Workflows

Learn to build workflows in Draft & Goal: create a workflow, add and connect nodes on the canvas, and use patterns like linear flows, branches, and loops.

What is a workflow?#

A workflow is a series of connected nodes that work together to accomplish a task. When you run a workflow:

1. Data enters through input nodes
2. Each node processes the data and passes it to the next
3. Final results are output or saved

Think of it as a production line where each station (node) adds value to the product (data).

Creating a workflow#

You can also describe the workflow in natural language with the Workflow Generator — useful for a first draft before you refine nodes by hand.

Start a new workflow#

1. Click New Workflow in the Studio
2. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., “SEO Content Audit”)
3. You’ll see an empty canvas ready for nodes

Add your first node#

Every workflow needs at least one node:

1. Click Add Node in the left sidebar
2. Choose a node from the library
3. Click to add it to the canvas

Connect nodes together#

To pass data between nodes:

1. Hover over the output point (right side) of a node
2. Click and drag to create a connection line
3. Drop on the input point (left side) of another node

Connections show the data flow direction with arrows.

Workflow patterns#

Linear workflow#

The simplest pattern — data flows in a straight line:

Input → Process → Transform → Output

Example: Scrape a URL → Summarize with AI → Save to Google Sheets

Parallel workflow#

Multiple branches process data simultaneously:

        ┌→ Branch A →┐
Input →│              │→ Merge → Output
        └→ Branch B →┘

Example: Fetch a URL → Extract both text AND images → Combine results

Conditional workflow#

Different paths based on conditions:

        ┌→ Path A (if true) →┐
Input →│                      │→ Output
        └→ Path B (if false)→┘

Example: Check word count → If < 500, flag for review → Else, publish

Loop workflow#

Repeat actions for multiple items:

Input (list) → Loop [Process each item] → Collect results

Example: List of URLs → Loop through each → Scrape all pages

Workflow organization#

Folders and smart views#

On Builder → Workflows, use the workflow explorer on the left to file and filter workflows — similar to a file explorer tree on the left and the contents on the right.

Smart views (All workflows, Recently viewed, Favorites, My workflows, Dormant) are saved filters across your workspace. Folders let you group related workflows in a tree, with optional subfolders.

Action	How
Create a folder	New folder at the top of the explorer, or New subfolder from a folder menu
File a workflow	Row menu Move to folder, or select multiple rows and use the action bar
Remove from a folder	Move to Uncategorized — the workflow is not deleted
Set folder visibility	Folder menu → Visibility & members — Private, Group, or Organization

See Teams & Collaboration for folder visibility levels and member management.

Naming conventions#

Use clear, descriptive names:

Type	Example
Workflow	“Weekly SEO Report Generator”
Nodes	“Fetch Keywords”, “Calculate Scores”

Visual organization#

Keep your canvas clean:

• Left to right: Start inputs on the left, outputs on the right
• Group related nodes: Keep similar functions together
• Use spacing: Don’t crowd nodes together
• Align nodes: Use the grid to keep things tidy

Adding descriptions#

Document your workflow for future reference:

1. Click Settings in the top bar
2. Add a Description explaining what the workflow does
3. Add Tags to organize your workflows

Workflow settings#

Timeout settings#

Set maximum execution time to prevent runaway workflows:

Setting	Description	Default
Workflow timeout	Max total time	30 minutes
Node timeout	Max per node	5 minutes

Error handling#

Choose what happens when a node fails:

• Stop workflow: Halt execution immediately
• Continue: Skip the failed node and continue
• Retry: Attempt the node again (1-3 times)

Input configuration#

Define what inputs your workflow accepts:

inputs:
  - name: url
    type: text
    required: true
    description: "URL to analyze"
  - name: depth
    type: number
    required: false
    default: 1

Running workflows#

Manual execution#

1. Click the App button in the top bar
2. Fill in any required inputs
3. Click Generate
4. Watch the real-time progress

Viewing results#

After execution:

• Green nodes: Completed successfully
• Red nodes: Failed (click to see error)
• Grey nodes: Not executed

Click any node to see its output in the right panel.

Execution logs#

Access detailed logs:

1. Click Run History in the execution panel
2. See timestamp, duration, and data for each node
3. Debug issues with full request/response data

Workflow templates#

Don’t start from scratch — use templates:

1. Go to Workflows Library in the Studio
2. Browse by category (SEO, Marketing, etc.)
3. Click Use Template to create a copy
4. Customize for your needs

Browse Templates

Explore 50+ ready-made workflows

Version history#

Track how a workflow changed over time:

1. From the workflow list, open row actions → History, or use History from the workflow menu on the canvas
2. Review changes with timestamps and who made them
3. Restore a previous version when you need to roll back

Version history is an editing aid — it does not replace folder visibility or Share permissions. See Workflow access & sharing.

Organize your workflow library#

Keep the workspace easy to navigate for the whole team:

• Use folders: Group related workflows under root folders with clear visibility (Organization / Group / Private)
• Naming conventions: e.g. [Team]-[Project]-[Description]
• Add descriptions: Document purpose and who owns the App
• Archive instead of delete: Prefer archival patterns over hard deletes when you may need history later
• Document complex logic: Use node names and comments so reviewers and teammates understand the flow

For folder visibility and sharing, see Workflow access & sharing. For the explorer UI, see Studio Interface.

Best practices#

Start simple#

Begin with a basic workflow and add complexity gradually:

1. ✅ Build the happy path first
2. ✅ Test with real data
3. ✅ Add error handling
4. ✅ Optimize for performance

Test incrementally#

After adding each node:

1. Run the workflow
2. Verify the output is correct
3. Then add the next node

Handle errors gracefully#

• Use Conditional nodes to check for empty data
• Add Stop Nodes for clear error messages
• Configure retry logic for flaky APIs

Optimize for performance#

• Minimize API calls: Cache when possible
• Use parallel branches: Run independent tasks simultaneously
• Limit loop iterations: Add safeguards for large datasets

Next steps#