3️⃣ Workflow Builder — Create, manage and apply workflows in ITONICS

1. Manage workflows (workflow list)
2. Creating a workflow (workflow builder)
   
   1. The canvas
   2. Start triggers
   3. Set up manual nodes
   4. Set up routing nodes
   5. Set up automation nodes
   6. Add a note
   7. Saving and publishing workflow modifications
   8. Tips & tricks
3. Working with the workflow on an element
   
   1. Activities log

Manage workflows (workflow list)

All workflow configured in a workspace appear in one sortable workflows list, reached from the main navigation of the workspace. From here, you can create, edit, duplicate, delete, and sort workflows to keep your workflow library organized.

• Navigate to the Workflows item in the navigation, and click to open it
• You’ll land on the workflows list, where all workflows are shown in a sortable table.

Each row in the list represents a single workflow and includes the following information:

For each workflow in the list, you can:

• Open and edit (1) the workflow by clicking on the workflow name
• Delete (2) a workflow (hover over the respective row and click on the three dots)
• Duplicate (3) a workflow (hover over the respective row and click on the three dots)
• Sort (4) the list ascending or descending using the dropdown above the table (Creation Date, Last Published, Number of Elements, Name)
• Create (5) a new workflow

Who can access the Workflow configuration

Only users with admin permissions in the workspace can access the workflow configuration. These users can create, edit, and publish workflows for all supported element types.

Creating a workflow (workflow builder)

The workflow builder enables you to define and manage standardized workflows for your elements (e.g., Trends, Ideas, Projects), and automate certain parts. It provides a whiteboarding interface to design custom workflows composed of a sequence of nodes holding concrete actions points of review and validation, and options to route the workflow in different paths.

✨ Create a new workflow

• From the workflow list, click "Create workflow"
• Fill in the setup form:
• Workflow name (1) (required)
• Element type (2) (choose the element type the workflow should be attached to)
• Click on the "Create" (3) button

• You land in the empty workflow builder canvas and must now decide whether to
• Create your workflow manually (4) from scratch, or
• Create via PRISM (5) by describing your workflow to create it with AI. Example prompt:

• • • Build a workflow for [element type]. Start it [automatically when an element is created / when <property> changes to <value> / manually from a button]. Steps: 1. [Who does what — form (inclduign which properties), review, or automatic action]; 2. … For each review, say: who reviews, how many approvals are needed, and what the possible outcomes are. For each automatic step, say: what it changes, who gets notified, or how long it waits. End the workflow by [converting / archiving / setting a status], and notify [whom].

 

The canvas

The actual workflow builder is a whiteboard-style canvas. Here, nodes are placed on the canvas and connected to form the flow the modelled work should follow. Selecting a node opens its configuration in a panel on the right, which is also where the subsequent node can be chosen besides selection from the “+” icon and drag-and-drop placement.

The following types of workflow nodes can be added:

The canvas offers zoom (or via trackpad or mouse zoom), undo and redo actions in the bottom-left, and supports autosaving – showing a saved indicator in the header. Since the workflow is validated continuously, while it has errors the Publish button is disabled and an error count is shown next to it.

Connecting nodes

Nodes are connected by dragging from a node's anchor to another node, or by choosing the next node in the configuration panel under Add workflow node. Branching nodes expose one connection point per branch.

Workflow settings menu

At the top of the workflow builder canvas, next to the workflow title, you’ll find the workflow settings menu (•••). This menu provides options to version, rename, duplicate and delete your workflow.

 

Start triggers

The start trigger decides which elements run the workflow and what causes them to enter it. Three trigger types are defined:

• Manual run – workflow is triggered through a manual button trigger on demand.
• Recurring schedule – allows the usage of automation nodes (since manual triggers are always awaiting human input) to automaticall start the workflow on a repeating schedule.
• Always apply – automatically applies the workflow to every element of this type.

Besides these, when assigning a workflow to an element type, you can go beyond simply selecting the type. Choose the Matching Elements start trigger to define criteria to control exactly which elements should follow the particular workflow.

This is useful when you want multiple workflows for the same element type, applied under specific conditions (e.g., "only AI-related trends" or "only high-budget projects").

• On the canvas, locate the start node (1)
• Click to open the panel on the right side to pick an event to start the workflow
• Choose Matching element (2)
• Select one or multiple criteria (3) that must be met for the workflow to run
• Select a property (4) (e.g., Tag, Category, Region)
• Choose an operator (5) (e.g. equal for number properties, or is or is not for dropdown properties
• Define the value(s) (6) for filtering.
• "+ Add criteria" (7) allows adding even more properties

💡 You can connect multiple criteria using AND/OR (8) logic to build complex conditions.

