> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.bitbybit.studio/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Use the prebuilt birthday automation template > Launch bitCRM's ready-made template to send an automatic birthday message or offer to every customer without building a trigger from scratch. Use this page to launch bitCRM's prebuilt birthday automation instead of building a Schedule trigger from scratch. ## Overview The **Automation** page includes a ready-made template, **"Send a special offer on a customer's birthday,"** in its **Explore templates** section. Using it opens the automation builder with a **Schedule** trigger and a **WhatsApp Cloud API** message step already connected — you only need to review each step and save. ## Before you start * Open [Automation](https://app.bitbybit.studio/bitcrm/automation-new). * Have a messaging channel connected (WhatsApp Cloud API, WhatsApp Business Coexistence, WhatsApp Business App, Instagram, or Facebook) if you want the message step ready to send right away. The template auto-selects a channel from whichever you have connected, in that priority order. ## Steps 1. Go to **Automation**. 2. In **Explore templates**, find the card titled **"Send a special offer on a customer's birthday."** Automation page, Explore templates section, with the "Send a special offer on a customer's birthday" template card highlighted. 3. Click **Use template**. The builder opens with two steps already placed and connected: a **Schedule** trigger (**Date-of-birth**) and a **WhatsApp Cloud API** action (**Send a message**). Automation builder opened from the birthday template, showing the connected Schedule (Date-of-birth) trigger node and WhatsApp Cloud API (Send a message) action node. 4. Click the **Schedule** node to review the pre-filled trigger: * **Send to:** All * **Repeat:** Yearly on birthday — fires once a year on each customer's date of birth * **Begin schedule on:** today's date * **Set send time:** 09:00 AM * **Advanced timing** and **Add an end date** are unchecked by default Trigger panel pre-filled from the birthday template, showing Send to: All, Repeat: Yearly on birthday, Begin schedule on, and Set send time. 5. Click **Save** to close the trigger, then click the **WhatsApp Cloud API** node to review the pre-filled action: * **Action:** Send a message * **Message template:** the field tries to auto-select an approved WhatsApp template whose name starts with `birthday_`, and shows a **Message preview** of that template's content * **Variable 1:** mapped to **Customer name** Action panel pre-filled from the birthday template, showing WhatsApp Cloud API selected, the birthday_ message template, its message preview, and Variable 1 mapped to Customer name. If you don't have an approved `birthday_` template yet, the **Message template** field won't auto-select one. Choose or create one from the same field — see [Choose a message template for WhatsApp API automation](/bitcrm/how-to-create-a-message-template-for-whatsapp-api-automation). 6. Click **Save**, then click **Save automation** in the top right of the builder. ## If no channel is connected If you use the template before connecting any messaging channel, the action step can't auto-select a channel and shows a warning until you connect one from **Integrations**. ## Customize the template * To send the message before or after the birthday instead of on the day, check **Advanced timing** and set the number of days, weeks, or months and the direction (before or after). * To limit which customers receive the message, change **Send to** from **All** to a specific customer segment. * To stop the automation after a certain date, check **Add an end date**. * If your connected channel is WhatsApp Business App, Instagram, or Facebook instead of WhatsApp Cloud API or Coexistence, the action step uses an editable free-text message instead of an approved template — edit it to add your discount code or offer. ## Related * [Set up Schedule triggers in automation](/bitcrm/how-to-set-up-schedule-triggers-in-automation) * [Choose a message template for WhatsApp API automation](/bitcrm/how-to-create-a-message-template-for-whatsapp-api-automation) * [Get started with automation in bitCRM](/bitcrm/how-to-create-an-automation) * [Add steps to an automation](/bitcrm/how-to-add-steps-to-an-automation) * [Edit, duplicate, or delete an automation](/bitcrm/how-to-edit-or-delete-an-automation)