Using Branch App in OttoKit

Most automations run in a straight line: trigger, then action. But real workflows are rarely that simple. Sometimes what happens next depends on the data you receive.

The Branch app in OttoKit solves this. It lets you split a single workflow into two separate paths based on a condition you define. One path runs when the condition is true. The other path runs when it is not. The result is a smarter workflow that makes decisions automatically, without any manual checking.

This guide walks you through everything: what Branch does, how to configure it, and how to put it to work with practical, real-world examples. No technical experience needed.

What Is the Branch App?

The Branch app is a built-in OttoKit tool that adds a decision point to your workflow. Think of it like a fork in the road. When your workflow reaches a Branch step, OttoKit checks a condition you have set. Based on the result, the workflow continues down one of two paths:

• The Yes path: runs when the condition you set is true.
• The No path: runs when the condition is false or not matched.

This means you can handle two completely different outcomes in one single workflow, saving you from having to build separate workflows for every scenario.

How Branch Works: The Simple Version

Before setting up the Branch app, it helps to understand the three parts of a condition:

1. The Condition

This is the piece of data from your trigger that you want to check. For example: the tag on a task, the total amount of an order, the status of a ticket, or the email address of a customer.

2. The Operator

This is how you want to compare the condition. OttoKit supports the following operators:

Operator	What It Does
Equals	Checks if the condition exactly matches a value.
Does Not Equal	Checks if the condition does NOT match a value.
Contains	Checks if the condition includes a certain word or phrase.
Does Not Contain	Checks if the condition does NOT include a certain word or phrase.
Starts With	Checks if the condition begins with a specific value.
Ends With	Checks if the condition ends with a specific value.
Is Greater Than	Checks if a number condition is larger than the value you enter.
Is Less Than	Checks if a number condition is smaller than the value you enter.
Is Greater Than or Equal	Checks if a number condition is equal to or larger than the value.
Is Less Than or Equal	Checks if a number condition is equal to or smaller than the value.
Is Empty	Checks if the condition has no value at all.
Is Not Empty	Checks if the condition has any value.

3. The Value

This is what you are comparing against. It can be a word, a number, or a phrase you type in manually. For example: the word ‘Design’, the number ‘100’, or the phrase ‘urgent’.

When Would You Use the Branch App?

The Branch app is useful in any situation where your workflow needs to handle two different outcomes. Here are some practical examples:

• Route tasks to the right team. When a new task is created in your project management tool, check the task tag. If the tag is ‘Design’, notify the design team. If not, notify the development team.
• Handle free vs. paid orders. When a new order arrives in your store, check the order total. If the total is over a set amount, send a thank-you email with a discount code. Otherwise, send a standard confirmation.
• Respond to different support ticket priorities. When a new support ticket is submitted, check the priority condition. If it is ‘urgent’, send an immediate Slack alert to the team lead. If not, add it to the regular queue.
• Qualify incoming leads. When a form is submitted, check the company size condition. If it is above a certain number of employees, add the lead to your high-priority CRM list. Otherwise, add it to the standard list.
• Send different emails based on subscription status. When a user action triggers your workflow, check whether they are on a paid or free plan. Send the appropriate message for each.

How to Add the Branch App to Your Workflow

Before you can set up a Branch step, you need a workflow with a trigger already configured. If you have not created a workflow yet, see the Getting Started guide first.

Once your trigger is set up and has fetched sample data, follow these steps:

1. In the workflow editor, click the + (plus) button below your trigger step.

2. In the app search condition, type Branch and select the Branch app from the results.

3. You will see one action event: Branch. Click on it.

The Branch configuration panel will open. You will work through three tabs: Select, Configure, and Test.

Step 1: The Select Tab

The Select tab confirms you are using the Branch action. There are no additional options on this tab.

4. Click Continue to move to the Configure tab.

Step 2: The Configure Tab

This is where you define the condition that controls which path the workflow takes. You will set up the condition, operator, and value.

Setting Up Your Condition

1. Click the condition selector (the first input field). Here, you can type in @ to see a list of all available data from your trigger. Then select the condition you want to check.

2. Click the operator dropdown (the second condition). Select the comparison you want to apply, for example: Equals, Contains, or Is Greater Than.

3. In the Value condition, type the value you want to compare against. For text conditions, type the word or phrase. For number conditions, type the number.

Note: The Value condition accepts plain text you type in. You can also type @ to map a dynamic value from your trigger or a previous step, if your comparison value varies per record.

Adding Multiple Conditions (Optional)

If one condition is not enough, you can add more. Each additional condition gives you more precise control over which path the workflow follows. To add a new condition:

1. Choose how the conditions relate to each other using the AND or OR buttons

2. Then set up the new condition using the same condition, operator, and value process.

Setting	What It Means
AND	ALL conditions must be true for the Yes path to run. If any one condition fails, the No path runs instead.
OR	ANY one condition being true is enough for the Yes path to run. The No path only runs if all conditions fail.

