Workflow (automated process)
A sequence of steps and decisions that a system runs automatically to complete a task.
What is a workflow?
A workflow is a chain of steps and decisions that a system executes automatically to achieve a certain goal. It is built, for example, in n8n, Zapier, or Make and is the fundamental building block of low-code automation.
What a workflow is made of
- Trigger: The first step that starts the workflow (timer, webhook, new email)
- Steps (nodes): Individual actions - calling an API, transforming data, parsing, writing to a database
- Conditions and branching: If/else logic that decides what happens next
- Error handling: Retry logic, fallback paths, failure notifications
Typical workflows in AI automation
- Incoming email → data extraction via LLM → save to CRM → notification
- Website form → webhook → reply from a chatbot → email to the customer
- Scheduled website crawl → chunking → save to a vector database