Page Actions let you interact with websites before Changeflow checks for changes. This is useful for pages that require you to log in, click buttons, fill in forms, or perform other actions to see the content you want to monitor.

When creating or editing a source, you'll find the Actions to perform on page field in the Advanced Settings section:

Actions to perform on page field

What Can You Do?

Simply describe what you want to happen in plain English. Changeflow will figure out how to do it. You don't need to know any technical details - just say what you want as naturally as you would tell a colleague.

Common Examples

Login & Authentication

The most common use of Page Actions is logging into websites to access protected content:

Login with [email protected] and password MyPassword123

Sign in as a job seeker with [email protected] password SecurePass

Login with [email protected] TestPass456, then go to https://app.asana.com/0/1234567890/board

Go to the login page, login with [email protected] MyPass789, then navigate to https://employers.indeed.com/candidates

Clicking Buttons

Many pages require you to click buttons to reveal content:

Click the "Show More" button

Click "Load More Results" then wait 3 seconds

Click "View All Products"

Click the menu button, then select "Reports"

Filling in Forms

You can fill in search boxes, filters, and other form fields:

Type "iPhone 15" into the search box and submit

Fill in "Boston" in the location field and click search

Select "United Kingdom" from the country dropdown

Enter "reports" in the search field and press enter

Scrolling

Some pages load content dynamically as you scroll:

Scroll to the bottom of the page

Scroll down and wait for content to load

Scroll to the "Pricing" section

Waiting

If content takes time to load, you can add waits:

Wait 5 seconds

Wait 3 seconds, then click "Load More"

Click the search button and wait 10 seconds for results

Complex Workflows

You can chain multiple actions together in one prompt:

Login with [email protected] password123, then go to My Account

Click the menu button, select "Reports", then filter by "Last 30 Days"

Type "London" in the city field, select "Full Time" from the job type dropdown, then click Search

Common Use Cases

Protected Content

Monitor content that requires authentication. This is perfect for internal dashboards, team wikis, customer portals, or any membership sites:

Login with [email protected] SecretPassword then go to https://app.hubspot.com/reports-dashboard/12345678

You can log in and then navigate directly to any specific URL within the site - this is often more reliable than clicking through menus.

Dynamic Content

Load content that only appears after clicking or scrolling. Many modern sites hide content behind "Load More" buttons or infinite scroll:

Click "Show More Results" then wait 2 seconds

Filtered Views

Monitor specific filtered results rather than everything on a page. This is useful for job boards, product catalogs, or search results:

Select "California" from the state dropdown and click Apply Filters

Search Results

Track search results for specific queries. Monitor competitors' product listings, job postings for specific roles, or news about particular topics:

Type "remote javascript jobs" in the search box and submit

Form Submissions

Monitor content that appears after submitting forms, like price calculators or quote generators:

Select "Enterprise" from the plan dropdown, enter "50" in the team size field, then click "Calculate Price"

Tips for Writing Actions

Be Specific

Instead of just saying "login", provide the full credentials:

Be Natural

Write like you're telling a person what to do. You don't need special syntax or technical language:

  • 👎 Click CSS selector #submit-button
  • 👍 Click the "Submit" button

Include Waits When Needed

If content takes time to load after an action, add a wait:

  • 👎 Click "Load More" (might not wait for content)
  • 👍 Click "Load More" then wait 3 seconds (gives content time to load)

Chain Actions Together

You can describe multiple steps in one prompt. Changeflow will execute them in order:

Accept cookies, login with [email protected] pass123, navigate to the Reports page, select "Last 30 days" from the date filter

Use Visible Text

Refer to buttons and links by their visible text rather than technical identifiers:

  • 👎 Click the login-btn-primary element
  • 👍 Click the "Sign In" button

How It Works

When you add Page Actions to a source:

  1. Analysis: Changeflow analyzes the page and identifies all buttons, links, form fields, and other interactive elements
  2. Code Generation: It generates automation code to perform your requested actions
  3. Execution: Before each check, it runs these actions automatically on the page
  4. Capture: After the actions complete, it captures the page content and checks for changes

This all happens automatically - you just provide the plain English instructions and Changeflow handles the rest.

