System Flows
System Flows are background automation flows that run silently when visitors view pages on your site. Unlike regular flows that show widgets like popups or bars, System Flows operate behind the scenes without any visible interface—no questions, offers, or messages appear to your visitors.
System Flows run automatically on page views and don't require a widget. They're perfect for silent tracking, scoring, and data updates.
Why use System Flows?
System Flows let you build always-on site logic that tracks visitor behavior and updates data without interrupting the user experience. They're lighter on performance since they don't render any UI elements, and they enable powerful background automation across your entire site.
Key benefits include:
Silent tracking — Monitor page views, increment counters, and track behavior patterns without visible widgets
Automatic scoring — Build scoring systems that update in real-time as visitors navigate your site
Background ESP sync — Tag subscribers and update fields in your email platform based on behavior
Cleaner visitor experience — Run logic without adding more popups or interruptions to your site
Site-wide automation — Set up rules that apply globally without configuring multiple widgets
What you can do with System Flows
System Flows support all the non-display actions available in regular flows. Common use cases include:
Page view tracking
Increment a variable every time someone visits your pricing page:
{{ variable.pricing_views | default: 0 | plus: 1 }}Use this data later to personalize messaging for visitors who've viewed pricing multiple times.
Behavior-based tagging
Automatically tag visitors in your ESP when they meet certain criteria. For example, add a "pricing-interested" tag if someone's pricing page view count exceeds 5.
Lead scoring
Build scoring models that update as visitors navigate. Award points for viewing key pages, spending time on your site, or returning multiple times—all without showing a single popup.
Conditional logic and data updates
Run conditions based on current page, visitor segments, or custom variables. Update fields, set cookies, or trigger integrations based on page-triggered rules.
System Flows work great with variables and global tracking. Combine them with conditional personalization to show different content based on the data they collect.
How System Flows differ from regular flows
The main difference is what visitors see—or don't see:
No widget required — Regular flows attach to widgets like Bars or Slideups. System Flows have no widget section at all.
No display nodes — You can't add questions, offers, messages, or any node that shows content to visitors. The flow builder will prevent you from adding these.
Simplified trigger — System Flows always trigger "When a page is viewed" and show a simplified root node with a bolt icon.
Background only — All actions happen silently. Visitors never know the flow is running.
Creating a System Flow
To create a System Flow, start by creating a new flow or editing an existing one. In your Flow settings, toggle on "System Flow." This removes the widget requirement and prevents you from adding user-visible nodes.
Once you enable System Flow mode, you can't add questions, offers, or messages. If your flow currently has display nodes, you'll need to remove them before toggling to System Flow.
From there, build your automation using non-display actions like updating variables, running code nodes, applying conditions, and syncing with your ESP. Associate the flow with specific pages or run it site-wide depending on your needs.