IN BRIEF
The Send Communication Before First-Ever Active Class Enrollment workflow automatically sends a message to families before their student’s first-ever active class enrollment for which they are expected to attend. This helps you welcome new students, confirm attendance details, and provide information before their first scheduled class. 

• Overview
• Accessing the Feature
• Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Eligibility Rules
• Best Practice Recommendations
  • Configuration Tips
  • Operational Tips
• Troubleshooting & FAQs
• Related Articles

Interactive Demos for configuring Autopilot workflows can be found in the Education Corner, accessible from the Office Portal's "Welcome" screen.

Overview

The Send Communication Before First-Ever Active Class Enrollment workflow ensures families receive important information prior to their student’s first class session for which they are expected to attend. It detects the student’s first-ever Active-type enrollment and sends a communication a specified number of days before the class begins.

• Workflow type: Event-driven
• Trigger: Based on the date and time of the student’s first scheduled class meeting
• Purpose: Send pre-class reminders and welcome messages to first-time students and families.

NOTE: This workflow only considers class-related enrollments—it does not include camps or appointments.

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Accessing the Feature

1. From the Office Portal, navigate to AUTOPILOT>WORKFLOWS>"Add a Workflow."
2. Locate the Send Communication Before First-Ever Active Class Enrollment workflow.
3. The workflow will automatically be copied to your account and will open in the Workflow Editor.
4. After configuring the workflow, Save your changes.
5. When you are ready, Enable the workflow to begin using it.

NOTE: Only account administrators or staff members who have been granted “Admin Access” permissions can copy or edit Autopilot workflows.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Send Communication Before First-Ever Active Class Enrollment workflow.
2. Review the following default settings:
   1. Trigger Type: Event-driven – activates before the student’s first-ever Active-type class enrollment.
   2. Communication Template Used: Send Communication Before First-Ever Active Class Enrollment.
3. Configure the following workflow options:
   • Wait for Action - Defines how many days/hours/minutes the system should wait after the trial enrollment to check for a current or future enrollment.
     • NOTE: This period defaults to five (5) days.
     • When the workflow is triggered, the system WILL NOT count any enrollments for classes that have already occurred for the day. However, if the class has not yet met as of the time the workflow is triggered, these enrollments WILL be counted.
   • Send Communication
     • Send by
       • Family - sends one email per family.
       • Student - sends one email per student (therefore, families with multiple students will receive multiple emails).
     • Reply To Email - Defaults to the Location email address associated with the First-Ever Active class enrollment if none is provided.
     • Send Email / Send To All Emails
     • Send SMS / Send To All SMS
     • Send Push Notification
4. After configuring the workflow, Save your changes.
5. When you are ready, Enable the workflow to begin using it.

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Eligibility Rules

This workflow will only send communications for the first-ever Active-type class enrollment that meets the criteria.

Messages will not be sent if:

• The student has had any prior Active enrollment with a drop date before today.
• The student already has attendance history marked “Present.”
• The class start date and next scheduled meeting date are both in the past.
• A record exists showing that the student has already received this specific communication.

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Best Practice Recommendations

Configuration Tips

• This workflow could have multiple instances running depending on your needs:
  • 7 days before enrollment start date: Email stating “We look forward to seeing [[student_first]] in [[class_name]] on [[enrollment_next_meeting_date]]!” (with optional class details)
  • 1 day before enrollment start date: "We look forward to seeing [[student_first]] tomorrow! For more details, [[parent_portal_url]]. " (SMS/Push notification)
• Include key class details—date, time, and what to bring—in the communication template.
• Keep your tone friendly and welcoming to make a positive first impression.

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Operational Tips

• Consider including your business’s contact information and links to the Customer Portal for easy reference.
• Use Push Notifications for same-day reminders or real-time updates.
• Pair this workflow with First Class Enrollment Follow-Up to complete the welcome and feedback cycle.

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Troubleshooting & FAQs

• Why didn’t the workflow send a pre-class message?
  • Check that the workflow is enabled and that the student meets all eligibility rules. The workflow only triggers for first-ever Active-type enrollments that have not yet begun.
  • Check that the enrollment was created prior to the date the workflow would be triggered (based on the Wait for Action period).
  • Check that the student does not have an expected absence scheduled. The workflow sends a message to families before their student’s first-ever active class enrollment for which they are expected to attend.
• Can I send different messages at different points prior to the start date first-ever Active-type class enrollment?
  • Yes. Copy the workflow and customize each version to use a different communication method (email/SMS/Push notification).
• Will the workflow trigger again if a student drops and later re-enrolls?
  • No. It only triggers once per family for their first-ever Active-type class enrollment.

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Related Articles

• What is Autopilot?
• How Do I Copy and Configure Autopilot Workflows?
• How Do I Configure the First Class Enrollment Follow-Up Workflow?
• How Do I Configure the Dropped Enrollment Follow-Up Workflow?

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