How Workflows Work

A workflow is a set of steps that runs on its own when something happens, like when a form is submitted or another system sends a request.

Workflows workflows basics

What a workflow is

A workflow is a set of steps that runs on its own when something happens. Something starts it, like a button clicked on a form, a web request from another system, or a schedule. Then it works through its steps, like sending an email, checking a value, contacting another system, or assigning work to someone.

Each time a workflow starts, that's one run. A run keeps everything it has collected so far: the answers from the form that started it, the request another system sent, and what each step did. Later steps can use all of it.

You build workflows in Workflows in the sidebar. Only admins can build and change them.

Steps and ways out

Every step in a workflow has a type (what it does) and ways out (where the run goes next). A way out points to the next step. A step with no way out ends the run.

There are a few kinds of ways out:

Otherwise: Taken as soon as the step is done, if nothing more specific matched.
When: Taken if a condition is true, like "the temperature is above 5." These are checked in order, before Otherwise.
Button: Taken when someone clicks it, for steps that wait for a person.
After a length of time: Taken when the time is up, if nothing else happened first. See Wait.

On the canvas, a way out is a line from one step to the next. To connect them, drag from the small handle next to a way out onto the step it should lead to.

Where a run starts

The Starts when box on the left side of the canvas shows what starts the workflow: a form being submitted, or a web request. The line from it leads to the first step. See Start a workflow.

Drafts and publishing

Every change you make is saved as a draft. A draft never runs. When it's ready, click Publish. That creates a new version, and new runs use it. Runs that already started finish on the version they started with, so publishing never changes a run partway through.

You can't publish a workflow with problems that would leave a run stuck, like a way out that leads to a step that no longer exists, or a value box with {{ }} that Skidle can't read. The editor lists what's wrong.

Use values from earlier steps

Most boxes in a step can use values from the run instead of fixed text, like the email address someone typed, the order number another system sent, or the server response from a web request. Click Insert value next to a box to choose one. See Values and templates.

Available steps

If something isn't working, see Workflow troubleshooting.