4. Automate the flow

Two complementary mechanisms drive the CRM lifecycle:

• Automation — event-driven graph that reacts to crm_lead.status = qualified and creates the matching Opportunity
• BPMN — human-in-the-loop approval for deals above $50,000

Estimated time: 35–45 minutes.

4.1 Automation: lead → opportunity

Open Automation → New flow:

• Trigger: record.updated, model: crm_lead, predicate: status == 'qualified' && previous.status != 'qualified'
• Action 1: command.execute — crm_account.find_or_create_by_domain from email
• Action 2: command.execute — crm_opportunity.create with account = result.account, title = lead.name + ' opportunity', stage = prospect
• Action 3: notification.send — channel in-app, recipient lead.owner

Each row above is one flow. Clicking Edit opens the graph canvas — the component palette on the left lists every trigger and action node type; you drag them onto the canvas and wire their edges. The right panel configures the selected node.

Under the hood the graph compiles to SmartEngine — action → serviceTask, condition → gateway. The compiler is documented in Flow Designer.

4.2 BPMN: deal approval

Open BPMN Designer → New process named crm_opportunity_approval:

Click + New process (or Edit on an existing row) to open the BPMN designer canvas — events, tasks, and gateways live in the component palette on the left; the centre canvas is where you drop and connect them; the right panel configures the selected node's properties (process name, key, withdraw / cc policies).

1. Start event — triggered by command crm.opportunity.submit_for_approval
2. Gateway — amount >= 50000
3. User task — assignee = opportunity.account.owner.manager
4. Service task — on approve, set stage = qualified; on reject, set stage = lost

Bind the process via bindingRules.json:

{
  "bindings": [
    {
      "handler": "crm.opportunity.submit_for_approval",
      "process": "crm_opportunity_approval"
    }
  ]
}

bindingRules.json must live in resourceDirs (see Plugin Development). Inline rules in commands.json are silently ignored — red line #6.

4.3 Activity feed

The detail page's recent-activity block (chapter 2) listens to the crm.opportunity.stage_changed event. Configure a simple block that reads from ab_data_change_log filtered by record id.

4.4 Verify

• Qualify a lead → confirm an Opportunity is created and the owner receives an in-app notification
• Create an opportunity with amount = 80_000 and call submit_for_approval → manager's inbox has the task
• Approve → stage becomes qualified
• The activity feed shows entries with author + timestamp

Next

Chapter 5 → Build a dashboard