Automation Action – Add Associated Records to Automation

Overview

The Add Associated Records to Automation action automatically enrolls records connected to your trigger record into another automation. This helps you create powerful multi-step automations that work across different types of records in your childcare platform.

For example, when a child enrolls, you can automatically add their parent contacts to a welcome automation. Or when a family is added to your waitlist, you can trigger actions for all associated staff members.

How It Works

This action is available in all automation types — Family-based, Center-based, and Custom Object-based automations. It extends the basic "Add to Automation" action by letting you enroll associated records, not just the original trigger record.

You'll select which type of associated record to add (families, centers, custom objects), choose an association label that defines the relationship, and pick the destination automation.

[SCREENSHOT: Settings panel showing the Add Associated Records to Automation action with dropdown fields for Object Type, Association Label, and Automation selection]

Setting Up the Action

When you add this action to your automation, you'll configure three key settings:

1. Select an Object

Choose which type of record should be added to the automation. Your options include families, centers, or any custom objects you've created in your account.

2. Association Label

This required field determines which associated records will be enrolled. The label defines the relationship between your trigger record and the records you want to add.

Note: This field doesn't apply to basic center-family associations, which are handled automatically.

3. Automation

Select the automation where the associated records will be enrolled.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Waitlist to Staff Notification

When a family joins your waitlist, automatically notify all assigned staff members.

Setup:

• Object → Staff Member (custom object)
• Association Label → Assigned to Waitlist
• Automation → Staff Waitlist Alert

How It Works:

1. A family is added to your waitlist
2. The automation finds all staff members with the "Assigned to Waitlist" label
3. Each staff member is enrolled in the Staff Waitlist Alert automation and receives their notification

[SCREENSHOT: Automation builder showing a waitlist trigger connected to the Add Associated Records action, with Staff Member selected as the object type]

Example 2: Parent-to-Parent Communication

Some families have multiple parent contacts. When a child's enrollment status changes, automatically update all parent contacts associated with that family.

Setup:

• Object → Parent Contact
• Association Label → Parent-Child
• Automation → Enrollment Status Update

How It Works:

1. A child's enrollment status changes (e.g., from waitlist to enrolled)
2. The automation identifies all parent contacts linked through the Parent-Child label
3. Each parent is enrolled in the Enrollment Status Update automation to receive confirmation texts and emails

Example 3: Center-Wide Family Updates

When your center record is updated (for example, new holiday hours are added), automatically enroll all associated families in a notification automation.

Setup:

• Object → Family
• Automation → Center Updates Communication

How It Works:

1. Your center record is updated with new information
2. The automation finds all families enrolled at that center
3. Those families are added to the Center Updates Communication automation to receive the announcement

[SCREENSHOT: Example showing a center record trigger with associated families being enrolled in a communication automation]

Important Notes

• Association labels must be created before you can use them in this action
• This action works with families, centers, and any custom objects you've set up
• The associated records must already exist — this action doesn't create new records
• Each associated record is enrolled individually, so they'll each go through the destination automation independently