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A workflow is one automation: a trigger, and the steps that run after it, drawn on a canvas. You’ll find all of them under Workflows in the left sidebar.

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What’s inside a workflow

Each workflow keeps everything it needs in one place:

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When to create a new workflow

Create one workflow per process. Keep steps together when they are part of the same job and share data. Split them when they run independently:
  • Ticket routing — Classify new tickets and assign them to a team
  • Order confirmation — Email the customer when an order is placed
  • Lead capture — Add new form submissions to the CRM
Each one starts from a different trigger and does a different job.
  • Order confirmation email
  • Shipping notification
  • Delivery confirmation
  • Review request
These are steps in the same customer journey and share the same order data.
Need the same steps in several workflows? Build them once as their own workflow and call it with the Execute Workflow node.

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Creating a workflow

1

Open Workflows

Log in to CogniAgent and click Workflows in the left sidebar.
2

Click + Workflow

Click + Workflow in the toolbar. On an empty list, click Start from scratch instead — or Describe what you want to automate to have it built for you.
3

Name your workflow

In the Add Workflow dialog, choose a descriptive name that reflects what the automation does, then click Add workflow.Good names:
  • “Customer Support Triage”
  • “E-commerce Order Confirmation”
  • “Lead Qualification”
Avoid:
  • “Test”
  • “New Workflow”
  • “Untitled”
4

Start building

The workflow opens on the Create New Workflow screen. Pick a template, a trigger, or an action to add your first node.
A workflow can also come from Cowork. Make repeatable on a completed dynamic workflow run creates one with a Start trigger and a step that asks the coworker that ran it to run the saved dynamic workflow.

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Workflow variables

Variables store data that nodes can read and write. Two types:

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Runtime variables

Exist only during a single run. Use these for temporary data. Example: Store the result of an AI classification to use in a condition node later in the same run.

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Workflow variables

Persist across runs. They are provisioned once and shared by every execution of the workflow. Use these for data that needs to survive between runs. Example: Track how many support tickets were processed today, or store the last sync timestamp for an integration.

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Setting variables

You can set variables in two ways:
  1. Update Variable node — Set a value while the workflow runs
  2. The Run dialog — Set initial values before a run

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Referencing variables

Use the syntax {{variable_name}} to reference variables in node configurations.

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Managing workflows

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Viewing execution history

Every run is logged. The execution history shows:
  • Status — Completed, Failed, Running, or Waiting
  • Start time — When the execution began
  • Duration — How long it took
  • Trigger — What started the run
  • Node details — What each node did, including inputs and outputs
Use execution history to debug issues. Click on any execution to see exactly what happened at each step.

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Workflow states

The status badge on each workflow shows one of: Start or stop a workflow with Start / Stop in its row menu on the Workflows list.

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Duplicating workflows

Need a similar automation? Choose Duplicate from the workflow’s row menu instead of starting from scratch. Its nodes, variables, and settings are copied.

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Deleting workflows

Deleting a workflow removes its nodes, variables, and execution history permanently. This cannot be undone.

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Best practices

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Naming conventions

Use consistent naming across your workflows:
  • Workflows — Describe the specific automation (e.g., “Process New Invoice”)
  • Nodes — Describe the step (e.g., “Classify Ticket”)
  • Variables — Use clear, descriptive names (e.g., last_sync_timestamp not lst)

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Keep workflows focused

Each workflow should do one thing well. If a workflow is getting too complex:
  • Split it into several smaller workflows
  • Use the “Execute Workflow” action to coordinate between them

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Document your automations

Add descriptions to:
  • Workflows — What business problem does this solve? What triggers it?
  • Complex nodes — Why is this configured this way?
Future you (or your teammates) will appreciate it.

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Next steps

Define Your Workflow

Learn how to add and connect nodes on the canvas

Create Your First Workflow

Step-by-step guide to getting started