This article supports our automation training video and explains how Lupl automations work – in plain terms – using a common pattern from the video: tracking multiple parallel workstreams in one matter while maintaining a single, high-level tracker that updates automatically.
You can apply this pattern to many workflows, like:
Multiple contracts in one matter (one workstream per contract)
Multiple hires/investigations/requests running in parallel
Multiple closings/sites/leases under one project
Any scenario where you want a “row per workstream” tracker for quick reporting
What Automations Do in Lupl
Automations let Lupl take action automatically when something happens in a matter – so your team doesn’t have to manually update trackers, statuses, or fields.
Typical outcomes include:
Updating a phase/status field when key tasks are completed
Keeping a “master tracker” in sync with progress inside each workstream
Reducing manual reporting and eliminating “did anyone update the tracker?” follow-ups
Key Concepts (Quick Definitions)
Trigger
The event that starts the automation (for example: when an item changes, when a task is completed).
Conditions
Rules that must be true for the automation to run (for example: Phase = “Review” AND Milestone = checked AND Status = Completed).
Actions
What Lupl does once triggered (for example: find a related item, then update a tracker field).
Find Items + Update Item (a powerful combination)
A common pattern where Lupl:
Finds the right row in your high-level tracker; then
Updates the relevant status column automatically.
The Pattern: Workstream-Per-Work + One High-Level Tracker
1) Create one workstream per “unit of work”
Instead of stuffing everything into a single task list, you create:
Workstream A (Unit 1)
Workstream B (Unit 2)
Workstream C (Unit 3)
This keeps each unit clean, repeatable, and easy to manage.
2) Use a “Phase” field to organize tasks
In each workstream, add a single-select column called something like Phase or Stage (examples: Intake, Review, Approval, Sign-off).
Then use a grouped view so tasks naturally organize by phase.
3) Create a consolidated tracker
Build a separate tracker workstream (often a table-style view) that has:
One row per unit of work
General info columns (owner, due date, client reference, etc.)
Phase status columns (Phase 1 status, Phase 2 status, Phase 3 status…)
This becomes your high-level reporting view for stakeholders.
Milestones: The “Signal” That Drives Status Updates
A best practice from the video is using a Milestone flag to identify the exact task(s) that should change a phase status.
In each individual workstream:
Add a checkbox column like Milestone
Mark the “phase-complete” task as a milestone (for example: “Approval Received”)
This prevents automations from firing on every task and keeps updates precise.
How to Build the Automation (General Setup)
Below is the generalized version of the automation demonstrated in the video.
Step 1: Select the trigger type.
Use a trigger like Item matches conditions (or your equivalent “item updated” trigger).
Step 2: Add trigger conditions (the “3-part filter”).
Configure conditions so the automation fires only when all are true:
Phase equals a specific phase (example: “Approval”)
Milestone is checked
The task is Completed
This ensures you’re updating the tracker only at the right moment.
Step 3: Set up the "Find Items" action.
Add a Find Items action that searches the consolidated tracker for the matching item.
Important: The video highlights a simple, reliable method:
Use consistent naming so the individual workstream name matches the tracker row name (or a shared unique identifier).
Example approach:
Workstream name: “Unit 1”
Tracker row name: “Unit 1”
Then your Find Items action can match on name.
Step 4: Update the tracker status.
Add an Update Item action to change the correct phase status column in the tracker.
Example:
When the milestone task in the “Approval” phase is completed → update the tracker’s Approval Status column from “In Progress” to “Sign-off Received” (or whatever statuses your team uses).
Step 5: When you're ready, turn on the Automation.
By default, newly created Automations are left off by default to avoid unintended actions during setup or testing.
Once you're ready to enable your new Automation, turn the switch on. If the Automation has been set up correctly, it should activate and run successfully.
Best Practices (So This Works Every Time)
Keep naming consistent between the workstream and the tracker row (or use a unique ID field).
Use Milestones so automations don’t trigger too often.
Build automations phase-by-phase (one automation per phase) for clarity and easier troubleshooting.
Keep tracker statuses simple and standardized (ex: Not Started / In Progress / Blocked / Complete).
Troubleshooting Tips
If your tracker isn’t updating:
Confirm the triggering task is truly Completed
Confirm Milestone is checked on the correct task
Confirm the Phase value matches exactly (spelling/case matters)
Confirm Find Items is returning exactly one match (duplicates can cause unexpected behavior)
Verify the automation is updating the right tracker column
Where This Helps Most
This automation pattern is especially useful when:
You have many parallel workstreams in one matter
Stakeholders want a single summary view
You want updates to be real-time and reliable
You’re trying to reduce manual reporting and follow-ups