Once saved, only elements matching all criteria (AND) or any criteria (OR) will use this workflow. Other elements of the same type will not be affected.

 

Set up manual nodes

Manual nodes are the points where a user has to act. All four are configured the same way at the top: an action button with a label, a colour, and an appearance – solid, subtle or ghost – and a condition to complete and auto-continue.

Manual form

The purpose of a manual form (1) is to collect data – accessible by a button (2), defining a form (3) to be filled in, the assignees (4) who may submit it, and a condition (5) defining what completes the node. Optionally, the auto continue (6) can be toggled to automatically advance to the next node when the completion conditions are met.

Forms (3) are built from blocks: Property, Section, Rating, Columns and Information block.

• A section (4) groups properties (5) or ratings (6) under an optional title
• An information block (7) carries explanatory text for the person filling the form in.
• Columns (8) lay blocks out side by side

On the element it is displayed as an action button that opens a drawer containing the configured form on button click (refer to below's section on working with a workflow on an element for more information). Edits autosave as they are made. The button reads Save, or Save & Next once the condition to complete is met. Submitting writes the values to the element immediately and advances the workflow.

Manual review

A manual review (1) puts a decision in front of named reviewers. The node holds the reviewers (3) who may act, the validate checks acc. to conditions (4), and the next node selection.

Validate checks set what counts as enough: no minimum, at least N approvals, or all reviewers must approve. Optionally, the auto continue (5) can be toggled to automatically advance to the next node when the completion conditions are met.

On the element it opens a review drawer built as a split button (2) — See submissions, plus fast Approve, fast Request changes (informing the assigned reviewers with a system notification) and Validate. The drawer shows who has approved, who is still pending, and any open change requests with their comments. It shows the values the submitter entered, with an Edit that opens the form so a reviewer can correct a small error in place. Where the path forks after the review, the validating reviewer chooses which branch to take on Validate.

When Validate is unavailable, a popover on the button lists every unmet check – the approval count, the unmet conditions – so the reviewer can see what is missing.

Manual trigger

A manual trigger (1) is represented as a simple button (2) with no form behind it. It inserts a deliberate (manual) human checkpoint where no data needs collecting – for example "Confirm budget is locked" before downstream workflow steps run. Supports conditions (3) to complete, and optional auto continue (4) when these conditions are met.

Manual URL

The manual URL (1) trigger is represented by a button (2) that opens a URL (3). It hands the user to an external tool – for example a Jira ticket, a financial spreadsheet, etc. – as a (reference) point in the workflow. Allows setting of conditions-to-complete (4), and optional auto continue (4) when met.

Important notes:

• A condition to complete defines when the node counts as done
• While it is unmet the user can only Save – no submit, no validate, no advance is available.
• Once met, or if no condition is set, Save & Next becomes available. On a Manual Review it gates Validate behind criteria – such as "approvals > 2 AND budget > 1M" – combining the approval count with any property condition.
• Auto-continue is a toggle on the same nodes.
• Enabled, the node completes itself the moment its condition to complete becomes true, and the workflow advances with no user interaction.
• On a Manual Review it is only available where there is a single next node – where the path forks, a reviewer has to choose the subsequent branch.

 

Set up routing nodes

Routing nodes decide which path or paths an element takes. Conditions are evaluated at the moment the workflow reaches the node.

• Parallel run (1) – AND. Every connected path (2) activates at once – in parallel; an example could be one manual form for engineering, one for finance, one for product, all live simultaneously.

• Conditional run (1) – AND/OR. Every path whose condition (2) validates true at runtime activates (evaluated the moment the node is reached), so several can run together. If no condition matches, that branch ends; setting a default is the workflow modeller's responsibility.

• Switch (1) – XOR. Exactly one path (3) activates: the first whose condition (2) matches, otherwise the default. Branches are evaluated in the order they are listed and the first match wins.

• Filter (1) – a guard, not a fork. The workflow continues only if the defined criteria (2) (one or multiple) are met; otherwise execution stops there. For example, useful in front of expensive or restricted downstream work – "only continue if budget > 10k".

 

Set up automation nodes

Automation nodes execute when the workflow reaches them, with no user interaction.

• Update element (1) – fills or modifies element properties; any property (2) can be targeted (e.g. Budget, Owner, a phase dropdown, etc.) and several can be set in one node.
• The update element automation allows (workflow) phase updates by selecting the user-created phase dropdown property (3) as a target.
• Note: Date properties accept relative expressions such as TODAY() + 15d

 

• Send email (1) – sends an email, with configurable recipients (2), subject (3) & body (4).

