Switched from automated emails table to welcome email automation tables (#27185)

towards https://linear.app/ghost/issue/NY-1188
ref #27183
ref #27184

Previous patches added new dormant tables and models. This change
actually uses them.

More specifically, this does a database migration to move
`automated_emails` to `welcome_email_automations` and
`welcome_email_automated_emails`. Then, it updates all relevant code to
use those new tables.

The old model is deleted, but the tables are not. (That's forthcoming.)

Author: EvanHahn

ghost/core/core/server/api/endpoints/automated-emails.js

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+const _ = require('lodash');
 const tpl = require('@tryghost/tpl');
 const errors = require('@tryghost/errors');
 const models = require('../../models');
@@ -7,6 +8,32 @@ const messages = {
     automatedEmailNotFound: 'Automated email not found.'
 };
 
+// NOTE: This file is in a transitionary state. The `automated_emails` database table was split into
+// `welcome_email_automations` (automation metadata: status, name, slug) and
+// `welcome_email_automated_emails` (email content: subject, lexical, sender fields). This controller
+// acts as a facade that joins/splits data between those two models while preserving the original
+// `automated_emails` API shape externally.
+const AUTOMATION_FIELDS = ['status', 'name', 'slug'];
+const EMAIL_FIELDS = ['subject', 'lexical', 'sender_name', 'sender_email', 'sender_reply_to', 'email_design_setting_id'];
+
+function flattenAutomation(automation, email = automation.related('welcomeEmailAutomatedEmail')) {
+    const result = {
+        id: automation.id,
+        status: automation.get('status'),
+        name: automation.get('name'),
+        slug: automation.get('slug'),
+        subject: email.get('subject'),
+        lexical: email.get('lexical'),
+        sender_name: email.get('sender_name'),
+        sender_email: email.get('sender_email'),
+        sender_reply_to: email.get('sender_reply_to'),
+        email_design_setting_id: email.get('email_design_setting_id'),
+        created_at: automation.get('created_at'),
+        updated_at: automation.get('updated_at')
+    };
+    return result;
+}
+
 /** @type {import('@tryghost/api-framework').Controller} */
 const controller = {
     docName: 'automated_emails',
@@ -23,8 +50,15 @@ const controller = {
             'page'
         ],
         permissions: true,
-        query(frame) {
-            return models.AutomatedEmail.findPage(frame.options);
+        async query(frame) {
+            const result = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomation.findPage({
+                ...frame.options,
+                withRelated: ['welcomeEmailAutomatedEmail']
+            });
+            return {
+                ...result,
+                data: result.data.map(automation => flattenAutomation(automation))
+            };
         }
     },
 
@@ -41,14 +75,17 @@ const controller = {
         ],
         permissions: true,
         async query(frame) {
-            const model = await models.AutomatedEmail.findOne(frame.data, frame.options);
+            const model = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomation.findOne(frame.data, {
+                ...frame.options,
+                withRelated: ['welcomeEmailAutomatedEmail']
+            });
             if (!model) {
                 throw new errors.NotFoundError({
                     message: tpl(messages.automatedEmailNotFound)
                 });
             }
 
-            return model;
+            return flattenAutomation(model);
         }
     },
 
@@ -60,7 +97,22 @@ const controller = {
         permissions: true,
         async query(frame) {
             const data = frame.data.automated_emails[0];
-            return models.AutomatedEmail.add(data, frame.options);
+
+            const emailData = _.pick(data, EMAIL_FIELDS);
+            const automationData = _.pick(data, AUTOMATION_FIELDS);
+
+            return models.Base.transaction(async (transacting) => {
+                const automation = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomation.add(automationData, {...frame.options, transacting});
+                const email = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomatedEmail.add(
+                    {
+                        ...emailData,
+                        welcome_email_automation_id: automation.id,
+                        delay_days: 0
+                    },
+                    {...frame.options, transacting}
+                );
+                return flattenAutomation(automation, email);
+            });
         }
     },
 
