Workflow Action - Internal Notification

Internal Notifications in workflows allow teams to stay instantly updated on important events. Whether it’s a new lead, a high-value purchase, or an internal update, this action helps notify the right people via email, in-app notifications, SMS, or WhatsApp. Depending on the notification type and configuration, Internal Notifications can also run in contactless scenarios where no contact record is required. This article explains how to set up and use Internal Notifications effectively within workflows.

What is an Internal Notification?

Internal Notifications are automated alerts sent to selected users, roles, or teams within your Adaptive AI account. These notifications are triggered by specific workflow conditions and ensure team members receive timely updates directly within their preferred communication channel.

Internal notifications are useful for sales, support, and operations teams who need immediate visibility on critical events, like new leads, completed forms, or pipeline updates.

Key Benefits of Internal Notifications

Internal Notifications streamline team communication and help ensure that no important update is missed.

How To Set Up Internal Notifications

Setting up Internal Notifications in workflows is simple. Follow these steps:

Access Workflow Builder

Navigate to the Automation tab in the left-hand menu to begin creating or editing a workflow. This is where you’ll manage all workflow actions, including Internal Notifications.

Click the + Create Workflow button at the top-right and choose whether to start from scratch, use a template, or select a recipe. This sets the foundation for building your Internal Notification setup.

Select Internal Notification Action

Within your workflow builder, click on "+" button to open the list of available actions you can add to this workflow step. From the actions list, scroll down and select Send Internal Notification. This will allow you to configure alerts for team members through email, in-app, SMS, or WhatsApp.

Name the Action

Enter a clear and descriptive Action Name for your internal notification. Using specific names (e.g., “Notify Sales Team – Email”) helps keep workflows organized and easy to manage.

Select Notification Type

Choose the Type of Notification you want to send from the dropdown menu. Options include Email, In-App Notification, SMS, or WhatsApp, depending on how your team should be alerted. Select the channel that best fits your workflow scenario—for example, use Email for detailed updates, In-App for quick alerts, SMS for urgent notices, or WhatsApp for chat-style communication.

1. 1Notification Type - Email When setting up Email Notifications, you’ll configure key fields that define how the message is delivered and displayed to recipients. These options ensure your emails are clear, professional, and reach the right team members.

Email Content Setup

1. 1Templates: Select a pre-built email template from the dropdown to save time and maintain consistency. If needed, you can still customize the template with additional content.
2. 2Message: Write or edit your custom message here. Use the toolbar for formatting and the tag icon to insert dynamic values (e.g., contact name, user info) for personalized notifications.

Write with AI: Click Write with AI to generate suggested content for your email message. This helps you quickly draft professional notifications that can be edited to fit your needs.

1. 1Add Attachment: Click Add Attachment to include files in your notification. This is useful for sharing documents, contracts, or additional resources with your team.
2. 2Notification Type – Notification When selecting Notification as the type, the alert will be delivered directly inside Adaptive AI under the bell icon. This is ideal for quick updates that don’t require an email or SMS.
3. 3Type of Notification: Choose Notification to send an in-app alert. These notifications are visible in the platform and help team members stay updated in real time.
4. 4Title: Enter a concise title that appears at the top of the notification. You can also use the tag icon to insert dynamic values for more personalized alerts.
5. 5Message: Write the main content of the notification. Keep it brief and actionable, and use the formatting tools or custom values to include relevant details.

Notification Redirect & Recipients

1. 1Redirect Page: Select the Redirect Page that users will land on when they click the notification. This helps guide them directly to the most relevant screen, such as a contact record or opportunity.
2. 2To User Type: Choose the User Type who should receive this notification. Options include specific roles, assigned users, or teams, ensuring the right people are always informed.
3. 3Notification Type – SMS Selecting SMS as the notification type allows you to send text alerts directly to a user’s registered phone number. This is best for urgent or time-sensitive updates.
4. 4Type of Notification: Choose SMS to deliver notifications via text message to your internal users.
5. 5To User Type: Select which user type should receive the SMS (e.g., admins, assigned users, or teams).
6. 6Templates: Pick from pre-built SMS templates for faster setup, or leave blank if you prefer to write a custom message.
7. 7Message: Write the content of your SMS here. Keep it short and clear, and use the tag icon for custom values and Write with AI option for AI-assisted personalization.

