Tag Actions: Auto-Apply or Remove Tags on Status Change
Use workflow templates to apply or remove tags automatically when an appraisal hits a specified status. Pair with tag-triggered webhooks for end-to-end automation.
You'll learn
- How to create a tag and then auto-apply it from a workflow template
- How to auto-remove a tag when a later status is reached
- How tag actions combine with tag-triggered webhooks for downstream automation
- Where tag actions sit alongside email and other actions in a workflow template
Imagine you want a "Needs Photos" tag to show up on every inspection that finished without photos linked, so you (or your VA) can clean them up in a single pass. Or a "Ready to Invoice" tag that appears the moment a file hits COMPLETE so nothing slips through the cracks at the end of the month. These are the kinds of visual cues that keep your pipeline honest at a glance.
Without automation, you are manually scanning your appraisal list looking for incomplete files, or you are relying on memory to know which files need follow-up. Tags get applied inconsistently or not at all, and the moment more than one person works in the same workspace, the tagging discipline falls apart. Worse, you start avoiding tags entirely because they feel like just one more thing to maintain.
Firm owners running VAs benefit most because the tag becomes the assignment signal. Solo appraisers who use personal "watch this" tags benefit too, because the tag goes on at the right moment without thinking. Anyone wiring tag-triggered webhooks into a spreadsheet, Slack channel, or CRM gets the full downstream automation for free once the tag is on.
Workflow templates can do more than send emails. They can also apply or remove a tag on the appraisal when it enters a status you specify. This is how you keep your pipeline visually accurate without anyone clicking a tag manually.
Two actions, one purpose
Example use cases
Needs Photos
Apply when INSPECTION_COMPLETED is reached. Remove when WORKING_ON_ESTIMATE is reached. Your photo-chasing list maintains itself.
Going to Umpire
Apply when GOING_TO_UMPIRE is reached. Pairs with a tag-triggered webhook that drops a row into your tracking spreadsheet.
Ready to Invoice
Apply when COMPLETE is reached. Your VA filters by this tag to know which files are ready to bill.
Set it up
Create the tag first
Open Settings → Account → Tags. Click New Tag, give it a name (e.g. "Needs Photos"), and pick a color. Save.
Open your workflow template
Navigate to /dashboard/account/workflow and open the template you want to edit (or create a new one).
Add a new action
On the status where you want the tag to fire, click Add Action and choose Apply Tag (or Remove Tag).
Pick the tag
Choose the tag from the dropdown. You can only pick tags that already exist in your workspace.
Save the template
The action fires every time an appraisal transitions into that status under this template.
Combine with tag-triggered webhooks for full automation
Apply vs. remove
| Action | What it does | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Apply Tag | Adds the tag to the appraisal if it is not already present. Idempotent. | Marking a state ("Needs Photos", "Going to Umpire", "Ready to Invoice"). |
| Remove Tag | Removes the tag if present. Quiet if the tag was not there. | Clearing a marker once you have moved past it ("Needs Photos" comes off at WORKING_ON_ESTIMATE). |
Order of operations
Status changes
You (or automation) move the appraisal to a new status
Workflow template runs
AwardLettr looks up the template assigned to the appraisal
Tag actions fire
Apply Tag and Remove Tag actions run for that status
Webhooks fire
If the tag has a webhook attached, it fires after the tag is applied
Tag must exist before the template references it
Common pitfalls
- •Building tag actions on the assumption a tag exists, then deleting that tag elsewhere. The action silently stops working.
- •Forgetting that Apply Tag is idempotent. Re-entering the same status (e.g. status flipped back and forth) does not duplicate the tag, but the linked webhook may still fire each time.
- •Wiring a tag-triggered webhook before testing the workflow template. Always test with the webhook disabled first so you do not spam your downstream system.
Related Articles
Workflow Templates: What Happens When?
How workflow templates trigger on status changes, what the "Apply workflow template" toggle does at appraisal creation, and how missing data is handled.
Tag Webhook Automation
Trigger external webhooks when tags are applied or removed from appraisals, enabling real-time sync with external systems.
Using Tags for Organization
Create and apply tags to organize and filter your appraisals.