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Workflow Builder

The GeniSpace Workflow Builder is a powerful and intuitive visual tool that allows you to design, build, and deploy complex automated workflows without writing code. This guide will help you understand how to use the Workflow Builder to create efficient automation flows.

Workflow Builder Overview​

The Workflow Builder provides a drag-and-drop interface where you can:

  • Design the logical flow of workflows
  • Connect different action steps
  • Configure triggers and conditions
  • Test and deploy workflows

Workflow Building Basics​

Creating a New Workflow​

Steps to create a new workflow:

  1. Navigate to the "Workflows" page in the console
  2. Click the "Create Workflow" button
  3. Enter a workflow name and description
  4. Select a workflow category (e.g., Data Processing, Content Generation, Automated Responses, etc.)
  5. Click the "Create" button

Interface Components​

The Workflow Builder interface consists of the following components:

  1. Toolbar - Contains actions such as save, run, import/export
  2. Node Panel - Lists available action, trigger, and condition nodes
  3. Canvas - The main workspace for designing workflows
  4. Properties Panel - Displays configuration options for the selected node
  5. Status Bar - Shows workflow status and validation information

Core Components​

Triggers​

Triggers are the starting point of a workflow, defining when the workflow begins execution. Common triggers include:

  • Time Triggers - Execute on a schedule or at set intervals
  • Event Triggers - Respond to specific events (e.g., new email, API call)
  • Data Triggers - Trigger when data meets specific conditions
  • Manual Triggers - Started manually by a user

Trigger configuration example:

{
  "type": "schedule",
  "config": {
    "frequency": "daily",
    "time": "09:00",
    "timezone": "Asia/Shanghai"
  }
}

Action Nodes​

Action nodes represent specific tasks within a workflow. GeniSpace provides a variety of predefined actions, including:

  • Data Actions - Read, transform, and write data
  • Communication Actions - Send emails, messages, etc.
  • Integration Actions - Interact with third-party services
  • AI Actions - Process tasks using different AI models

Each action node has specific input and output parameters that can be configured in the properties panel.

Control Flow Nodes​

Control flow nodes manage the execution path of a workflow:

  • Condition Nodes - Branch execution to different paths based on conditions
  • Loop Nodes - Repeat specific steps
  • Parallel Nodes - Execute multiple branches simultaneously
  • Merge Nodes - Aggregate results from multiple branches

Variables and Data Flow​

Data is passed between different nodes in a workflow through variables:

  • Input Variables - Initial inputs to the workflow
  • Intermediate Variables - Data passed between nodes
  • Output Variables - Final outputs of the workflow
  • Environment Variables - Global configuration parameters

Advanced Features​

Sub-Workflows​

For complex automation tasks, you can create sub-workflows and invoke them within a main workflow:

  1. Create an independent sub-workflow
  2. Add a "Sub-Workflow" node in the main workflow
  3. Select the sub-workflow to invoke
  4. Configure input and output mappings

This modular approach enables you to build reusable workflow components, simplifying the maintenance of complex systems.

Error Handling​

The Workflow Builder provides multiple error handling mechanisms:

  • Retry Strategy - Configure retry behavior for failed nodes
  • Error Capture - Error handling paths for specific nodes
  • Global Error Handling - Workflow-level error management
  • Logging and Notifications - Log errors and notify administrators

Error handling configuration example:

{
  "errorHandling": {
    "strategy": "retry",
    "maxRetries": 3,
    "retryInterval": 60,
    "fallbackPath": "error_notification"
  }
}

Version Control​

GeniSpace workflows support version control, allowing you to:

  • Save multiple versions of a workflow
  • View differences between versions
  • Roll back to a previous version
  • Deploy specific versions in different environments

Workflow Templates​

To accelerate development, GeniSpace provides a variety of predefined templates:

Data Processing Templates​

  • Data Extraction and Transformation - Extract, transform, and load data from multiple data sources
  • Data Synchronization - Synchronize data between different systems
  • Data Validation and Cleansing - Validate and clean input data

Intelligent Content Templates​

  • Content Generation - Automatically generate marketing copy, reports, etc.
  • Content Moderation - Automatically review and filter content
  • Document Analysis - Extract key information from documents and generate summaries

Automated Response Templates​

  • Customer Query Response - Automatically reply to common customer questions
  • Event Notification - Monitor events and send notifications
  • Exception Handling - Detect anomalies and execute response actions

Workflow Optimization​

Performance Optimization​

Tips for improving workflow performance:

  1. Reduce Data Transfer - Only pass necessary data
  2. Use Caching - Cache frequently used data
  3. Parallel Processing - Execute independent tasks in parallel
  4. Batch Operations - Combine similar operations to reduce API calls

Cost Optimization​

Strategies for controlling workflow running costs:

  1. Model Selection - Choose the appropriate AI model based on task requirements
  2. Execution Frequency - Optimize trigger frequency to avoid unnecessary executions
  3. Resource Limits - Set upper limits on resource usage
  4. Data Volume Control - Reduce the volume of data processed

Workflow Analytics and Monitoring​

Execution History​

Workflow execution history provides detailed execution records:

  • Start and end times
  • Execution status and duration of each node
  • Input and output data
  • Error and warning messages

Performance Metrics​

Monitor workflow performance metrics:

  • Average execution time
  • Success and error rates
  • Resource utilization
  • Cost analysis

Best Practices​

Design Principles​

Principles for designing efficient workflows:

  1. Keep It Simple - Each workflow should focus on a single clear objective
  2. Modular Design - Use sub-workflows to build complex systems
  3. Error Handling First - Consider all possible failure points during design
  4. Test-Driven Development - Test small components first, then integrate into complete workflows

Security Considerations​

Ensuring workflow security:

  1. Data Encryption - Encrypt sensitive data
  2. Access Control - Restrict workflow access permissions
  3. Input Validation - Validate all external inputs
  4. Audit Logging - Log all operations for auditing purposes

FAQ​

Details

How much data can a workflow process? The GeniSpace Workflow Engine is designed to handle data at various scales. The standard plan supports up to 10MB of data per workflow, while the enterprise plan can handle up to 1GB. For larger data processing needs, streaming or batch processing modes can be used.

Details

How do I debug complex workflows? GeniSpace provides a variety of debugging tools: real-time execution tracing, node data inspector, simulated run mode, and detailed logs. You can step through a workflow in a test environment, inspect each node's inputs and outputs, and review any errors or warnings.

Details

Do workflows support conditional branching? Yes, GeniSpace workflows support complex conditional branching logic. You can use condition nodes to create branches based on any expression or data value, and use Switch nodes to handle multiple possible paths. Conditions can be based on data content, external API responses, time conditions, and many other factors.

Next Steps​