One of the strengths of Tickler is that it doesn’t force every workflow into the same checklist shape. Instead, it gives teams three different list types - Ad-hoc, Saved, and Automatic - each designed for a specific way of working.
Understanding when to use each one helps teams adopt Tickler properly from day one and avoid over-engineering simple workflows.
Ad-hoc lists: for one-off, in-the-moment work
Ad-hoc lists are designed for tasks that are specific to a single ticket.
They’re ideal when:
The steps aren’t predictable
The work won’t be repeated
An agent just needs a quick way to track what they’re doing
Think of ad-hoc lists as a personal scratchpad that lives inside the ticket - useful, flexible, and lightweight.
They’re often the first list type teams start with, because there’s no setup required and they fit naturally into day-to-day ticket handling.
Saved lists: for repeatable team workflows
Saved lists are reusable templates. They’re best suited to processes your team follows regularly, where consistency matters.
Teams typically use saved lists for:
Standard response workflows
Common request types
Internal procedures everyone should follow the same way
Because saved lists can be shared, they help new agents get up to speed faster and reduce variation across the team.
If multiple agents are building the same ad-hoc list again and again, that’s usually a sign it should become a saved list.
Automatic lists: for workflows that must always happen
Automatic lists take things a step further. Instead of agents choosing a checklist, the checklist appears automatically when a ticket meets certain conditions.
They’re best for:
Compliance or QA processes
Multi-step operational workflows
Requests where missing a step has consequences
Tickets handled by multiple teams
Automatic lists remove guesswork entirely. The right checklist appears at the right time, and critical steps can even be enforced before a ticket is solved.
This is where Tickler really moves beyond basic checklist use and into workflow design.
How teams typically grow into Tickler
Many teams adopt Tickler in stages:
Start with ad-hoc lists for personal task tracking
Convert common patterns into saved lists
Introduce automatic lists for high-impact or high-risk workflows
There’s no need to use everything at once. Tickler is designed to grow with your processes, not force them.
Choosing the right list type
A simple way to think about it:
Is this a one-off task? = Ad-hoc
Do we do this often? = Saved
Must this always happen? = Automatic
Using the right list type keeps workflows clear, flexible, and easy for agents to adopt.
Learn more
For deeper detail on each list type and how they’re configured, see the Configuring & using lists section of the Tickler user guide.
Try Tickler for free
Whether you’re tracking a single task or enforcing a critical workflow, Tickler gives Zendesk teams the right level of structure - without getting in the way.
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