Setting up smart processes in Bitrix24 CRM

Configuring Smart Processes in Bitrix24 CRM

The standard CRM entities — leads, deals, contacts — are not enough. You need to manage contract approvals, leave requests, service requests, or installation visits — each with its own pipeline. Smart processes cover this need, but their configuration requires an understanding of the architecture.

How Smart Processes Work Technically

A smart process is a dynamic CRM entity type, implemented via \Bitrix\Crm\Item and \Bitrix\Crm\Service\Factory. Each type is stored in b_crm_dynamic_type, and its elements are in a separate table b_crm_dynamic_items_{TYPE_ID}.

This fundamentally distinguishes smart processes from custom fields on regular entities: each smart process has its own table, its own stages, its own robots and triggers.

When creating a smart process (CRM → Smart Processes → Create), the system:

1. Creates a record in b_crm_dynamic_type
2. Creates the table b_crm_dynamic_items_{ID}
3. Registers the factory via \Bitrix\Crm\Service\Container

Configuring Fields and Stages

Smart process fields are a combination of system fields (ID, name, responsible, creation date) and custom fields (UF_CRM_*). Custom fields are added in the type settings: CRM → Smart Processes → [Name] → Settings → Custom Fields.

Field types: string, number, list, date, file, CRM element binding, address. The "CRM element binding" field type allows you to link a smart process to a deal or contact — this is the foundation for complex multi-level pipelines.

Smart process stages are the analogue of deal stages. Configured in CRM → Smart Processes → [Name] → Stages. Each stage has a type: "In progress", "Success", "Failure". The type affects how data is displayed in analytics.

Relationships Between Smart Processes and Other Entities

A smart process can be linked to:

• a deal — the smart process element is displayed in the deal timeline
• a contact/company — via a custom field of type "binding"
• another smart process — hierarchical requests, e.g. "Project → Project task"

For a bidirectional relationship (so that linked smart process elements are visible from the deal), enable the "Show in deal card" option in the smart process settings.

Robots and Triggers

Each smart process has its own set of robots and triggers — configured in exactly the same way as for deals. All standard robots are available: send email, create task, change responsible, call webhook.

Limitation: smart process robots cannot directly create an element of another smart process — this is done via REST API (crm.item.add) from a webhook or via a business process.

Implementation Timeframes

Configuring a single smart process end-to-end takes 1 working day. If there are multiple interconnected processes — multiply the time proportionally.