> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anyreach.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Triggers overview

> How workflows start running.

A **trigger** is the event that starts a workflow execution. Every workflow has a Trigger step as its entry point.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anyreach/Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq/images/workflows/trigger-initial.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq&q=85&s=39433eeeb78acc14507f3319854b138b" alt="Select a trigger modal" width="3116" height="1934" data-path="images/workflows/trigger-initial.png" />
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## Trigger categories

Triggers come in two categories: **AnyReach** (built-in conversation events) and **External Apps** (Pipedream-connected services).

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  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anyreach/Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq/images/workflows/trigger-anyreach.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq&q=85&s=84eff7ab3401d48d27773edc4e52c0e1" alt="AnyReach trigger options" width="3196" height="1928" data-path="images/workflows/trigger-anyreach.png" />
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## AnyReach triggers

### Conversations

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  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anyreach/Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq/images/workflows/trigger-anyreach-conversation.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq&q=85&s=930b0d3d4d5fca207a6869bbd2e84c6b" alt="Conversation trigger types" width="3198" height="1930" data-path="images/workflows/trigger-anyreach-conversation.png" />
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| Trigger                  | When it fires                 | Use for                                                              |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pre Call**             | Before a call begins          | Fetch caller context, decide whether to dial, set greeting variables |
| **Post Call**            | After a call ends             | Summaries, CRM writes, notifications, follow-up workflows            |
| **Ongoing Conversation** | During an active conversation | Real-time actions mid-call, agent tool invocations                   |

### Timer

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  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/anyreach/Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq/images/workflows/trigger-anyreach-timer.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Q3oLN-914nEwy0gq&q=85&s=efd7d3145e00fdea60a6b17434b894eb" alt="Conversation trigger types" width="3114" height="1942" data-path="images/workflows/trigger-anyreach-timer.png" />
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Fires the workflow on a recurring schedule — every hour, every day at 9am, every Monday, or any custom cron expression.

Use for: nightly sync jobs, daily reports, periodic cleanup, recurring outreach.

See [Timer trigger](/workflows/triggers/scheduled).

## External Apps triggers

Connect 2,000+ external apps. Anyreach receives the event payload and runs the workflow.

Examples:

* **Slack** message in a channel → workflow that processes the message
* **Google Sheets** row added → workflow that acts on the data
* **Stripe** `invoice.paid` → workflow that updates your CRM
* **Shopify** `orders/create` → workflow that places a thank-you call

## How trigger type maps to execution mode

| Trigger              | Default mode                 |
| -------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Pre Call             | Sync (the call is waiting)   |
| Post Call            | Async (the call has ended)   |
| Ongoing Conversation | Sync (the agent is mid-call) |
| Timer                | Async                        |
| External Apps        | Async                        |

See [Sync vs async](/workflows/execution/sync-vs-async) for details.