Core concepts
This page defines the things you’ll meet across Flow, my.studio and the API, and links to where each is explained in full.
Automations and how they run
Section titled “Automations and how they run”Automation. A set of steps that runs when its trigger fires. You build automations in Flow. The API and some field labels call them workflows. Each automation has versions: you edit a Draft, and Publish makes it Live. Real runs use the live version. Tests use the draft. Create an automation · Test and publish
Trigger. What starts an automation: a person selecting run, a schedule or a webhook call. One automation can have several triggers. Set up triggers · Triggers reference
Step. One unit of work inside an automation: run code, branch on a condition, loop over a list, call a connector, ask an agent, wait for a person, or return a response. You add steps from the steps panel in the editor. The editor · Steps reference
Step output. What a step hands to the steps after it. Later steps read it with an expression such as {{step.FUNCTION_1.output.total}}, where FUNCTION_1 is the step’s name on the canvas. Passing data between steps
Expression. A value in {{ }} that Flow fills in while the automation runs, such as {{input.email}} for something the trigger received. Expressions reference
Run. One time an automation runs. Every run has a status: Queued, Running, Waiting (for a person), Paused, Finished, Failed, Cancelled or Terminated. You see runs in Flow under Logs. Runs and logs
Connecting to other systems
Section titled “Connecting to other systems”Connector. The definition of one outside system, such as Slack or Salesforce: where it lives and which operations it offers. Flow has a catalog of connectors under Setup › Connectors.
Connection. Your signed-in access to a connector, such as your team’s Slack workspace. A connector step uses a connection to act on your behalf. You manage connections under Connections in Flow, and people manage their own in my.studio. Connections
Agent. An AI assistant with instructions, tools and knowledge, which can answer questions and take actions. You build agents in the full Designer view, and an automation can use one through an AI Agent step. In my.studio, the agent people talk to is called the Assistant. Agents
Knowledge base. Content an agent can search to answer from your documents, sites and systems. In Flow the area is called Knowledge. Knowledge
Guardrail. A rule that checks what goes into and comes out of AI steps, and can block, warn or mask. In my.studio, your guardrail settings are on the Shield page. Guardrails
People
Section titled “People”Approval. A step that pauses a run until a person decides. On the web the buttons are Approve and Reject. In the mobile app they’re Approve and Decline. While it waits, the run’s status is Waiting. Approvals
Task. A piece of work assigned to a person. Approvals appear to people as tasks: in my.studio under Tasks, and on the phone under Needs you. Tasks and approvals in my.studio
Selling to your customers
Section titled “Selling to your customers”App. Connectors and automations packaged together so your customers can turn them on. You build apps under Distribute › Apps, and customers find them in the Marketplace or inside your product through Embed. Apps and customers
Customer. A company or person using your apps. Flow lists each customer with their own apps, connections, API keys and recent runs. Some screens call this a scope. Embed
Where things live
Section titled “Where things live”Organization. The company account you sign in to. Everything you build belongs to it.
Environment. A separate space inside your organization, such as production or staging. Connections and automations belong to one environment. You switch environments in the top bar in Flow. Environments