When you create a new flow in Spoks, you can start from scratch or pick a pre-built template from the library. Each template is a ready-made blueprint: the trigger, filters, timing, and messages are already wired together for a common e-commerce use case, so you can launch quickly and then tailor the content to your brand.

This article explains the building blocks every template shares, then breaks down exactly how each template in the library is constructed.

No matter which template you start from, every flow is assembled from the same parts, stacked top to bottom:

The trigger is the event that enrolls a contact into the flow. Every flow has exactly one trigger at the top. The available triggers are:

Directly under the trigger you can add a Contacts Filter (and, on some flows, a Trigger Filter) to decide who actually qualifies. An important detail: these trigger-level filters also act as suppression filters. That means a contact who no longer matches the filter is removed from the flow, not just blocked from entering it. This is how templates avoid, for example, messaging someone about an abandoned cart after they have already purchased.

For the full mechanics of contact filters, trigger filters, and suppression, see Using filters in flows.

A delay step waits a set amount of time before the next message. Delays are expressed in days, hours, and minutes, and can optionally be pinned to a specific time of day (e.g. 9:00 AM) or to specific days of the week. You can place multiple delays in a single flow to space messages apart.

A send step delivers the message — an email or an SMS. A flow can contain several send steps, each preceded by its own delay, and each can carry its own contacts filter so different contacts receive different messages within the same flow.

Most templates are set so that contacts will re-enroll into the flow. That means the same contact can go through the flow again the next time they meet the trigger (for example, every time they start a new checkout).

Put together, a flow reads as: Trigger → (filter) → Delay → Send → Delay → Send … repeated as needed. Everything below is just different settings on those same blocks.

The library groups templates as Essential (work for any store) or Pixel based (rely on onsite browsing events captured by the Spoks pixel). New templates start in an Inactive state so you can review and edit them before turning them on. The templates below send emails; you can change any step to an SMS.

Automatically welcomes new subscribers to your shop.

Shows appreciation to customers after a purchase, with the message tuned to how many orders they have placed.

This is a good example of using per-step filters to send different copy to different segments inside one flow.

Re-engages customers who haven't purchased recently.

The most reliable cart recovery flow. Captures every shopper who enters their email at checkout but doesn't complete the purchase.

Reminds identified shoppers about items left in their cart before checkout. Works best alongside Abandoned Checkout.

Engages visitors who are actively browsing your site.

Re-engages visitors who viewed products but didn't add anything to cart. Like the other pixel-based templates, it follows the same structure — a browsing trigger (Product viewed), a suppression filter so contacts who add to cart or buy drop out, a short delay, and a reminder email — encouraging shoppers back to the products they looked at.

Because every template uses the same building blocks, anything you see above can be changed after you create the flow: swap the trigger, adjust or add filters, change delay timing, switch a step between email and SMS, and rewrite each message. Start from the template closest to your goal, replace the placeholder copy with your brand's voice, and turn the flow active when you're ready.

To go deeper on the filter side, see Using filters in flows and the Contact filter reference.