@@ -79,16 +131,42 @@ const controller = {
             }
         },
         permissions: true,
+        // eslint-disable-next-line ghost/ghost-custom/max-api-complexity
         async query(frame) {
             const data = frame.data.automated_emails[0];
-            const model = await models.AutomatedEmail.edit(data, frame.options);
-            if (!model) {
-                throw new errors.NotFoundError({
-                    message: tpl(messages.automatedEmailNotFound)
+
+            const emailData = _.pick(data, EMAIL_FIELDS);
+            const automationData = _.pick(data, AUTOMATION_FIELDS);
+
+            return models.Base.transaction(async (transacting) => {
+                let automation = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomation.findOne({id: frame.options.id}, {
+                    transacting,
+                    withRelated: ['welcomeEmailAutomatedEmail']
                 });
-            }
+                if (!automation) {
+                    throw new errors.NotFoundError({
+                        message: tpl(messages.automatedEmailNotFound)
+                    });
+                }
+                let email = automation.related('welcomeEmailAutomatedEmail');
+
+                if (Object.keys(emailData).length > 0) {
+                    email = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomatedEmail.edit(emailData, {
+                        ...frame.options,
+                        transacting,
+                        id: email.id
+                    });
+                }
+
+                if (Object.keys(automationData).length > 0) {
+                    automation = await models.WelcomeEmailAutomation.edit(automationData, {
+                        ...frame.options,
+                        transacting
+                    });
+                }
 
-            return model;
+                return flattenAutomation(automation, email);
+            });
         }
     },
 
@@ -102,12 +180,15 @@ const controller = {
         async query(frame) {
             memberWelcomeEmailService.init();
             const data = frame.data;
-
-            return memberWelcomeEmailService.api.editSharedSenderOptions({
+            const result = await memberWelcomeEmailService.api.editSharedSenderOptions({
                 sender_name: data.sender_name,
                 sender_email: data.sender_email,
                 sender_reply_to: data.sender_reply_to
             });
+            return {
+                ...result,
+                data: result.data.map(automation => flattenAutomation(automation))
+            };
         }
     },
 
@@ -123,7 +204,11 @@ const controller = {
         ],
         async query(frame) {
             memberWelcomeEmailService.init();
-            return memberWelcomeEmailService.api.verifySenderPropertyUpdate(frame.data.token);
+            const result = await memberWelcomeEmailService.api.verifySenderPropertyUpdate(frame.data.token);
+            return {
+                ...result,
+                data: result.data.map(automation => flattenAutomation(automation))
+            };
         }
     },
     sendTestEmail: {

ghost/core/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.27/2026-04-06-15-55-20-split-automated-emails-into-welcome-email-tables.js

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
+const {createTransactionalMigration} = require('../../utils');
+const ObjectId = require('bson-objectid').default;
+
+module.exports = createTransactionalMigration(
+    async function up(knex) {
+        // The welcome_email_automations and welcome_email_automated_emails tables
+        // already exist from a prior dormant migration. This migration copies data
+        // from the old automated_emails table into them.
+
+        const oldTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('automated_emails');
+        if (!oldTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping data migration - automated_emails table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const rows = await knex('automated_emails').select('*');
+        logging.info(`Migrating ${rows.length} rows from automated_emails to new tables`);
+
+        // Only 2 rows exist (free + paid welcome emails), so sequential iteration is fine
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
+        for (const row of rows) {
+            // Check if already migrated (idempotency) by looking for a matching slug
+            const existingAutomation = await knex('welcome_email_automations').where('slug', row.slug).first();
+            if (existingAutomation) {
+                logging.warn(`Skipping row for slug ${row.slug} - already migrated`);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            const automationId = ObjectId().toHexString();
+
+            // Insert automation first (emails reference automations via FK)
+            await knex('welcome_email_automations').insert({
+                id: automationId,
+                status: row.status,
+                name: row.name,
+                slug: row.slug,
+                created_at: row.created_at,
+                updated_at: row.updated_at
+            });
+
+            // Reuse the original automated_email id so the existing
+            // automated_email_recipients rows continue to reference the same id
+            await knex('welcome_email_automated_emails').insert({
+                id: row.id,
+                welcome_email_automation_id: automationId,
+                delay_days: 0,
+                subject: row.subject,
+                lexical: row.lexical,
+                sender_name: row.sender_name,
+                sender_email: row.sender_email,
+                sender_reply_to: row.sender_reply_to,
+                email_design_setting_id: row.email_design_setting_id,
+                created_at: row.created_at,
+                updated_at: row.updated_at
+            });
+        }
+    },
+
+    async function down(knex) {
+        // Remove migrated data from new tables
+        logging.info('Removing migrated data from new tables');
+        await knex('welcome_email_automated_emails').del();
+        await knex('welcome_email_automations').del();
+    }
+);