SMS Attachments & Testing

1. 1Add Attachment: Click Add Attachment to include files in your SMS notification. This is useful for sharing supporting documents or resources with your team.
2. 2Add Files via URL: Paste a file URL into this field and click + Add to attach files directly to the SMS. This ensures team members can access linked resources instantly.
3. 3Test Phone Number: Enter a valid phone number (with country code) and click Send Test SMS to preview the notification. This helps confirm that your SMS content and attachments display correctly before sending.
4. 4Notification Type – WhatsApp Selecting WhatsApp allows you to send instant messages directly to team members through their registered WhatsApp numbers. This is best for real-time, conversational updates.
5. 5Type of Notification: Choose WhatsApp to send notifications through the WhatsApp messaging channel.
6. 6To User Type: Select the user type who should receive the WhatsApp message (e.g., admins, specific roles, or assigned users).
7. 7Templates: Pick an approved WhatsApp template to maintain consistency and meet WhatsApp’s messaging requirements.
8. 8Message: Enter your custom WhatsApp message here. You can personalize it using the tag icon for dynamic values such as user or contact details.

Technical Notes & Limitations

Running Internal Notifications without a contact

Internal Notifications can run in contactless scenarios, depending on the notification type and recipient selection. This means the action does not always require a contact record or contact data to execute successfully.

• Can run with or a contact.
• If the notification is only sending a simple internal message and does not rely on contact-related fields or custom fields, it can execute as expected without creating or requiring a contact.
• If the notification content depends on contact-specific information such as assigned user details, contact fields, or custom fields, those values may not populate correctly in a flow.

Contactless entry behavior

When an Internal Notification is triggered without a contact, users may not see normal contact details associated with that entry. In these cases, the notification may appear with alphanumeric identifiers instead of a standard contact profile view. This is expected behavior for contactless executions.

Email/SMS recipient handling

Recipient option | Behavior

All Users | Sends to users’ configured email addresses or phone numbers.

Particular Users | Sends to the selected users.

Assigned User | Sends only when a contact exists and has an assigned user, and a valid phone number for SMS where applicable. If no contact or assigned user exists, that step is skipped and the workflow continues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does the workflow show the Internal Notification as executed, but the user did not receive it or cannot see it in the conversation/profile?

A common cause is that the affected user profile was previously marked as DND (Do Not Disturb). In some cases, the workflow may show the notification as executed, but the user may still not see the related email or notification history as expected. To resolve:

1. 1Go to. Open the affected contact/profile.
2. 2In the, find and toggle it to refresh the profile state.
3. 3Test the workflow again.

Q: How does Adaptive AI handle delivery if a user is listed in multiple recipient categories (e.g., assigned user, CC, and team)?

Adaptive AI automatically deduplicates recipients across categories. This means if the same user is added in multiple recipient fields (e.g., CC and User Role), they will only receive one notification, preventing duplicates.

Q: What happens if the notification type selected (SMS, Email, WhatsApp) is not properly configured for the recipient?

If the chosen channel is not configured—for example, if the user does not have a valid phone number for SMS or their WhatsApp integration is not connected—the notification for that specific channel will fail. However, this does not stop the workflow from continuing to the next action.

Q: Do attachments in Internal Notifications count toward storage or message limits?

Yes. Attachments included in Email, SMS, or WhatsApp notifications count toward your account’s file storage and, depending on the channel, may also contribute to message size limits (e.g., SMS carriers enforce file size restrictions). Oversized files may prevent delivery, so always keep attachments small and optimized.

Q: How are Internal Notifications affected if a workflow executes in bulk (e.g., when enrolling thousands of contacts at once)?