> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.helpyousponsor.com/guides/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.helpyousponsor.com/guides/core-features/automations.md).

# Automations

Automations help your team turn repeatable relationship work into reusable workflows. Use Journeys when you want HelpYouSponsor to welcome a new donor, recover an overdue commitment, move a trip participant through next steps, remind staff when a recipient update is missing, or notify the right team member when a relationship needs attention.

The in-app navigation labels this area **Journeys** under **Automations**. Depending on your account setup, the page can include Relationship Journeys, System Automations, and Message Library.

{% hint style="info" %}
Journeys may require beta access and journey permissions. If you cannot see Journeys, ask an organization admin to review your permission set and confirm that the feature is enabled for your account.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/ZKTsDZSkrRvwgdvlhpr4" alt=""><figcaption><p>Journeys overview with relationship journey filters, health metrics, and journey cards.</p></figcaption></figure>

## Choose the right automation area

Use **Relationship Journeys** when you want to create or manage a workflow for donors, trip participants, or recipients. A journey starts when a selected trigger happens, then moves the person through steps such as messages, delays, branches, tags, tasks, goals, and staff notifications.

Use **Message Library** when you want to maintain reusable email or SMS source templates that journey steps can use.

Use **System Automations** when your account shows legacy Auto Email or Auto SMS automations inside Journeys. This area lets you review operational automations, open them in their original screens, and convert eligible automations into richer draft journeys.

## Review relationship journeys

Use the Journeys overview when you want to decide which workflow needs work next.

The page shows:

* **Active journeys**: Published journeys that can process matching records.
* **Drafts**: Journeys still being prepared.
* **People in journeys**: Current active enrollments across journeys.
* **Needs attention**: Journeys with health warnings, missing setup, failures, or unusual activity.

You can filter journeys by:

* **Audience**: All, Donors, Trip Participants, or Recipients.
* **Status**: All, Draft, Active, Paused, Needs attention, or Archived.
* **Search**: Find a journey by name, description, trigger, goal, exit rule, or status.

Each journey card shows the audience, status, trigger summary, health indicators, recent activity, active count, completed count, and quick actions. Use the star on a card when you want a journey to stay easier to find.

## What a journey can do

Available options depend on the audience you choose.

For donors, journeys can respond to moments such as first gifts, new donations, new commitments, overdue commitments, donor tags, and new sponsorships.

For trip participants, journeys can respond to status changes, completed tasks, and background check updates.

For recipients, journeys can respond to status changes, new sponsor assignments, and missing recent updates.

Journey steps can:

* send an email or SMS message,
* request a handwritten card when Handwrytten is enabled,
* wait for a specific amount of time,
* branch based on donor, participant, or recipient data,
* add or remove a tag,
* update a field,
* create a staff task,
* mark a goal,
* notify staff.

## Learn the workflow

Use these guides when you are ready to work with Journeys:

* [Create a Journey](/guides/core-features/automations/create-a-journey.md)
* [Build and Publish a Journey](/guides/core-features/automations/build-and-publish-a-journey.md)
* [Review Path History](/guides/core-features/automations/review-path-history.md)
* [Manage the Message Library](/guides/core-features/automations/message-library.md)
* [Review System Automations](/guides/core-features/automations/system-automations.md)