ghost/core/core/server/data/migrations/versions/6.27/2026-04-07-15-10-32-update-automated-email-recipients-foreign-key.js

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+const logging = require('@tryghost/logging');
+const {commands} = require('../../../schema');
+const {createTransactionalMigration} = require('../../utils');
+
+module.exports = createTransactionalMigration(
+    async function up(knex) {
+        const recipientsTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('automated_email_recipients');
+        if (!recipientsTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key migration - automated_email_recipients table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const oldTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('automated_emails');
+        if (!oldTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key migration - automated_emails table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const newTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('welcome_email_automated_emails');
+        if (!newTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key migration - welcome_email_automated_emails table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        logging.info('Updating foreign key on automated_email_recipients');
+        await commands.dropForeign({
+            fromTable: 'automated_email_recipients',
+            fromColumn: 'automated_email_id',
+            toTable: 'automated_emails',
+            toColumn: 'id',
+            transaction: knex
+        });
+
+        await commands.addForeign({
+            fromTable: 'automated_email_recipients',
+            fromColumn: 'automated_email_id',
+            toTable: 'welcome_email_automated_emails',
+            toColumn: 'id',
+            transaction: knex
+        });
+    },
+
+    async function down(knex) {
+        const recipientsTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('automated_email_recipients');
+        if (!recipientsTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key rollback - automated_email_recipients table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const oldTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('automated_emails');
+        if (!oldTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key rollback - automated_emails table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const newTableExists = await knex.schema.hasTable('welcome_email_automated_emails');
+        if (!newTableExists) {
+            logging.warn('Skipping foreign key rollback - welcome_email_automated_emails table does not exist');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        logging.info('Restoring foreign key on automated_email_recipients');
+        await commands.dropForeign({
+            fromTable: 'automated_email_recipients',
+            fromColumn: 'automated_email_id',
+            toTable: 'welcome_email_automated_emails',
+            toColumn: 'id',
+            transaction: knex
+        });
+
+        await commands.addForeign({
+            fromTable: 'automated_email_recipients',
+            fromColumn: 'automated_email_id',
+            toTable: 'automated_emails',
+            toColumn: 'id',
+            transaction: knex
+        });
+    }
+);

ghost/core/core/server/data/schema/schema.js

@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ module.exports = {
     },
     automated_email_recipients: {
         id: {type: 'string', maxlength: 24, nullable: false, primary: true},
-        automated_email_id: {type: 'string', maxlength: 24, nullable: false, references: 'automated_emails.id'},
+        automated_email_id: {type: 'string', maxlength: 24, nullable: false, references: 'welcome_email_automated_emails.id'},
         member_id: {type: 'string', maxlength: 24, nullable: false, index: true},
         member_uuid: {type: 'string', maxlength: 36, nullable: false},
         member_email: {type: 'string', maxlength: 191, nullable: false},

ghost/core/core/server/models/automated-email-recipient.js

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const AutomatedEmailRecipient = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
     hasTimestamps: true,
 
     automatedEmail() {
-        return this.belongsTo('AutomatedEmail', 'automated_email_id');
+        return this.belongsTo('WelcomeEmailAutomatedEmail', 'automated_email_id');
     },
     member() {
         return this.belongsTo('Member', 'member_id');