Automation Center

Prerequisites

• Automation Center access on your Mallard Bay plan. Saving changes uses subscription feature access gated on AUTOMATION_CENTER. If your plan does not include it, choosing Save can open an upgrade flow instead of updating settings.
• Message templates. Each enabled channel needs a corresponding template that Mallard Bay marks as configured. Automation Center links you to View template so you can edit that content in your normal template editors.
• Channel setup:
  • For SMS steps: complete SMS integration/configuration first. When SMS is not set up for a template step, you’ll see guidance to configure SMS before you can turn that SMS step on.
  • For email steps: when email is considered “not configured” in your account, Automation Center directs you toward custom email domain setup so outbound mail aligns with Mallard Bay’s recommendations.
• Your account must receive at least one automation workflow record from Mallard Bay. If the workflow list is empty, use Request automation at the bottom of the list—it opens email to Mallard Bay support.

Unknown from this codebase: Exactly how your sidebar or main menu reaches Automation Center. The shipped route is /automation-center. If your menu differs by role or rollout, bookmark that path or confirm with Mallard Bay. Also unknown: how schedule_times and high‑level automation_trigger_type values behave server‑side—they appear in API data used by the app but are not surfaced as controls in Automation Center UI today.

How to use Automation Center (dashboard steps)

These steps reflect the current Automation Center screens (desktop sidebar layout vs. mobile drawer).

1. Open Automation Center at /automation-center and wait until your Workflows list loads. Workflows appear under groups (for example, notification‑style headings); group names come from Mallard Bay, not something you rename in this screen.

2. In the left Workflows list:

   • Each workflow shows a status dot: green when that workflow’s enabled flag is on, red when off.
   • Choose a workflow to load its detail view. Until you pick one, the main pane shows “Select a workflow to view its details.”

3. In the workflow detail (desktop layout):

   • At the top, review the workflow name and short description.
   • Use the master workflow on/off switch (enabled).
   • If your outfitter receives timing offset support for this workflow, you’ll see a labeled field (for example “X days before/after…”—the wording is defined per workflow) plus a numeric Days control (offset_days). That field is editable only while the workflow is on.
   • The trigger summary appears as its own highlighted card (title/`subtitle come from Mallard Bay**).

4. Scroll through the workflow steps. Each step is a card wired to Mallard Bay’s definition. Steps that expose templates show:

   • A toggle per channel (for example Email vs SMS) for whether that channel fires for this step once everything is satisfied.
   • A View template button (when Mallard Bay has attached a concrete template record) opening the usual edit message template experience for email or SMS.
   • When a channel is not configured, an informational banner appears with actions to configure SMS or custom domain as appropriate—you cannot flip that channel’s switch on until Mallard Bay treats the underlying template/channel as configured.

5. Tap Save (paywalled/submit button on desktop header; pinned footer submit on narrow screens). Successful updates show a toast such as “Successfully updated setting” and refetch the workflow list/detail so dots and wording stay in sync.

6. Desktop activity column: While a workflow is open, review the Activity feed beside the editor. Mallard Bay shows recent automation runs (the client requests the latest page—default page size ten in dashboard config). Entries include timestamp, overall status, and summaries such as which channels were involved or any failure message.

7. Mobile: Selecting a workflow opens a bottom drawer with the same form. The activity feed sidebar is omitted on small screens—you only monitor activity from the wider layout today.

If your sidebar shows “No settings available,” Automation Center believes there are no workflows for your outfitter yet—use Request automation to contact Mallard Bay.

Common pitfalls

• Switches grayed out for a channel: The workflow master switch might be off, or Mallard Bay still sees that channel/template as unconfigured. Finish SMS or domain setup using the banners, edit the backing template via View template, then retry.
• You cannot “Save” meaningless changes. If both the toggle and the saved server state leave the workflow off, Save stays disabled—you need to toggle on, change offsets or channel selections, then save.
• Plan gating hides real saves. The Save control may invoke an upsell modal if Automation Center is not unlocked on your Mallard Bay plan; until then, upgrades happen outside this article’s scope—contact Mallard Bay if you believe you already should have access.
• Grouped names vs. triggers: Labels like “Booking Receipt” versus internal enum names reflect Mallard Bay’s wording; mismatches between what you expected and menu text usually mean Mallard Bay renamed or scoped a workflow—you still control whether it runs and which channels participate.
• Activity feed gaps: Pagination is minimal in the shipped UI (first page listing only). Older runs beyond that window are not shown here unless Mallard Bay extends the viewer.
• Out‑of‑date expectations about scheduling: Timing rules beyond offset_days visible in Automation Center (cron vs. event‑style triggers, schedule_times, exact fire times) are enforced server‑side; this screen does not expose raw cron editing.

How this relates to adjacent Mallard Bay workflows

Understanding these links helps outfitters prioritize setup:

• Message templates: Automations reuse the same editable templates used elsewhere; configuring wording, merge fields, and delivery behavior still happens mainly in template editors—you flip usage inside Automation Center.
• SMS and custom sending domain integrations: Operational readiness determines whether SMS or branded email pathways are eligible automation channels.
• Bookings: Many shipped automation enums in the codebase are guest‑facing flows around approvals, cancellations, receipts, updates, invites, requests, reminders, and onboarding‑style cues—Automation Center chooses delivery options atop those workflows.
• Quotes and leads: Automated quote reminders, cooling alerts, etc., belong to sales follow‑up; toggling here affects whether Mallard Bay nudges stalled opportunities without manual campaigns.
• Forms and onboarding: Completed forms plus trip detail, gear list, and review request‑style workflows tie guest readiness and satisfaction touchpoints together with payments and documents tracked elsewhere.

Related workflows you configure outside Automation Center: day‑to‑day booking edits, payment schedules, individual manual sends, guest onboarding packets, listing documents, widget installs, etc. Automation Center configures automatic follow‑through layered on those areas—it does not replace configuring the underlying bookings, listings, forms, or payment rules.

Examples of automation identifiers present in dashboard code (not necessarily all enabled for every outfitter) include workflows such as booking approved/canceled/receipt/reminder‑style notices, invite and invoice‑related notifications, quote reminders, lead cooling alerts, gear list outreach, completed form confirmations, trip detail and pre‑trip reminders, and review prompts. Treat that list as illustrative of Mallard Bay’s catalog; which items you actually receive stays account‑specific.