Step 3: The Test Tab

Before saving, you can test your condition against the sample data fetched from your trigger to confirm it is set up correctly.

1. Click Continue to move to the Test tab.
2. Click the Test Condition button.

3. OttoKit will evaluate your condition against the sample trigger data.
4. You will see a result showing either True  (the Yes path would run) or False (the No path would run).

5. If the result looks correct, click Save to add the Branch step to your workflow.

Note: If the result is not what you expected, go back to the Configure tab and double-check your condition, operator, and value. The most common issue is using ‘Equals’ when the data contains extra spaces or different capitalisation. Try ‘Contains’ instead for more flexible matching.

Adding Actions to Each Path

Once the Branch step is saved, your workflow canvas will show two separate paths:

• Yes path: the actions to run when the condition is true.
• No path: the actions to run when the condition is false.

You need to add at least one action to each path. Here is how:

1. Click the + (plus) button under the Yes path.
2. Select the app and action you want to run when the condition is met. Configure it as normal.

3. Click the + button under the No path.
4. Select the app and action you want to run when the condition is not met. Configure it as normal.

5. Once both paths are set up, click Publish Workflow in the top-right corner to turn the workflow on.

Note: You do not have to add actions to both paths. If you leave the No path empty, the workflow will simply stop when the condition is not met. This is useful if you only want something to happen under a specific condition and nothing at all otherwise.

Practical Example 1: Routing Tasks to the Right Team Channel

Scenario: You use ClickUp for project management. Whenever a new task is created with the tag ‘Design’, you want to notify the design channel in Slack. For all other tasks, you want to notify the development channel.

Step 1: Set Up the Trigger

1. Create a new workflow in OttoKit.
2. Select ClickUp as the trigger app.
3. Choose New Task as the trigger event.
4. Connect your ClickUp account and select the list or space to monitor.
5. Click Fetch Data to load a sample task. Make sure the sample task has a tag condition.
6. Click Save.

Step 2: Add the Branch App

7. Click the + button below the trigger.
8. Search for Branch and select the Branch app.
9. On the Configure tab, set the condition as follows:

Condition	Operator	Value
Tag	Equals	Design

10. Click Test Condition. Confirm the result shows True for the sample task that has the ‘Design’ tag.
11. Click Save.

Step 3: Add Actions to Each Path

12. On the Yes path (Tag equals Design), click + and add a Slack: Send Message action. Set the channel to your #design channel. Map the task name and description as the message body.
13. On the No path (all other tags), click + and add a Slack: Send Message action. Set the channel to your #development channel.
14. Click Publish Workflow.

That is it. Now every new ClickUp task automatically finds its way to the right Slack channel based on its tag. No manual sorting required.

Practical Example 2: Handling Orders Based on Value

Scenario: You run a WooCommerce store. For orders above $100, you want to send a personalised thank-you email with a discount code for the next purchase. For orders below $100, you want to send a standard order confirmation.

Step 1: Set Up the Trigger

1. Create a new workflow.
2. Select WooCommerce as the trigger and choose Order Paid as the event.
3. Connect your WordPress site and click Fetch Data to load a sample order.
4. Click Save.

Step 2: Add the Branch App

5. Click + below the trigger and add the Branch app.
6. On the Configure tab, set the condition as follows:

Condition	Operator	Value
Order Total	Is Greater Than	100

7. Test the condition and save.

Step 3: Add Actions to Each Path

8. On the Yes path (order over $100), add a Gmail: Send Email action. Write a personalised thank-you message that includes a discount code. Map the customer name and email from the trigger data.
9. On the No path (order under $100), add a Gmail: Send Email action with a standard order confirmation template.
10. Publish the workflow.

Now every order is handled appropriately without you lifting a finger.

Tips for Getting It Right

• Fetch sample data before configuring Branch. The condition selector only shows data that was fetched from your trigger. If you do not see the condition you want, go back to the trigger step and fetch data again.
• Use Contains instead of Equals for text conditions. If a condition might include extra spaces, different capitalisation, or additional words alongside the value you want, Contains is more reliable than Equals.
• Test before publishing. Always use the Test Condition button to confirm your condition is behaving as expected with the sample data before publishing the workflow.
• You can leave one path empty. If you only need something to happen when the condition is true and nothing when it is false, simply leave the No path without any actions.
• Use AND for strict matching. If you need all conditions to be true before triggering the Yes path, use AND between your conditions.
• Use OR for flexible matching. If any one of several conditions is true, use OR.
• Branch works best after a trigger with rich data. The more data conditions your trigger provides, the more precisely you can control routing with Branch.

Need Help?

If you get stuck, our support team is happy to help.

Reach out at [email protected] or visit our support page. You can also browse more guides in the OttoKit Knowledge Base.