If you’re on a B2B team, you’re probably drowning in repeatable tasks—handoffs, approvals, reminders, you name it. Automating some of that grunt work can save hours, but figuring out where to start (and what tools to trust) can feel like another chore. This guide walks you through actually setting up workflow automation in Baton, skipping the marketing fluff and focusing on what works for real teams.
Who’s this for? Anyone on a B2B team who needs things to run smoother—especially if you’ve tried “automation” tools before and ended up with a tangled mess or a shelfware subscription.
Step 1: Figure Out What’s Worth Automating
Don’t automate just because you can. Start by listing out your team’s most annoying, repetitive tasks. You want to target things that:
- Happen the same way, every time (think: handoff emails, status updates, data entry)
- Don’t require a ton of judgment or back-and-forth
- Cause bottlenecks or are easy to forget
Pro tip: If you have to ask, “Will this save us time, or just create new headaches?”—skip it for now. Baton is great, but even the best tools can’t fix broken processes.
Examples That Actually Work
- Sending reminders for contract reviews
- Notifying sales when a customer hits onboarding milestones
- Auto-assigning tasks to the right team when a deal closes
What to Ignore (For Now)
- Messy processes with lots of exceptions (“But except on Fridays when Sue is out…”)
- Anything that requires complex decisions or approvals from outside your team
- Tasks you only do once in a blue moon
Step 2: Get Your Baton Account and Access Set Up
Let’s not overcomplicate this. Baton is a workflow automation platform built for B2B teams, but you’ll need the basics in place before you start building.
- Sign Up or Log In: Head to Baton and create an account. Use your work email—most teams sync with Google or Microsoft.
- Check Your Permissions: If you’re not an admin, you might need someone to give you the right access to create or edit workflows.
- Connect Your Tools: Baton works best when it plugs into what you already use (think: Slack, Salesforce, Gmail, your CRM). You don’t have to connect everything—just what’s relevant.
Watch out for: Some integrations require admin permissions on the tool’s side, not just in Baton. If you hit a wall, talk to your IT or whoever owns that software.
Step 3: Map Out Your Workflow—Before Touching the Tool
Resist the urge to dive straight into the automation builder. Sketch your process first. Trust me, you’ll save time and confusion.
Do It Old-School
- Grab a whiteboard, piece of paper, or a simple flowchart tool
- Write down the start and end point
- List each step: who does what, when, and what triggers the next part
Example: 1. Customer signs contract 2. Sales sends welcome email 3. Ops sets up the account 4. Customer Success schedules kickoff call 5. Customer gets onboarding checklist
If you can’t explain your workflow in 5–7 steps, it’s too complicated for automation (at least for now).
Step 4: Build a Workflow in Baton
Now you’re ready to get your hands dirty. Baton uses a visual workflow builder—think drag and drop, not coding. Here’s how to actually use it without losing your mind.
1. Create a New Workflow
- Click “Create Workflow” or the big plus (+) button.
- Name it something obvious (e.g., “New Client Onboarding,” not “Test 2”).
2. Set the Trigger
What kicks off your workflow? Options include: - Manual (someone clicks “Start”) - When something happens in another tool (e.g., new deal in Salesforce) - On a schedule (every Monday at 9am)
Start simple. Manual triggers are easiest to test.
3. Add Steps
Drag in the steps from your map. Typical step types: - Assign a task: Give a teammate something to do - Send an email or Slack message: Notify someone automatically - Update a record: Push info to your CRM or other tool - Wait for approval: Pause until someone gives the thumbs up
Pro tip: Each step can have conditions (e.g., only notify finance if deal > $10k), but keep it basic at first. Complexity can snowball fast.
4. Connect to Your Tools
- Pick the integration you set up earlier (e.g., Slack, Salesforce)
- Map data fields so info goes to the right place (“customer name” in Baton = “account name” in Salesforce)
- Test the connection before moving on
5. Add Notifications (But Don’t Overdo It)
Everyone hates spammy alerts. Only notify people when they need to act. Skip “FYI” messages—if it’s just noise, people will tune it out.
6. Save and Test
- Use Baton’s “test run” feature or fire off a real test with your own email (not your boss’s)
- Check every step: Did the right person get notified? Did the task get assigned? Did data show up where it should?
If something breaks, the error messages are usually clear—but not always. Baton’s support docs are decent, but sometimes you’ll need trial and error.
Step 5: Roll It Out (and Get Feedback)
You’re not done when the workflow runs once. Here’s how to avoid the usual rollout fails:
- Pilot with a small group: Don’t blast it to the whole team. Pick a couple of trusted folks who’ll give honest feedback.
- Watch for hiccups: Are steps being skipped? Are emails getting stuck in spam? Is anyone confused?
- Tweak as needed: Don’t be precious about your workflow. Small changes after real-world use are normal.
Pro tip: Document how to use the workflow—just a quick Loom video or a Google Doc. It saves you from endless “how do I start this?” questions.
Step 6: Measure What’s Actually Working
Don’t automate for automation’s sake. After a week or two, check:
- Are tasks getting done faster?
- Did you cut down on follow-ups and manual reminders?
- Are people actually using the workflow, or are they bypassing it?
Baton has built-in reports, but even a simple spreadsheet tracking task completion and time saved works.
If you’re not seeing real results, kill it or adjust. There’s no shame in scrapping a workflow that doesn’t pay off.
Step 7: Keep It Simple and Iterate
You’ll be tempted to automate everything. Don’t. The best workflows solve a real pain and are easy to tweak.
- Start with the highest-impact, lowest-complexity tasks.
- Review every few months—processes change, and what worked last quarter might not fit today.
- Get feedback from people who actually use the workflows, not just managers.
Remember: Automation is supposed to save you time, not create a new mess. If a workflow feels clunky, it probably is.
A Few Honest Takes on Baton
- Strengths: Baton’s visual builder is genuinely easy. Integrations with major B2B tools (Salesforce, Slack, email) work well out of the box. The platform isn’t overloaded with pointless features.
- Weak Spots: Some integrations need admin-level access, which can be a pain. Documentation is good but not exhaustive—sometimes you’ll have to experiment. Complex conditional logic can get tricky fast; don’t try to recreate a Rube Goldberg machine.
- Ignore the Hype: Baton’s automation won’t “transform your business overnight.” It will, however, save your team real time if you stick to practical use cases.
Wrap Up: Start Small, Fix What Matters
Automating workflow tasks in Baton isn’t magic—it’s just a way to cut out the repetitive stuff so your team can focus on work that actually matters. Keep your first workflows simple, test with real users, and be ready to adjust. The fancy features can wait.
Stay skeptical, start practical, and you’ll avoid most of the usual automation headaches.