# Set your track triggers
URL: https://docs.awellhealth.com/docs/design-care-flows/set-your-track-triggers

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.awellhealth.com/llms.txt).









Each [track](/docs/design-care-flows/organize-your-care-flow-with-tracks) in a care flow activates on its
own **trigger**. A trigger type either sequences the flow in time, reacts to the data collected, or
waits to be activated by hand.

## Sequencing triggers follow where the patient is in the flow [#sequencing-triggers-follow-where-the-patient-is-in-the-flow]

* **Care Flow Started.** The track activates as soon as the care flow starts for a patient. Every
  flow needs at least one of these, or nothing ever begins.
* **Step Completed.** The track activates when a specific step in a specific track finishes.
  Conditions can narrow it, so it only activates for some patients.
* **Track Completed.** The track activates when a whole track finishes. Conditions apply here
  too.

Use the sequencing triggers for the backbone: intake, then assessment, then follow-up.

## Data-driven triggers follow what has been collected [#data-driven-triggers-follow-what-has-been-collected]

Data-driven triggers suit alerting, follow-up reporting, and repeating work that doesn't fit a neat
sequence.

* **Data Point Collected.** The track activates whenever a particular data point gets a value,
  at whatever point in the flow that happens.
* **Data Point Not Collected.** The track activates when a data point has not been collected within a
  timeframe.

## The Ad Hoc trigger has no condition [#the-ad-hoc-trigger-has-no-condition]

**Ad Hoc** is activated by hand. Nothing in the care flow starts it, so it fits work a care team
decides case by case rather than by rule.

A **Data Point Not Collected** trigger needs a timeframe: an amount and a unit, counted from a reference
event. If the data point is still missing when that time is up, the track activates.

## Add a trigger [#add-a-trigger]

1. Select the track.
2. Open its activation trigger settings.
3. Choose the trigger type, then the step or track it depends on.
4. Add conditions if the track should only activate for some patients.

<img alt="The six trigger types available when choosing what activates a track" src="__img0" />

<img alt="A track's trigger settings, showing which step completion activates it" src="__img1" />

<img alt="Configuring a data-point-not-collected trigger, with the wait time and the reference event" src="__img2" />

## A track with no trigger never runs [#a-track-with-no-trigger-never-runs]

Nothing warns about it, so when a track never activates for a test patient, check its trigger first.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

**Next:** [Create and name a step](/docs/design-care-flows/create-and-name-a-step). Tracks are the
phases; steps are what happens inside them.

Repeating care, like a monthly reassessment, is often a
[looping track](/docs/design-care-flows/track-looping) rather than a new trigger.