Sequence triggers

Sequence Triggers: Choosing What Starts Your Email Sequence

A sequence trigger is the event that fires your email campaign automatically. Choosing the right trigger is the first decision you'll make when building a sequence, and it determines which contacts get enrolled and when.

What Is a Trigger?

Every sequence starts with a Trigger node — the root of your sequence that kicks off the steps below it. No emails are sent until the trigger condition is met for a contact or booking.

Available Triggers

When creating or editing a sequence, the Trigger node defines the enrolling event. The triggers available in CaterCloud include:

• Enquiry created — fires when a new enquiry is submitted, great for instant follow-up with leads
• Quote sent — fires when a quote is sent to a client, useful for nudging prospects who haven't responded
• Date approaching — fires a set number of days before an event date, ideal for pre-event reminders or prep checklists
• Invoice sent — fires when an invoice is issued, suitable for payment reminder sequences
• Booking confirmed — fires when a booking moves to confirmed status, perfect for onboarding or logistics emails

How to Set a Trigger

1. Go to Sequences in the main navigation.
2. Open an existing sequence or click New Sequence.
3. In the sequence builder, select the Trigger node at the top of the flow.
4. Choose your trigger event from the available options.
5. Save your selection before adding steps below the trigger.

How to Choose the Right Trigger

Match the trigger to the goal of the sequence:

• Nurturing cold leads? Use Enquiry created.
• Chasing unsigned quotes? Use Quote sent.
• Preparing clients for their event? Use Date approaching.
• Recovering unpaid invoices? Use Invoice sent.

If you need the sequence to behave differently for different contacts, add an If/Else node after the trigger to branch logic based on contact or event details.

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Tip: Once your trigger is set, use a Wait node as your first step to control the delay before the first email goes out — rather than sending immediately on the trigger event.