---
title: Use a flow without a trigger
description: Build an automation that only runs when you enrol people yourself, or one that an external system enrols through the API.
sidebar:
  order: 2
area: flows
feature: automations
appPath: /flows/home
lastVerified: 2026-10-22
version: "2026-10-16"
audience: admin
related:
  - flows/automations/manually-enroll-employees
  - flows/automations/enroll-from-a-spreadsheet
  - flows/automations/trigger-catalogue
intercom:
  - id: "11987518"
    title: Select the Right Trigger for your Flow (Pyn 2)
    url: https://intercom.help/pyn/en/articles/11987518-select-the-right-trigger-for-your-flow-pyn-2
    note: draws on
  - id: "12651319"
    title: Using Triggers in Pyn (Pyn 2)
    url: https://intercom.help/pyn/en/articles/12651319-using-triggers-in-pyn-pyn-2
    note: draws on
---

Not every sequence hangs off employee data. A training cohort, a one-off announcement with follow-ups, or a flow fed by another system all start better with **No trigger** or **Custom trigger** from the **Other** category.

## Before you start

- With **No trigger**, the only way in is **Manual Enroll**. The **Audience** and **Advanced** tabs are switched off because there is nothing for them to filter.
- **Custom trigger** marks the automation as fed by an external system. Enrollments arrive through the API or an integration that Pyn sets up with you; the editor shows "This automation is triggered by an external system. Employees are enrolled via API or integration."

## Steps

1. In Pyn, open **Flows** in the left navigation, then **Automations**, and select **Create New**.

2. Choose **Other** on the left, then **No trigger** ("Will not trigger automatically. Employees can be manually enrolled.") or **Custom trigger** ("Triggered by an external system via custom code or integration.").

3. The automation opens in **Manual** mode. On **Configure** the drawer confirms the choice; with No trigger it also offers a link to **configure a trigger for this flow** if you change your mind.

4. Add the steps, each scheduled relative to the reference date you will supply at enrollment time.

5. Select **Publish**. Leave the mode as **Manual**.

6. Select the mode button, then **Manual Enroll**, and follow [Manually enroll employees](https://support.pynhq.com/flows/automations/manually-enroll-employees/).

> **Tip:** Running the same programme every month? Keep one automation with No trigger and upload a fresh spreadsheet each time with that cohort's reference date. The messages are reused; only the people and the date change.

## What you should see

The trigger card reads **No Trigger** (or **Custom Trigger**). Nobody is enrolled until you run **Manual Enroll**, after which each person appears under [Enrollments](https://support.pynhq.com/activity/enrollments/) with the reference date you set.

## Related

- [Manually enroll employees](https://support.pynhq.com/flows/automations/manually-enroll-employees/) for search, paste and upload.
- [Enroll from a spreadsheet](https://support.pynhq.com/flows/automations/enroll-from-a-spreadsheet/) for per-row reference dates and custom tokens.
- [Trigger catalogue](https://support.pynhq.com/flows/automations/trigger-catalogue/) for the Other category.

## Related Intercom articles

- [Select the Right Trigger for your Flow (Pyn 2)](https://intercom.help/pyn/en/articles/11987518-select-the-right-trigger-for-your-flow-pyn-2) — draws on
- [Using Triggers in Pyn (Pyn 2)](https://intercom.help/pyn/en/articles/12651319-using-triggers-in-pyn-pyn-2) — draws on