How to Automate Follow-Ups with Cadences in Horilla CRM

Following up with leads and contacts at the right time is one of the most important parts of any sales process. Managing follow-ups manually across multiple records can quickly become inconsistent and time-consuming. Cadences in Horilla CRM solve this problem by automating structured outreach workflows directly within the CRM.

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A cadence is a sequence of automated follow-up actions, such as tasks, calls, and emails, that progress based on configured conditions and activity outcomes. Instead of manually deciding the next step after every interaction, the system automatically handles progression, branching, and execution.

Navigating to Cadences

To access Cadences in Horilla CRM:

1. Go to Settings
2. Open Automation Settings
3. Select Cadences

Cadence List View

The cadence list displays all available cadences in the system along with their key details.

Each cadence shows:

• Cadence name
• Applicable module (Lead, Contact, Account, or Opportunity)
• Description
• Active or inactive status
• Edit and delete options

This view helps users manage and monitor all outreach workflows from a single location.

Creating a Cadence

Click New to create a new cadence.

The creation form includes the following fields:

• Name: A unique label used to identify the cadence.
• Module: Defines which CRM module the cadence applies to
• Description: Optional notes describing the purpose of the cadence.
• Conditions: Rules that determine which records are enrolled into the cadence. Only records matching these conditions will enter the workflow.
• Is Active: Controls whether the cadence runs automatically.

• Active: The cadence runs normally.
• Inactive: No records are enrolled, and no follow-ups are triggered.

Cadence Detail View

Clicking a cadence name opens the detailed workflow view.

The detail page displays:

• Follow-ups arranged in a kanban-style layout
• Sequential stages labeled as Follow Up 1, Follow Up 2, and so on
• Options to add, edit, or delete follow-ups
• Access to cadence reports

This layout provides a visual representation of the entire outreach flow.

Adding Follow-Ups in the Detail View

Users can build workflows visually from the cadence detail page.

Add Next Sequential Stage

Click the + icon on the right side of a follow-up card.

Add Parallel Branches

Click the + icon below a follow-up card to create additional branches at the same stage level.

Note: A follow-up with child branches cannot be deleted until all child follow-ups are removed.

Understanding Follow-Ups

Follow-ups are the individual actions performed within a cadence. Every follow-up belongs to a specific stage and defines what action should occur and when it should happen.

Follow-Up Types

Cadences support three follow-up types:

1. Task: Creates a task activity on the CRM record.
2. Call: Logs a call activity for the record.
3. Email : Sends an email to the related contact.

Note: Email follow-ups require an outgoing mail server to be configured. Without mail configuration, email follow-ups cannot be created or executed.

Common Follow-Up Fields

Every follow-up includes the following configuration options:

1. Follow-Up Type: Defines whether the action is a Task, Call, or Email.
2. Do This: Specifies when the action should execute:

• Immediately
• After Minutes
• After Hours
• After Days
• After Months

3. Do This Value : Defines the delay amount when the execution is not immediate.
4. After Previous Status Is: Available from Follow-up 2 onwards. Determines which status of the previous activity triggers the current follow-up.

Follow-Up Stages

Follow-Up 1 – Initial Stage

The first stage acts as the entry point into the cadence.

Key characteristics:

• Only one follow-up is allowed
• Triggered when a record matches cadence conditions
• No previous status is required
• Automatically starts the workflow for enrolled records

Follow-Up 2 and Beyond – Subsequent Stages

All later stages depend on the outcome of previous activities.

Requirements and behavior:

• The After Previous Status Is field becomes mandatory
• Each stage waits for a specific status condition
• The workflow progresses only when matching conditions are met

This creates a structured dependency chain between activities.

Branching Workflows

From Follow-up 2 onwards, cadences support branching logic.

Branching allows multiple follow-ups to originate from the same parent stage based on different outcomes.

Example Workflow

• Follow-up 1 → Create Task
• If status becomes Completed → Follow-up 2 sends an Email
• If status becomes Overdue → Follow-up 2 logs a Call

Only the branch matching the actual status change is executed.

This enables cadences to adapt dynamically instead of forcing every record through a single fixed sequence.

Stage Progression

As activities are completed or updated:

1. The system checks for waiting follow-ups
2. Matching status conditions triggers the next stage
3. Only the relevant branch continues

The workflow progresses automatically throughout the cadence lifecycle.

Cadence Reports

Cadence reports are available directly from the detail view.

Reports help teams identify bottlenecks and evaluate overall cadence performance.

Separate reports exist for each follow-up type:

1. Task Report: Displays execution statistics for task follow-ups.

2. Call Report: Shows performance and completion metrics for call activities.

3. Email Report : Provides email delivery and status tracking information.

Editing and Deleting

Edit: Cadences and follow-ups can be edited from their respective detail views.

Delete: Follow-ups with child branches cannot be deleted until the child follow-ups are removed. Deleting a cadence removes all associated follow-ups and conditions.

Cadence Tab on CRM Records

Each enrolled CRM record includes a dedicated Cadence tab.

This tab allows users to:

• View current workflow progress
• See completed follow-ups
• Track the current stage of the record

It provides clear visibility into outreach progress without opening cadence settings.

Key Benefits of Cadences

Cadences provide several operational advantages:

• Automates outreach workflows
• Eliminates manual follow-up tracking
• Supports conditional branching based on real outcomes
• Keeps outreach targeted using conditions
• Ensures older matching records are included through backfill
• Provides visibility into record progression through the Cadence tab
• Offers measurable reporting across tasks, calls, and emails

Cadences in Horilla CRM bring automation, structure, and consistency to sales follow-up processes. By combining sequential actions, timing controls, conditional progression, and branching logic, teams can ensure that every lead or contact receives timely and relevant engagement. Whether managing a simple follow-up flow or a complex multi-branch outreach strategy, cadences help automate execution while maintaining complete visibility into every stage of the workflow.