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Every journey begins at the Start node. The Start node determines how a run gets kicked off — whether you trigger it yourself, schedule it for later, or let an external system start it automatically. The Start node sits at the top of the canvas and can’t be removed.

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Trigger Types

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Start Immediately

The simplest trigger. You create a run, import a list of recipients, and click Start Run. Simple AI begins processing recipients right away. Use this when:
  • Your list is ready to go and you want to start now
  • You’re testing a journey with a small batch
  • You’re running a one-off outreach that doesn’t need to wait

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Schedule for Later

Create a run, import recipients, and then pick a future date, time, and timezone. Simple AI holds the run in a scheduled state and starts it automatically when the scheduled time arrives. Use this when:
  • You want outreach to begin at a specific time of day in a specific timezone
  • You’re prepping runs for a campaign that launches tomorrow morning
  • You need to coordinate a run with a business event (sale, product launch, appointment window)
You can reschedule or cancel a scheduled run any time before it starts.

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Webhook

A Webhook start block turns the journey into something an external system can trigger. Instead of manually creating a run and importing a CSV, you send recipient data to a dedicated URL whenever you want someone to enter the journey. The idea is the same as a webhook trigger on any automation platform: you get a URL, your system hits it with a recipient payload, and the journey picks up from there. This is the path for integrating Simple AI journeys with your own systems — your CRM, your booking tool, your backend — so recipients flow in automatically as events happen in those systems. Webhook triggers are on the roadmap. Full details (URL format, payload shape, authentication, response) will be published when this capability ships.

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Which Trigger to Pick

  • One-off outreach to a known list: Start Immediately.
  • Scheduled outreach that should begin at a specific time: Schedule for Later.
  • Ongoing, system-driven outreach where recipients enter as events happen: Webhook (once available).
A journey has one Start node. When you need a different trigger for the same flow, you can duplicate the journey and change the Start configuration on the copy.