---
title: Sequences | Lightfield
description: Enroll contacts in multi-step email and LinkedIn outreach that Lightfield sends on a schedule, stopping when they reply.
---

A sequence is multi-step outreach to one contact at a time. You enroll a contact, Lightfield sends them a series of emails and LinkedIn messages over days or weeks, and stops as soon as they reply.

You describe the outreach in chat and the agent builds it: the audience, the value proposition, the steps and who sends. You can also edit it directly on the sequence’s page.

## Who can use it

Sequences are on Pro, Growth and Enterprise. Owners, admins and members can build and run sequences, and enroll contacts through chat or the API. Viewers don’t see **Sequences**.

LinkedIn steps are on Growth and Enterprise. On Pro, sequences send email only (see [LinkedIn steps](/help/sequences/linkedin-steps/index.md)).

On Starter, you can still email contacts one by one from your connected inbox, and Lightfield logs every message and reply. To get sequences, an admin changes the plan in [Settings → Billing](https://crm.lightfield.app/crm/settings/billing), or you contact Lightfield.

Earlier plans can differ. [Check your workspace’s available features](/help/missing-feature/index.md).

## How a sequence runs

1. **Build** it with the agent in chat, on the sequence’s page, or both.
2. **Test run** it against one contact. Messages are written as drafts and nothing is sent.
3. **Create** it to publish. The first publish leaves the sequence paused.
4. **Enroll** contacts by asking the agent or through the API. Each contact moves through the steps on their own schedule.
5. **Activate** it to start sending.
6. **A reply stops outreach.** A reply from a person ends the contact’s enrollment in every live sequence. An out-of-office pauses them. They resume on the return date if the reply gives one; otherwise, someone must resume them.

[Build a sequence](/help/sequences/build-a-sequence/index.md) walks through each stage. Find the **Sequences** page under **Demand** in the sidebar.

Before you send, set up who sends in [Settings → Sequences](/help/settings/sequences/index.md), and check the daily [sending limits](/help/sequences/sending-limits/index.md).

## Track a sequence

Once published, a sequence’s page shows contacts enrolled, sends, opens, replies and bounces, with open, reply and bounce rates. The tabs break that down:

- **Enrollments**: every contact in the sequence and their status, such as **Active**, **Paused**, **Needs attention**, **Completed**, **Cancelled** or **Undeliverable**. Filter by status to find who needs you.
- **Replies**: the contacts who answered.
- **Test runs**: the drafts from each test run.

**Needs attention** means one contact is paused on a step until someone acts. [Replies and troubleshooting](/help/sequences/replies-and-troubleshooting/index.md) explains each reason, what each final status means, and how replies are handled.

## Sequence or automation

Use a sequence for timed, multi-step outreach to a person. Use an [automation](/help/automations/index.md) for a process that runs on a schedule or when something changes in your CRM.

|                     | Sequence                                                   | Automation                                            |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Starts when         | You enroll a contact                                       | A trigger fires (schedule, record change, webhook)    |
| Unit of work        | One enrollment per contact                                 | One run per trigger                                   |
| Email               | Sends, or waits in [For review](/help/for-review/index.md) | Drafts for review, unless you grant automatic sending |
| Changes you publish | Apply to enrolled contacts at their next step              | Runs already going keep the version they started with |

A sequence has no event trigger. Its timing comes from the waits between steps and its send window. To act when a contact replies, build an automation with the **When a contact replies to a sequence** trigger (see [Build an automation](/help/automations/build-an-automation/#sequence-reply/index.md)).

## Use the API

Use the API to create a sequence, edit and publish its draft, activate it, enroll contacts, and read enrollments, messages and performance. Start with [Sequences through the API](/using-the-api/sequences/index.md) for prerequisites and the draft-to-active lifecycle, then use the [Sequence API reference](/api/resources/sequence/index.md) for endpoint schemas.

## Common questions

**Does a sequence start sending when I publish it?** No. The first publish leaves it paused. Enroll contacts, then click **Activate**.

**Can I review sequence messages before they send?** Yes. Steps set to **Review manually**, the default, wait in [For review](/help/for-review/index.md) until someone approves them.

**Can I build a sequence without the agent?** Partly. You can edit steps, senders and the send window on the sequence’s page, but you start a new sequence in chat and enroll contacts in chat or over the API.

**Where do I see how a sequence is performing?** On the sequence’s page. It shows sends, opens, replies and bounces, and the **Replies** tab lists who answered.