Automations
Automations let you connect communication channels and create automated workflows so customer conversations, follow-ups, and responses are managed centrally in Distance.
Introduction
The Automations page is where you manage the communication channels and workflow automations connected to your Distance account. From here, you can connect channels such as live chat, SMS, phone calls, Facebook and Instagram, assign AI agents, and create automated follow-up sequences for leads and customer interactions.
By centralizing channels and automations in one place, your team can respond faster, maintain consistent communication, reduce missed opportunities, and keep all conversations organized within Distance.
Why automations matter
Centralize communication. All channels, messages, calls, and social interactions are managed in one system inside Distance.
Automate responses and workflows. Assign AI Chat and AI Voice agents or create automations to handle conversations without manual intervention.
Improve consistency. Ensure replies, follow-ups, and messaging follow the same structure across all customer touchpoints.
Capture every opportunity. Automatically route and log incoming conversations so no lead or inquiry is missed.
Gain visibility. Understand which channels, automations, and agents are currently active in your account.
Automation overview
At the top of the Automations page, overview tiles display key automation activity across your account.
These include:
Active automations - The number of automations currently enabled
Total runs (all time) - The total number of times automations have executed
Messages sent today - The number of messages sent by automations during the current day
These metrics help your team quickly monitor automation usage and activity.
Your automations
The Your automations tab shows all active channels and automations currently configured in your account. This is where you manage existing communication channels and ensure they are properly set up to handle incoming conversations.
By default, this includes:
Live chat - Chat with visitors on your site in real time
Additional automations appear once the relevant channels or features are enabled:
Text/SMS - Appears after setting up a Distance business phone number under Settings → Phone numbers
Phone - Appears after setting up a Distance business phone number under Settings → Phone numbers
Facebook - Appears after connecting a Facebook account under Settings → Integrations
Instagram - Appears after connecting an Instagram account under Settings → Integrations
Workflow automations from the Recommended automations tab appear here once created:
Follow up on form leads - Appears after creation
Missed call follow-up - Appears after creation
Each automation displays an action button based on its type and setup status. In Your automations, this typically appears as Edit, where you can configure settings, assign agents, or manage behavior.
In Recommended automations, the action may appear as Manage or Connect, depending on whether the channel is already linked or still needs to be set up.
Recommended automations
The Recommended automations tab contains prebuilt channel integrations and workflow templates that help you expand your communication setup in Distance.
This section helps you quickly connect new channels or activate common automation flows without building them from scratch.
Capture
The Capture section focuses on connecting communication channels into Distance.
Available options include:
Live chat - Includes Manage and Embed options for configuring and installing your chat widget
Facebook - Connect your Facebook integration
Instagram - Connect your Instagram integration
Text/SMS - Manage your SMS configuration and phone numbers
Phone - Manage phone numbers and AI Voice call handling
For Text/SMS and Phone, clicking Manage opens the same configuration panel as clicking Edit under the Your automations tab.
Convert
The Convert section contains automation templates designed to help your team follow up with leads automatically.
Available templates include:
Follow up on form leads - Automatically reply to new inquiries submitted through forms
Missed call follow-up - Automatically send SMS follow-ups when calls are dropped or missed
Each template includes a Create option. Clicking Create opens the New automation page, where you can configure the trigger, message, timing, and automation behavior.
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