Important Notes

Actions Run Every Time

Page Actions are performed each time Changeflow checks your source. If you've set the source to check hourly, the actions will run every hour.

Error Handling

If an action fails (for example, a button isn't found or credentials are incorrect), you'll see an error in the source details. The source will show an error status and you can adjust your actions accordingly.

Time Considerations

Complex actions may increase the time it takes to check your source. Simple actions like clicking a button take seconds, but multi-step workflows with waits can take 30 seconds or more.

Security

Your action prompts (including any passwords) are encrypted at rest and never shared. However, we strongly recommend using dedicated test or monitoring accounts rather than your personal or production credentials. Many services allow you to create read-only or limited-access accounts specifically for monitoring purposes - this is the safest approach.

Automatic Handling

Changeflow automatically handles many common page annoyances without you needing to specify them in your actions:

  • Cookie consent banners are accepted automatically (GDPR notices, cookie policies, etc.)
  • Pop-ups and modal overlays are dismissed automatically (newsletter signups, promotional overlays, etc.)
  • Advertisement content is blocked by default to focus on actual page content
  • Accordion widgets (collapsible sections with +/- icons) are expanded automatically so content is visible

You only need to add actions for interactions specific to accessing your content - like logging in, applying filters, clicking "Load More" buttons, or navigating to specific pages. Don't worry about telling Changeflow to dismiss cookie notices, close pop-ups, or expand accordions - it already handles those common obstacles.

Troubleshooting

If your actions aren't working as expected:

Simplify your actions: Break complex flows into smaller steps. Instead of one long prompt with 10 steps, try splitting it into 3-4 simpler actions to see where it fails.

Check button and field names: Make sure the text you're using matches exactly what appears on the page. Button text is case-sensitive.

Verify credentials: If you're logging in, double-check that the username and password are correct.

Add more waits: Some pages take time to load content. Try adding "wait 5 seconds" after actions that trigger loading.

Check the error message: Look at the source details page for specific error messages that explain what went wrong.

Real-World Examples

Enterprise dashboard monitoring:

Login with [email protected] EnterprisePass123, navigate to the Analytics page, select "Last 7 Days" from the date range dropdown

Job board with location filter:

Type "Software Engineer" in the job title field, select "Remote" from the location dropdown, then click Search

Competitor pricing with region selection:

Select "United States" from the country dropdown, select "Enterprise" plan, enter "100" in team size field, then click "Calculate"

News site category:

Click "Technology" in the navigation menu, scroll down to load more articles

Protected competitor intelligence:

Login with [email protected] ResearchPass456, go to the Competitors section, select "Q4 2024" from the period dropdown

Direct navigation to specific page after login:

Login with [email protected] WatchPass321, then go to https://app.monday.com/boards/987654321

Advanced Patterns

Multi-Page Workflows

You can navigate across multiple pages:

Login with [email protected] pass123, click "Reports" in the navigation, then click "View Full Report" in the Finance section

Sequential Navigation

You can navigate across sections and pages in sequence:

Click "Products" in the navigation menu, then filter by "Enterprise Solutions"

Form Auto-Complete

Changeflow handles multi-step forms automatically:

Enter [email protected] in the email field, click Continue, enter password SecurePass123, then click Sign In

Getting Help

If you're having trouble getting actions to work, our support team can help. When contacting support, include:

  • The URL you're trying to monitor
  • The actions prompt you're using
  • The error message you're seeing (if any)

We can review your source and suggest adjustments to make the actions work correctly.

Conclusion

Page Actions unlock monitoring for the modern web - sites that require interaction, authentication, or dynamic loading. By simply describing what you want in plain English, you can monitor almost any page, no matter how complex the access workflow.

Start simple with basic actions like "Click the Load More button" and build up to more complex workflows as you get comfortable. Remember: you can always adjust and refine your actions based on what works.