ATriggerAutopilotReal-timeUpdated May 2026
When does Autopilot fire on contact field changes?
Short answer: Drop the "Autopilot → Contact Updated" trigger on your workflow canvas, add filters if you want them, and publish. It fires within seconds of the event in Autopilot, not on a polling schedule.
Anatomy
What this trigger looks like in a workflow.
Drop it on the canvas. Configure a couple of fields. Publish.
In the builder
TriggerA
Contact Updated
When the matching event happens
when a contact is updated in autopilotcontact changedwatch for contact updatednew contact updatedon contact updatedcontact modifiedwhen contact updated
What this trigger returns
for the curiousYou don’t need to read this. Tiny Command auto-maps every field into the visual picker so downstream nodes can pull values by clicking. We show it here for power users who want to know what’s on the wire.
{"email": "john@example.com","contact_id": "person_ABC123","updated_fields": ["company"]}
Output shape
Fields available to downstream nodes.
Every field below can be referenced by name in any action or filter that comes after this trigger.
| Field | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| string | "john@example.com" | |
| contact_id | string | "person_ABC123" |
| updated_fields | array | ["company"] |
Pairs with
Drop these actions after Contact Updated.
FAQ
Questions about Contact Updated.
How does the Contact Updated trigger work in Autopilot?
Fires on any field change including custom-attribute writes and journey-state transitions. For specific change types (e.g., only when plan_tier becomes enterprise), inspect the previous_values vs current_values diff in the payload.
Is the Contact Updated trigger real-time?
Yes. Contact Updated uses webhooks or push subscriptions, not polling. Your workflow fires within seconds of the event happening in Autopilot.
What data does Contact Updated return?
The full event payload from Autopilot. The output shape table on this page lists every field, its type, and an example value so you can map fields into downstream nodes.
Can I filter Contact Updated so only some events start a workflow?
Yes. Add a Filter node right after the trigger and match on any field, whether that's subject, sender, status, or anything else in the payload. Workflows only continue when the filter passes.
Do I need Autopilot admin permissions to use Contact Updated?
For most Autopilot accounts a standard user can authorize the trigger. Some Autopilot plans require an admin to enable third-party webhooks. Check Autopilot's docs if the trigger fails to register.
More triggers
Other Autopilot triggers.
Build a workflow on this trigger.
One trigger. 2+ downstream actions. Zero glue.