• • Note: Recipients currently cover specific users and user search fields.

• Convert element (1) – converts the element to another element type.
• Configurable destination type (2), an optional archive of the original, and an optional copy of all comments and relations (3).

• • Note: Required fields on the target type receive default values.

• Change status (1) – switches the element between Published, Draft and Archived (2).

• • For example: useful for auto-publishing an idea once a quality check passes.

• Delay (1) – pauses the workflow for a set duration (2) in days, weeks or months.

  • Note: If a delay is shortened while workflows are already running it, elapsed time counts – where the new duration (in comparison to the elapsed time) is already exceeded, the next node activates immediately.

 

Add a note

Notes help explain what happens at a specific workflow step, why a part of the workflow is built the way it is.

• Go to the sidebar and click the Notes (1) icon.
• A note (2) with your name will appear on the canvas
• Drag and drop it anywhere to position it
• Click inside to add text.

 

Saving and publishing workflow modifications

​The builder automatically saves your modifications continuously, similar to Google Drive. These modifications will not be applied to any elements until you choose to publish them.​

Each save creates a version of the document, allowing you to roll back to a previous version if needed. To access a previous version of the workflow, navigate to the workflow settings menu and click the Version history button. This will grant you access to all versions of the current workflow.

By clicking on the version of your choice, you will have access to it. When you are on a previous version, you can click on the Restore this version (1) button located at the top right of the canvas. The restored version will become the latest one, but it will not be published until you click on the Publish button again. The button Back to current version (2) will bring you back to where you left.

To publish the modified workflow, click the Publish button.

Publishing applies the workflow to all upcoming nodes and makes them available to users. Work already completed is untouched, so progress made under an earlier version is preserved. Publishing is blocked while the workflow has validation errors.

 

 

Tips & tricks

Understand runtime execution

A workflow is executed at runtime: an element enters when its start trigger fires, and the workflow then advances from node to node. Each node is evaluated at the moment it is reached, against the values the element has at that moment, and it is not evaluated again later.

Automatic nodes therefore act on what is filled in now. If a condition reads a property that is still empty, it cannot match:

• Conditional run – no path validates, the branch ends
• Switch – the default path is taken, or the branch ends if none is set
• Filter – the criteria are not met, execution stops here

The workflow does not resume when the property is filled in afterwards; it has already passed that point at runtime.

 

How to make sure a value exists before it is checked

Several combinable options come to mind:

• Require the property in the element configuration, so it is filled in during creation
• Set a default value, so there is always a fallback to check against
• Put a Manual form node before the condition, asking the user for exactly the property the condition reads
• Put an Update element node before the condition, writing a predefined value
• Start the workflow later – use the Matching elements trigger with a criterion such as "<property> is not empty", so the element only enters once the value exists
• Insert a Delay node before the condition, giving users time to complete the element first

Fork inside one workflow instead of building several

Routing conditions read the properties on an element, so one workflow can cover cases that would otherwise each need their own.

• Put a Switch on a property, such as Department or Category, and every value takes its own path from there, with its own form and its own reviewers.
• Building one workflow per department and filtering each at the start node means five places to edit; forking inside one workflow means maintaining one.

 

Working with the workflow on an element

Detail page, stack view, and placement

Every action button from every workflow active on an element appears in a single Actions section on the element detail page. Clicking a button opens the matching drawer – the respective form, the review, or the URL – and submitting there both writes to the element and advances the workflow.

Where an element runs more than one workflow, all their buttons sit together in that one section.

The same buttons are available in the stack view, where the form and the review open as modals rather than drawers. The configuration and the flow are identical; only the container differs.

Admins can place the action buttons elsewhere. A workflow action widget in the form builder in the element configuration puts action buttons anywhere on the detail page rather than at the default top-right, and behaves like the other widgets there.

Important note:

• It’s possible to jump to one of the three Manual nodes – Manual forms, Manual URL, and Manual trigger – configured in a workflow via the Change action button in the meatball menu; allows an element to be moved manually to a later step or gate from the element header (for example by an admin).

 

Activities log

The element detail page carries an Acticities log recording every workflow action on that element, automated and manual. Filter options narrow it to All, Auto, Manual or Reviews. Each entry states what happened, who did it or which automation did it, and when.

• Each entry carries a color-coded tag naming the workflow that produced it, so an element running several workflows stays traceable.
• Entries for Manual Form submissions show the old and new value of each changed field. Both states are captured at the moment of submission.

• Note: The log covers workflow activity. Edits made directly on the detail page outside a workflow are not recorded – this is not a full element audit trail.