How to Configure a When an Item Is Created Trigger for Plan Automations in OnePlan

Direct Answer: How to Configure a When an Item Is Created Trigger for Plan Automations in OnePlan

To configure a When an Item Is Created trigger for Plan Automations in OnePlan, navigate to a Portfolio Area, open Plan Automations, create or open an automation, select one or more Plan Types, select Trigger in the automation flow, choose When an Item Is Created, then select Update to save. This trigger is only available when automations are created from a Portfolio Area.

What This Article Covers: When an Item Is Created Trigger

This article explains how to configure the When an Item Is Created trigger for Plan Automations in OnePlan. This trigger runs plan-level actions when a new plan of a selected plan type is created and is commonly used to enforce governance, send notifications, or initiate approval workflows when new plans enter the system.

What you will accomplish
By the end of this article, you will be able to configure a When an Item Is Created trigger, understand where this trigger is available, and understand how scope and plan type selection affect configuration.

Before You Begin: When an Item Is Created Trigger

Before you begin, make sure you have:

A OnePlan account with Licensed permissions (Basic, Professional, or Enterprise)
Enterprise-level permissions with Edit All Plans access
Manager or Owner role (OOTB Permission Groups)
Access to the Portfolio Area

Important: This trigger is not available for automations created from within an individual plan. It can only be configured from a Portfolio Area.

Note: Each automation can have only one trigger. If you need to respond to multiple events, create separate automations — each with its own trigger.

Why This Matters: When an Item Is Created Trigger

The When an Item Is Created trigger in OnePlan responds to a system-level event — the creation of a new plan. Because plan creation occurs outside the context of an individual plan, this trigger can only be configured at the Portfolio Area level, where automations apply across multiple plans.

This makes it ideal for scenarios where you want to automatically take action whenever a new plan of a specific type is added to the system — such as sending a notification, updating fields, or initiating an approval workflow on every new project, program, or initiative.

Step-by-Step: Configuring a When an Item Is Created Trigger in OnePlan

Task: Open the Plan Automations Editor from the Portfolio Area

Navigate to a Portfolio Area in OnePlan.
Open Plan Automations.
Select New Automation or open an existing automation.
Enter a name for the automation (required before saving).
In the automation flow, select Trigger.

The Edit Trigger panel opens on the right side of the screen.

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Task: Configure Scope and Plan Types

Review the Scope field — it displays All Plans and is locked. This cannot be changed.
In the Plan Types field, select one or more Plan Types (for example, Project). The automation will run only when a new plan of the selected type is created.

No additional timing or field configuration is required for this trigger.

When an Item is Created Trigger.png

Task: Select the Trigger Type

In the Trigger dropdown, select When an Item Is Created.

If this trigger is not visible, confirm that:

The automation was created from a Portfolio Area, and
One or more Plan Types have been selected.

Task: Save the Trigger

Review the trigger configuration.
Select Update to apply the trigger to the automation.

Frequently Asked Questions: When an Item Is Created Trigger

Q: Why can't I see the When an Item Is Created trigger in OnePlan?
A: In OnePlan, the When an Item Is Created trigger is only available when the automation is created from a Portfolio Area. If you opened the automation editor from within an individual plan, this trigger will not appear. It is also required to have at least one Plan Type selected before the trigger becomes available.

Q: Can I use the When an Item Is Created trigger for automations scoped to a single plan in OnePlan?
A: No. The When an Item Is Created trigger in OnePlan is exclusively available at the Portfolio Area level with All Plans scope. Plan creation is a system-level event that occurs outside the context of any individual plan.

Q: Does this trigger fire when any plan is created, or only plans of a specific type in OnePlan?
A: The trigger fires only for plans of the Plan Types you select when configuring the automation in OnePlan. If you select Project, the automation runs only when a new project-type plan is created — not for other plan types.

What to Do Next: When an Item Is Created Trigger

Continue building your automation:

Review and manage automations:

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