leads based on tags/value	Assigns high-value leads to senior team members
Drip campaign triggers	Add to drips on status change	Automates long-term nurture sequences

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Core Philosophy

Sequences should be rewards for consistency, not crutches for forgetfulness. The recommended approach:

1. Get consistent with a manual process first
2. Prove the process works
3. Then automate with sequences to save time

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Sequence Anatomy

Triggers (Required)

The event that starts the automation:

Trigger	Use When
Property Status Change	Lead status updates (most common)
Property Assignee Change	Ownership transfers
Property Tags Added/Removed	Tag-based workflows
Property Lists Added/Removed	List membership changes
Task Created/Completed	Task-driven workflows
SiftLine Card Created	New cards on boards
SiftLine Card Moved	Cards change phases

Conditions (Optional)

Additional rules that filter when the action executes:

Condition	Example
Property Status Change	From "Any" to "New Lead"
Property Assignee	Assignee is specific user
Property Tags	Has or doesn't have specific tags
Property Lists	On or not on specific lists
Card Board & Column	Card is on specific board/phase
SiftLine Card Moved	From specific board/phase to another

Actions (Required)

What happens when trigger fires and conditions are met:

Action	Common Use
Change Property Status	Update lead temperature
Assign Property	Route to team member (supports round-robin)
Add/Remove Property Tags	Categorization
Add/Remove Property Lists	List management
Clear Property Tasks	Reset task slate
Create New Task	Assign follow-up work
Create New Card	Add to SiftLine board
Move/Duplicate/Delete Card	SiftLine workflow automation
Send SMS/Email	Immediate notifications (leads only)
Add to Drip Campaign	Long-term nurture

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Creating a Sequence

1. Navigate to Sequences in left sidebar
2. Click "Create New Sequence"
3. Add Trigger (drag and drop)
4. Add Condition if needed (drag and drop)
5. Add Action(s) (drag and drop)
6. Name the sequence
7. Select folder
8. Click "Save Sequence"

To edit existing default sequences: Open sequence folder → Click sequence name → Select "Make Changes" → Edit → Save Sequence

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Recommended Starting Points

When helping users get started, provide discovery about what they already have and what they need to build.

Starting Point 1: Use Default Sequences As-Is

Best for: New users who want to test the system before customizing.

What you already have:

• Default sequences for Lead Management, Acquisitions, Transactions
• Task presets that auto-assign based on status changes
• Tasks loop automatically (daily → weekly → ghosting)

Action: Review your existing sequences under Sequences page. Toggle them on/off as needed.

Starting Point 2: Customize Default Sequences

Best for: Users who want to adjust timing or assignees.

What to customize:

• Task due dates and frequencies
• Assignees (change from Sensei to specific users/roles)
• Round-robin distribution for teams

Action: Open each default sequence → Make Changes → Adjust settings → Save.

Starting Point 3: Build Follow-Up Chain Sequences (Custom Build Required)

Best for: Users who want automated task chains where completing one task creates the next.

What you need to build: Individual sequences for each step in your cadence. For example, a Hot Lead follow-up chain requires 16 separate sequences (A01 through A16).

See: references/lead-management-sequences.md for complete configurations.

Starting Point 4: Build Board-to-Board Workflows (Custom Build Required)

Best for: Users who want cards to automatically move/duplicate between boards.

What you need to build: Sequences triggered by card movement to transition phases.

See: references/board-workflows.md for complete configurations.

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Common Sequence Patterns

For ready-to-use sequence configurations (that you build yourself), see:

• Lead Management sequences: references/lead-management-sequences.md
• Acquisitions sequences: references/acquisitions-sequences.md
• Board-to-board workflows: references/board-workflows.md
• Drip campaign integration: references/drip-campaigns.md
• Sequence ideation framework: references/sequence-ideation.md
• Events overview: references/events-overview.md

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Ideating Sequences

When helping users design sequences, ask these questions:

1. What event should trigger the automation?

   • Status change? Card movement? Task completion?

2. Are there any conditions that must be met?

   • Only for certain statuses? Specific team members?

3. What should happen automatically?

   • Create task? Move card? Send notification?

4. Who should be assigned?

   • Specific user? Round-robin? Property assignee?

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Troubleshooting

Sequence Won't Save

• Verify at least one trigger AND one action exist
• Ensure sequence has a name

Sequence Triggered But Didn't Run

• Large batch triggers may take a few minutes
• Check if other actions are running simultaneously

Card Not Moving/Adding to Board

• Card may already exist on target board (action skips)
• Verify card is on the expected source board/phase

Sequence Didn't Run on Upload

• Tag/List triggers only work for manual additions, not uploads
• Use Property Status Change trigger for upload-based automations

Sequence Loop Error

• Sequences cannot trigger other sequences
• Combine related automations into a single sequence

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Sequence Limits by Plan

Plan	Limit
Essentials (grandfathered)	3 sequences
Professional	8 sequences
Business	Unlimited

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User Permissions

These roles can create/edit sequences:

• Sensei (account owner)
• Super Admin
• Admin
• Marketer

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SMS/Email in Sequences

Important: SMS and Email actions are for leads only, not cold outreach.

For SMS:

• Requires smrtPhone, Twilio, or Plivo integration
• Use @ variables for personalization

For Email:

• Requires Gmail integration
• Use for confirmed email addresses only

For delayed follow-ups, use Drip Campaigns instead of direct SMS/Email actions.

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Drip Campaigns vs. Sequence Actions

Feature	Sequence SMS/Email	Drip Campaigns
Timing	Immediate	Delayed (minutes/hours/days)
Best For	New lead alerts	Long-term nurture
Integration	Any SMS provider	smrtPhone, Twilio, Plivo only

For complete drip campaign setup, see: references/drip-campaigns.md

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Viewing Sequence Activity

To see what sequences have run on a record:

1. Open the property record
2. Click "Activity Log"
3. Sequence names appear next to automated updates