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Basic Automation Tutorial

This tutorial will guide you through creating your first automation flow with Flow Master. We'll build a simple email automation that demonstrates core concepts and best practices.

Table of Contents

Tutorial Overview

What We'll Build

In this tutorial, we'll create an automation that:

  1. Opens your email client
  2. Composes a new email
  3. Fills in recipient information
  4. Adds a subject line
  5. Types a message body
  6. Sends the email

Learning Objectives

By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand:

  • How to capture and manage components
  • Basic flow creation and editing
  • Action types and their uses
  • Error handling and validation
  • Testing and debugging flows

Estimated Time

  • 30-45 minutes for first-time users
  • 15-20 minutes for experienced users

Prerequisites

System Setup

  • Flow Master installed and activated
  • Email client installed (we'll use Apple Mail, but concepts apply to any email client)
  • All required permissions granted to Flow Master
  • Basic familiarity with Flow Master interface

Before Starting

  1. Launch Flow Master and ensure it's running properly
  2. Open your email client and verify it's working
  3. Position windows so both Flow Master and email client are visible
  4. Disable email notifications temporarily to avoid interruptions

Step 1: Planning Your Automation

Define the Workflow

Before building, let's outline exactly what our automation will do:

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Identify Required Components

We'll need to capture these UI elements:

  • Compose Button: To start new email
  • To Field: Recipient input field
  • Subject Field: Subject line input
  • Message Body: Main content area
  • Send Button: To send the email

Plan for Error Handling

Consider what could go wrong:

  • Email client not open or not responsive
  • Network connectivity issues
  • Invalid email addresses
  • Required fields not found

Step 2: Capturing Components

Capture 1: Compose Button

  1. Prepare Email Client

    • Open your email client
    • Make sure you're on the main inbox view
    • Locate the "New Email" or "Compose" button

  2. Start Component Capture

    • In Flow Master, go to Components tab
    • Click "Capture Component"
    • Your screen will be captured for selection

  3. Select the Button

    • Carefully drag to select just the compose button
    • Avoid including surrounding elements
    • Aim for a clean, distinctive capture

  4. Configure Component

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  5. Save Component

    • Click "Save" to add to your library
    • Verify it appears in the Components list

Capture 2: Email Fields

Repeat the capture process for each field:

To Field

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Subject Field

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Message Body

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Send Button

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Verification

After capturing all components:

  1. Review Component Library: Ensure all 5 components are saved
  2. Test Recognition: Use "Find Component" to verify each one works
  3. Adjust if Needed: Recapture any problematic components

Step 3: Building the Flow

Create New Flow

  1. Start Flow Creation

    • Navigate to Flows tab
    • Click "Create New Flow"
    • Enter flow details:
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  2. Open Flow Editor

    • Click "Create" to open the visual flow editor
    • You'll see an empty canvas ready for building

Build the Flow Steps

Step 1: Add Compose Action

  1. Drag Component: From library, drag "Compose Button" to canvas
  2. Configure Action:
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Step 2: Add Recipient Input

  1. Drag "Email To Field" to canvas below compose action
  2. Configure Click and Type:
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Step 3: Add Subject Input

  1. Drag "Email Subject Field" to canvas
  2. Configure Subject Entry:
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Step 4: Add Message Body

  1. Drag "Email Message Body" to canvas
  2. Configure Message Entry:
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Step 5: Add Send Action

  1. Drag "Email Send Button" to canvas
  2. Configure Send Action:
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Add Flow Logic

Error Handling

  1. Add Try-Catch Blocks:
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Validation Steps

  1. Add Validation Points:
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Step 4: Testing and Debugging

Initial Test Run

  1. Prepare for Testing

    • Save your flow
    • Close any open email windows
    • Position Flow Master to watch the automation

  2. Run Test

    • Click "Test Flow" in Flow Master
    • Watch each step execute
    • Note any issues or failures

  3. Common Issues and Fixes:

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Debug Mode Testing

  1. Enable Debug Mode

    • Turn on "Debug Mode" in flow settings
    • This will show each step as it executes

  2. Step-by-Step Execution

    • Use "Step Through" mode for detailed testing
    • Verify each action works correctly
    • Fix issues one step at a time

  3. Review Debug Logs

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Refinement Iterations

Repeat testing and refinement until the flow runs reliably:

  1. First Run: Expect 50-70% success rate
  2. After Adjustments: Aim for 90%+ success rate
  3. Final Tuning: Achieve consistent, reliable execution

Step 5: Optimization

Performance Optimization

Timing Optimization

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Component Optimization

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Reliability Improvements

Add Robustness

  1. Multiple Attempts: Retry failed actions 2-3 times
  2. Alternative Paths: Provide fallback methods
  3. State Validation: Check system state before proceeding
  4. Recovery Actions: Handle common failure scenarios

Error Prevention

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User Experience

Add User Feedback

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Next Steps

Immediate Next Steps

  1. Save and Document: Save your flow and add documentation
  2. Create Variations: Build flows for different email scenarios
  3. Schedule Execution: Set up automated scheduling
  4. Share Flow: Export for use on other devices

Advanced Techniques to Explore

  1. Variable Input: Make recipient and subject configurable
  2. Conditional Logic: Add if/then/else branches
  3. File Attachments: Add support for email attachments
  4. Template System: Create reusable email templates
  5. Integration: Connect with other automation workflows

Learning Resources

Practice Exercises

  1. Modify the Flow: Change the email content and recipient
  2. Add Validation: Include checks for successful email sending
  3. Handle Errors: Improve error handling and recovery
  4. Create Variations: Build flows for different email clients
  5. Advanced Features: Add attachments, formatting, or scheduling

Congratulations! You've successfully created your first automation flow. This foundation will serve you well as you build more complex automations with Flow Master.