Automation

Workflows are the backbone of automation in Workbird. They allow you to create complex automation sequences that can be triggered by events, from browser extension, scheduled to run at specific times, or executed manually.

What are Workflows?

A workflow is a series of connected steps that automate business processes. Each workflow consists of:

Triggers: Events that start the workflow execution
Actions: Tasks performed during workflow execution
Conditions: Logic that determines workflow flow
System Actions: Built-in utilities for data manipulation

Workflow Components

Triggers

Triggers are the starting point of every workflow:

Browser Extension Triggers

Trigger workflows directly from a browser action or page event
Useful for capturing context or user actions while browsing
Automate task from the browser
Enables quick automation without leaving the browser

Integration Triggers

Initiate workflows from connected third-party applications
Support SaaS apps like Slack, CRM, marketing platforms, and more
React to events (e.g., new message, record update, form submission) without custom webhooks

Webhook Triggers

Receive HTTP requests from external systems
Support various authentication methods (API keys, signatures, OAuth)
Process JSON, form data, and other content types
Provide request data to subsequent workflow steps

Schedule Triggers

Execute workflows at specific times
Support one-time and recurring schedules
Use cron expressions for complex scheduling
Timezone-aware execution

Actions

Actions perform the actual work in your workflows:

App Actions

Connect to third-party applications
Send emails, create records, update data
Support 100+ popular business applications
Use OAuth, API keys, and other auth methods

System Actions

Built-in utilities for common tasks
Data transformation and manipulation
HTTP requests and API calls
File operations and processing

AI Agent Actions

Execute intelligent automation tasks
Process natural language instructions
Make context-aware decisions
Integrate with external tools and services

Conditions

Conditions add logic and branching to workflows:

IF/THEN Logic

if (condition) {
  // Execute yes path
} else {
  // Execute no path
}

Multiple Conditions

System Actions

Built-in utilities for common workflow needs:

Delay Actions

Pause workflow execution for specified time
Support seconds, minutes, hours, days
Schedule future execution times
Implement rate limiting and throttling

Loop Actions

Iterate over arrays and collections
Process multiple items in sequence
Implement batch operations
Handle dynamic data sets

Transform Actions

Modify data structure and format
Convert between data types
Apply business logic transformations
Prepare data for subsequent steps

Workflow Builder

Visual Interface

The workflow builder provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating automations:

Canvas: Visual representation of workflow steps
Step Library: Catalog of available triggers and actions
Property Panel: Configure individual step settings
Test Panel: Execute and debug workflows

Data Mapping

Connect data between workflow steps:

// Reference data from previous steps
{
  "email": "{{ trigger.email }}",
  "name": "{{ 1.customer_name }}",
  "total": "{{ 2.calculated_total }}"
}

Error Handling

Configure how workflows handle errors:

Retry Logic: Automatically retry failed steps
Timeout Settings: Set maximum execution time
Error Notifications: Alert on workflow failures
Fallback Actions: Execute alternative steps on errors

Workflow Types

Event-Driven Workflows

Respond to external events in real-time:

Webhook Trigger → Data Validation → CRM Update → Email Notification

Use Cases:

Lead processing from website forms
Order fulfillment automation
Customer support ticket routing
Real-time data synchronization

Scheduled Workflows

Execute tasks on a regular schedule:

Schedule Trigger → Data Extraction → Analysis → Report Generation → Email Delivery

Use Cases:

Daily report generation
Weekly data backups
Monthly invoice processing
Quarterly performance reviews

Human-in-the-Loop Workflows

Combine automation with human decision-making:

Trigger → AI Analysis → Human Review → Approval/Rejection → Action Execution

Use Cases:

Content approval workflows
Expense report processing
Customer escalation handling
Quality assurance processes

Workflow Lifecycle

Development

Design: Plan workflow logic and data flow
Build: Create workflow in visual builder
Configure: Set up triggers, actions, and conditions
Test: Execute with sample data and verify results

Deployment

Publish: Make workflow live and ready for execution
Monitor: Track execution metrics and performance
Maintain: Update and optimize workflow over time
Version Control: Manage workflow changes and rollbacks

Advanced Features

Parallel Execution

Execute multiple actions simultaneously:

// Parallel branches
Branch 1: Create CRM Record
Branch 2: Send Welcome Email  
Branch 3: Add to Mailing List
// Merge results and continue

Conditional Routing

Route data through different paths based on conditions:

switch (trigger.customer_type) {
  case "enterprise":
    // Enterprise customer flow
    break;
  case "small_business":
    // Small business flow
    break;
  default:
    // Default customer flow
}

Workflow Templates

Create reusable workflow templates:

Library Templates: Pre-built workflows for common use cases
Custom Templates: Save your workflows as templates
Template Sharing: Share templates with team members
Template Marketplace: Public template repository (coming soon)

Best Practices

Design Principles

Single Responsibility: Each workflow should have one clear purpose
Modularity: Break complex workflows into smaller components
Idempotency: Ensure workflows can be safely re-executed
Documentation: Document workflow purpose and logic

Error Handling

Graceful Degradation: Handle errors without breaking the entire workflow
Retry Logic: Implement intelligent retry strategies
Logging: Capture detailed error information
Notifications: Alert appropriate stakeholders of failures

Security

Input Validation: Validate all external inputs
Authentication: Secure webhook endpoints
Authorization: Implement proper access controls
Data Protection: Handle sensitive data appropriately

Common Patterns

Data Synchronization

Keep data in sync between systems:

Source System → Extract Data → Transform → Load to Target → Verify

Event Processing

Process and route events to appropriate handlers:

Event Trigger → Event Classification → Route to Handler → Process → Notify

Approval Workflows

Implement approval processes:

Request → Validation → Approval Request → Decision → Action → Notification

ETL Workflows

Extract, Transform, and Load data:

Extract → Clean → Transform → Validate → Load → Verify

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Workflow Not Triggering

Check trigger configuration
Verify webhook URLs and authentication
Confirm workflow is published and active

Step Execution Failures

Review step configuration and data mapping
Check external service credentials
Verify API endpoints and permissions

Performance Issues

Analyze execution times and bottlenecks
Optimize data flow and API calls
Consider parallel execution patterns

Data Flow Problems

Validate data mapping between steps
Check data types and formats
Review error logs for specific issues

Debugging Tools

Execution Logs: Detailed step-by-step execution logs
Test Mode: Execute workflows with sample data
Step Debugging: Debug individual workflow steps
Performance Profiler: Analyze workflow performance

Next Steps

Advanced Workflow Features - Learn complex patterns
Workflow Templates - Use and create templates
Performance Optimization - Optimize workflow performance
Integration Patterns - Common integration scenarios

For specific workflow examples, see our Workflow Cookbook.

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Last updated 11 days ago