Exploring HoneyBook's New Automations
Last Updated March 2026
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TL;DR: HoneyBook's Automations 2.0 brought some genuinely exciting updates - conditional logic (yes/no paths!), multiple automations running at the same time, a new automation dashboard, and manual triggers are back. The ability to edit emails before sending has also improved with a new email draft action. This post breaks down what's new, what's been fixed since the original version, and what's still missing.
As a business owner, time is one of your most valuable assets. That's why having a CRM that can handle your workflows automatically - without you having to babysit every step - matters so much.
HoneyBook has been rolling out some significant automation updates, and as someone who works with these systems every day, I wanted to give you a full breakdown of what changed, what got fixed, and what still has room to improve.
If you're new to HoneyBook and want a broader overview first, check out what HoneyBook is and how it works for service-based businesses.
Watch the Tutorial
Want to see these features in action? The video below walks through HoneyBook's automation features including how to set up conditional logic and build automations with the new builder.
What's New in HoneyBook Automations 2.0
Conditional Logic (Yes/No Paths )
What?!?!?! 🎉🤯 YAY!! I can’t tell you how excited I am about this one.
HoneyBook now lets you use conditional logic inside your automations, so you can build yes/no paths based on specific client actions. This is a game changer for automating your client process - instead of manually checking whether a client did something before sending the next email, HoneyBook handles the decision for you.
To use conditional logic, insert a condition inside the automation path and it will split into a yes path and a no path.
Example: after a contact form is submitted, automate the follow-up for booking a discovery call.
Insert condition: session was scheduled for session type “discovery call”. Set the time frame for the condition to 2 days.
If client does book a call (YES path): move the pipeline stage to “consult booked”.
If client doesn’t book a call within 2 days (NO path): send a follow-up email inviting them to book a call again.
AH-MAZING 🎉
September 2025 also added tag-based conditions - you can now use tags as conditions to branch automations or filter triggers. So your automations can adapt to how you actually work, not just what HoneyBook defaulted to.
Yes/no conditional logic in HoneyBook - the automation branches based on whether a session was scheduled
Running Multiple Automations at the Same Time
You can now run multiple automations simultaneously inside a single project, which is super useful for longer or more complex client processes.
No more removing one automation before applying another. You can build all the automations you need for your full client process and let them run without any issues.
Inside a client project, you'll see an "Automations" section on the right-hand side showing all active and completed / inactive automations running in that project.
Multiple automations running at the same time inside a single HoneyBook project
One Trigger Per Automation
Each automation in HoneyBook now has one trigger. I'll be honest - when I first saw this, I wasn't sure how I felt about it. But the more I've worked with it, the more I got used to it and it clicked. It pushes you to build shorter, more focused automations instead of one giant sequence trying to do everything.
It's not a downgrade. It's just a different way of thinking about your workflows.
Here's the current list of available triggers in Automations 2.0:
Calendly: meeting scheduled
Acuity: meeting scheduled
Contact form submitted
Lead form submitted
Session is scheduled
Session starts
Session ends
Smart File is completed
Questionnaire submitted
First payment paid
Invoice paid in full
Contract signed
All required signatures signed
Project date
Project end date
Project stage changed
Tags added to project
Manual trigger (more on this below)
Automation Dashboard
The automation dashboard gives you one central place to view all your automations in progress across every project. You can approve pending actions, cancel automations, and track activity without digging through individual projects.
The HoneyBook automation activity dashboard - one central place to track all automation runs
Click into a specific automation and you'll see a timestamped log of every step - helpful for understanding exactly when things happened in a client's workflow.
Timestamped activity log for a single automation running in a client project
Updates Since This Post Was First Published
This section is new. A few things I flagged as "missing" have since been added. Here's what changed.
Manual Triggers - Now Available ✅
When HoneyBook first launched Automations 2.0, the ability to manually trigger an automation was removed. I flagged this as a significant gap because not every project ties neatly to an automatic trigger.
This has been fixed. HoneyBook now includes "Manually triggered" as a trigger option in Automations 2.0. You can run an automation in a project by triggering it manually, which makes the system much more flexible for non-standard situations.
Editing Emails Before Sending - Improved ✅
Previously, once an automation was applied to a project, you couldn't edit emails before they went out. That was frustrating - sometimes an email needs a personal touch or update before it lands in a client's inbox.
HoneyBook has addressed this with a "Create email draft" action. Instead of sending an email automatically, this action creates a draft in the project based on your template, which you can then edit and send yourself (or delete if needed). It's not quite the same as being able to edit a queued email mid-automation, but it's a workaround that gives you back control when you need it.
If you want emails to send automatically without review, use the Send email action. If you want to review and edit first, use Create email draft instead.
Create Templates Inside the Automation Builder - New ✅
As of September 2025, you can create new email or file templates directly inside the automation builder without having to stop, go somewhere else, build the template, and come back. Small quality-of-life improvement, but a genuinely useful one.
What's Still Missing
Resending Smart Files If Not Submitted
If a client hasn't completed a smart file, you can send a reminder email - but the reminder can't include the original smart file. Any smart file attached to a follow-up email will be sent as a brand new copy.
Ideally, the reminder would include the same file so the client can just click and open it without hunting through old emails or their portal. This still hasn't been fixed and it's the one I hear about most from HoneyBook users.
FAQ
What is HoneyBook Automations 2.0?
Automations 2.0 is HoneyBook's updated automation builder, available to all HoneyBook members as of June 25, 2025. It introduced conditional logic, multiple automations per project, a new dashboard, tag-based conditions, and manual triggers - a significant upgrade over the original builder.
Can you manually trigger an automation in HoneyBook?
Yes. HoneyBook added "Manually triggered" as an automation trigger option in Automations 2.0. You can run an automation in a project manually when there's no automatic trigger that fits your situation.
Can you edit an email before it sends in a HoneyBook automation?
Yes, with a workaround. Use the "Create email draft" action instead of "Send email." This creates a draft in the project based on your template, which you can edit before sending. If you use "Send email," the email goes out as-is (or with approval if you've required it).
How many automations can run at the same time in one HoneyBook project?
Multiple automations can run simultaneously in a single project in Automations 2.0. Previously, only one automation could be applied per project at a time.
What triggers are available in HoneyBook automations?
Automations 2.0 includes triggers for Calendly and Acuity meetings, contact and lead form submissions, sessions (scheduled, starts, ends), smart file completion, questionnaire submission, payment milestones, contract signatures, project dates, project completion, and manual triggering.
Can I use tags in HoneyBook automations?
Yes. As of September 2025, tags can be used as conditions in automations and as trigger filters. You can branch automations based on whether a tag is present, or filter triggers so they only apply to projects with specific tags.
Is HoneyBook good for photographers and wedding planners?
Yes - HoneyBook is widely used by photographers and wedding planners for managing inquiries, contracts, invoices, and client communication. The automation features are especially useful for sending follow-ups, onboarding documents, and reminders without manual effort.
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