How to Trigger Documents and Contracts in GoHighLevel Workflows

Managing contracts in multiple tools like ClickUp and CRMs can get messy. In this guide, you will learn how to automate sending and tracking contracts directly inside GoHighLevel workflows using the native Documents feature. This lets you generate, send, and monitor agreements without leaving your automation builder.

The workflow Documents trigger gives you powerful control over when and how contracts are sent, who signs them, and what happens after completion or expiration.

What the GoHighLevel Workflow Documents Trigger Does

The Documents trigger in GoHighLevel lets you fire a workflow whenever a document-related event happens. This works with contracts you have built in the Documents section of your sub-account.

With this trigger, you can automate processes such as:

• Sending contracts when a lead reaches a specific stage
• Following up when a document is completed
• Notifying your team when a contract expires
• Tagging contacts based on contract status

This feature is available at the sub-account level and uses your existing document templates.

Accessing the GoHighLevel Documents Trigger in a Workflow

To use this feature, you must first open or create a workflow inside your sub-account.

1. Go to your sub-account.
2. Open the Automations section.
3. Click Workflows and either create a new workflow or open an existing one.
4. At the top of the builder, click Add New Trigger.
5. Search for and select Documents as the trigger type.

Once selected, the GoHighLevel workflow builder will show you several filters you can configure to control which document events start the automation.

Configuring GoHighLevel Document Trigger Filters

The Documents trigger includes three main filter types. These filters define when the workflow should fire based on document behavior.

1. Document Status Filter in GoHighLevel

The Document Status filter controls which status change will start the workflow. You can choose from the following statuses:

• Viewed – The document was opened at least once.
• Expired – The document went past its expiration date without completion.
• Completed – All required signatures and fields were filled.
• Declined – The recipient declined to sign.
• Sent – The document has been sent to recipients.

Use this filter when you only want to respond to a very specific event, such as a completed or declined contract.

2. Action Filter in GoHighLevel

The Action filter defines who performed the action that changed the document status. Available options are:

• Any – Triggers regardless of who acted.
• Sender – Triggers when the document sender performs the action.
• Recipient – Triggers when any recipient performs the action.

This is useful if you only want workflows to start when clients (recipients) interact with documents, not when someone from your team does.

3. Trigger Source Filter in GoHighLevel

The Trigger Source filter controls where the document was created from. You can choose between:

• Manual – Documents created manually from the Documents section.
• Workflow – Documents created automatically by a workflow action.

This distinction is critical when you are using GoHighLevel to both send contracts manually and generate them automatically. You can run separate automations depending on the origin.

Using the GoHighLevel “Create Document” Workflow Action

In addition to triggering workflows on document events, you can also create and send contracts from within a workflow using the Create Document action. This is how you automatically send agreements based on lead behavior or pipeline stage.

Adding the Create Document Action

1. In your workflow, click the + icon where you want to add the action.
2. Select Actions.
3. Choose Create Document from the list.

This opens the configuration panel where you connect a document template to your automation.

Document Template Options in GoHighLevel

Within the Create Document action, you will configure several options:

• Template
  Select one of your existing document templates. This template controls the content and fields of your contract.
• Document Name
  Enter a name for the new document. You can include merge fields if desired.
• Message to Recipients
  Write the message that will appear when recipients receive the contract.

These options allow you to fully personalize the agreement for each contact that flows through the workflow.

Recipient Settings in GoHighLevel

You must specify who should receive and sign the document. The available recipient type is:

• Contact – Uses the contact record associated with the workflow execution.

When you choose Contact, you can configure:

• Contact via – Select whether to send the document by email, SMS, or other available channels depending on your configuration.
• Phone – Choose which saved phone number field to use for delivery.

The Create Document action will then automatically route the contract to the specified recipient details.

Best Practices for GoHighLevel Workflow Contracts

To get the most reliable results from your workflows, follow these practices when automating contracts inside GoHighLevel:

• Use clear naming conventions for document templates and document names.
• Combine Document Status and Action filters to avoid triggering workflows on internal test actions.
• Set separate workflows for Completed and Declined statuses to handle each path differently.
• Use tags or custom fields to record contract states so you can filter contacts later.
• Test your workflow with an internal email or phone number before sending to real clients.

Example GoHighLevel Workflow Scenario

Here is a simple example of how you might use the Documents trigger with the Create Document action:

1. Trigger: A contact moves into a specific pipeline stage (e.g., “Proposal Sent”).
2. Action: Create Document using your standard contract template and send it to the contact by email.
3. Separate Workflow: Trigger type Documents with status Completed, action Recipient, and source Workflow.
4. Follow-up Actions: Apply a “Client – Contract Signed” tag, send a thank you email, and notify your internal team.

This setup lets GoHighLevel handle both sending the contract and reacting when the client signs it, all automatically.

Additional Resources for GoHighLevel Automations

To go deeper into automation strategies and CRM optimization, you can explore consulting and implementation resources such as Consultevo, which focuses on building scalable systems around tools like this platform.

For the full original help documentation on this specific feature, refer to the official GoHighLevel support article here: Workflow Trigger: Documents (Contracts).

By correctly configuring the Documents trigger and the Create Document action, you can streamline how contracts are sent, tracked, and completed, keeping all activity centralized in your GoHighLevel workflows.

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