Workflows overview

A Workflow is an optional agent configuration that routes a customer message through explicit nodes and conditions. Use it when one general Agent prompt is not enough to make routing, Tool execution, or handoffs predictable.

Runtime model#

Every Workflow starts at one Start node and can move through Subagent, Tool, and End nodes. Edges decide the next node. Operade evaluates outgoing edges in authored order and uses the first match. The conversation stores its current node, so a later customer message can resume instead of restarting the graph.

When a conversation opens, Operade freezes the agent version and its Workflow configuration snapshot. Publishing a new draft affects new conversations; an existing conversation continues with the snapshot it started with.

When to use a Workflow#

Use Subagents for distinct responsibilities or resources, Tool nodes for required parallel actions, expressions for typed deterministic decisions, and End for explicit closure. Use ordinary Agent behavior when the model can handle the task without explicit routing, and use Procedures for reusable SOPs selected by triggers.

A Workflow is not a background job system. It advances only as part of conversation turns, and runtime transitions are bounded. External side effects still come from webhook Tools.

Draft and publish#

Select Workflow in Agent Studio and choose Enable workflow. The editor autosaves graph changes to the current branch draft. An incomplete graph can remain in a draft with readiness errors, but Publish, Test chat, and conversation creation require valid resources and executable configuration.

Start with canvas and nodes, then define edges and conditions. Runtime records appear under Activity in Conversation detail.