Stage Actions are automatic actions that fire every time a card enters a specific pipeline stage. You configure them once on the stage; they run automatically for every client card that moves into that stage — no manual work required.
Setting Up a Stage Action
- Go to Pipelines → open a pipeline → click ⚙️ Settings.
- Find the stage you want to add an action to.
- Click + Add Action on that stage.
- Choose the action type (see below).
- Fill in the content and save.
Action Types
1. Portal Message
Automatically sends a message to the client's portal when a card enters this stage. The client receives an email notification and a new message thread in their portal.
- Write a subject and message body.
- Use merge tags to personalize:
{First Name},{Entity Name},{Tax Year},{Pipeline Name},{Stage Name}. - Example: "Hi {First Name}, your {Tax Year} tax return is ready for review. Please open DarkLion from a desktop or laptop to view and sign. You can reply directly to this email with questions."
2. Staff Task
Creates a task item in the staff inbox when a card enters this stage. Helps staff know what needs to happen next without having to track it manually.
- Write the task description (merge tags work here too).
- The task appears in the Messages inbox with a 📋 badge and an amber tint — visually distinct from actual client messages so staff can tell it's a task at a glance.
- Assigned to whoever is assigned to the pipeline card. If the card has no assignee, the task is unassigned.
Merge Tags Reference
| Tag | Resolves To |
|---|---|
{First Name} | Client's first name (for People) or entity name (for Companies) |
{Entity Name} | Full name of the person or company |
{Tax Year} | The pipeline instance year (e.g., 2025) |
{Pipeline Name} | Name of the pipeline template |
{Stage Name} | Name of the stage the card just entered |
How Actions Fire
- Actions fire every time any card enters that stage — not just the first time. If a card moves out and back in, the action fires again.
- Actions are non-blocking — if an action fails (e.g., the client doesn't have a portal account yet), the card still moves successfully. The failure is logged but doesn't stop the workflow.
Good Use Cases
- "Send welcome message when onboarding starts" — Portal message on the first stage: "Welcome to the portal, {First Name}! Here's what to expect…"
- "Notify client their return is ready for review" — Portal message on your "Client Review" stage with next steps.
- "Remind staff to call client when return is delivered" — Staff task on your "Delivered" stage: "Call {First Name} to confirm they received their {Tax Year} return."