Core Concepts
Application
A container that holds one or more workflows. Think of it as a project folder. Applications let you organize related automations together and manage them as a unit. Example: An “Order Management” application might contain workflows for order confirmation, shipping updates, and returns processing.Workflow
A sequence of connected nodes that automates a process. Workflows start with a trigger and include actions and logic nodes that execute in order. Example: A workflow that starts when a customer submits a form, uses AI to categorize the request, and routes it to the appropriate team.Node
A single step in a workflow. Nodes are the building blocks you connect together. There are three types:- Triggers — Start the workflow
- Actions — Perform tasks
- Logic — Control the flow
Execution
A single run of a workflow. When a trigger fires, it creates an execution that moves through each node in sequence. You can view execution history to see what happened.Trigger Types
Start Trigger
The simplest trigger. Runs the workflow when you click the Run button manually. Good for testing or workflows you want to run on-demand.Scheduled Trigger
Runs the workflow on a time-based schedule. Can be set to hourly, daily, weekly, or custom intervals using cron expressions. Example: Run a report every Monday at 9 AM.App Trigger
Starts the workflow when something happens in a connected application. Requires an integration to be set up first. Example: When a new row is added to a Google Sheet, when an email arrives in Gmail.Webhook
Starts the workflow when an external system sends an HTTP request to a unique URL. Useful for connecting with systems that support webhooks. Example: When Stripe sends a payment notification, when a form service submits data.AI Trigger
Uses AI to monitor a condition and triggers when that condition is met. More flexible than rule-based triggers. Example: Trigger when an email appears urgent based on its content, not just keywords.Action Types
LLM
Sends a prompt to an AI model and returns the response. Use this for text generation, summarization, classification, or any task where you need AI intelligence.Integration Action
Performs an action in a connected application. Requires an integration to be set up. Example: Send an email via Gmail, create a row in Google Sheets, post a message to Slack.Execute Workflow
Runs another workflow you’ve built and returns its output to the calling workflow. Use it to compose workflows — build small, focused workflows and reuse them as building blocks.Execute Code
Runs custom JavaScript or Python code. For advanced users who need logic that isn’t available through standard nodes.HTTP Request
Makes a web request to any URL. Use this to integrate with APIs that don’t have a dedicated CogniAgent integration.Update Variable
Sets or updates a variable value that persists across the workflow execution or the entire application.Read File
Extracts content from uploaded files. Supports PDFs, documents, spreadsheets, and images.Logic Types
Condition
Branches the workflow based on a true/false condition. If the condition is true, one path executes. If false, another path executes. Example: If order total is greater than $100, apply free shipping. Otherwise, calculate shipping cost.Multi-Condition
Branches the workflow based on multiple conditions. Like a condition node but with more than two paths. Example: Route support tickets to different teams based on category: billing, technical, or general.Loop
Repeats a set of nodes for each item in a list. Useful for processing multiple records. Example: For each row in a spreadsheet, send a personalized email.Pause
Stops the workflow for a specified duration before continuing. Example: Wait 24 hours before sending a follow-up email.Wait and Combine
Waits for multiple parallel branches to complete before continuing. Used when you’ve split a workflow and need to merge the results.Cowork Concepts
Coworker
An AI colleague you hire, give a job to, and hand work to. Unlike a workflow, you give it a goal rather than a sequence of steps — it works out how to get there and adjusts as it goes. See AI coworkers that do the work. Example: A research coworker that answers “how do our three biggest competitors price?” with a cited brief.Task
One job given to a coworker. A task has its own conversation and its own files, and is private to whoever started it. See Managing your tasks.Capability
Something a coworker is allowed to do — search the web, run code, drive a browser, talk to people, use a connected app. Each is a switch you control. See What a coworker can do.Skill
A procedure written down once so a coworker follows it the same way every time. A capability is something it can do; a skill is knowing how and when to do it. See What skills are.Delegation
One coworker handing work to another, the way a team does. Off by default, and every handover waits for approval until you grant standing permission. See Working with coworkers.Permission rule
A standing decision about what a coworker may always do, must always ask about, or may never do. When more than one rule matches, the strictest wins. See Permission rules.Data Concepts
Variable
A named value that stores data during workflow execution. Variables can be set by nodes and referenced by other nodes. Types:- Runtime variables — Exist only during a single execution
- Application variables — Persist across executions
Variable Reference
The syntax for accessing data from other nodes:{{node_name.field_name}}
Example: {{ask_ai_1.response}} gets the response from an LLM node named “ask_ai_1”.