Configuring Bitrix24 CRM Automation (Robots)
A manager forgot to send a proposal, did not call the day after the meeting, did not create a task to prepare documents. Robots in Bitrix24 CRM close these gaps — but only if they are configured for the real process, not just ticked off as done.
How Robots Work Technically
CRM robots are instances of \Bitrix\Bizproc\Automation\Robot, launched by the business process engine (bizproc). They are tied to a specific pipeline stage and fire when an entity (deal, lead, smart process) transitions to that stage.
Storage: robot configuration is in the table b_bizproc_workflow_template, instances of running processes — in b_bizproc_workflow. On stage transition, a workflow instance is created and robot actions are executed sequentially or with a delay.
This is important to understand: a robot is not a trigger, it is a separate asynchronous process. If the server is overloaded or the \Bitrix\Main\Application::runModuleAgents agent is not running — robots will queue up and execute with a delay.
Key Robots and Their Configuration
Send email (CrmSendEmailRobot) — the most commonly used. Configuration: email template, sender (portal mail or personal inbox), recipient (entity field or fixed address). Variables are substituted via {=Document.FIELD_NAME}.
Common mistake: the email is sent from the technical address noreply@bitrix24... instead of the corporate one. Solution — configure the portal's outgoing mail in Settings → Mail → Outgoing mail.
Create task (CrmAddTaskRobot) — creates a task in the tasks module linked to the deal. Important: the task is created on behalf of the deal's responsible person, if no explicit task owner is set.
Change field (CrmUpdateFieldRobot) — changes any field of the entity. Used for automatically setting tags, source, UTM parameters when converting a lead.
Call webhook (RestActivityRobot) — sends a POST request to an external URL with entity data. The foundation for integrations with external systems without programming.
Delays and Conditions
Robots support execution delay: "after 1 day from stage transition" or "at a specific time". Implemented via the \Bitrix\Bizproc\Automation\Agent agent with the next run time recorded in b_agent.
Execution conditions — the robot fires only if a condition on the entity field is met. For example: "send SMS only if the Phone field is filled in" or "create task only if deal value exceeds 100,000".
Conditions are set directly in the robot configuration via the condition builder — no programming required.
Typical Pipeline Automation Scheme
Example for a SaaS product sales pipeline:
- "New lead" stage: robot "Notify responsible" + task "Call within 2 hours"
- "Qualification" stage: delay 1 day → email with presentation
- "Proposal sent" stage: delay 2 days → task "Follow up on proposal decision"
- "Won" stage: thank-you email + webhook to account activation system
Total 6–8 robots, configuration takes 3–4 hours including testing each transition.
Debugging Robots
If a robot did not execute — check CRM → Automation → Log. Every run, its status, and any errors are visible there. A second tool is Settings → Tools → Agent queue, where you can manually trigger a stuck agent.