Workflow template format

A workflow template is one JSON file, workflows/<slug>.json, with kind: "alaskan.workflow": a trigger and a graph of nodes. A run walks the graph from the node nothing points to, writing one step of a session per node, and follows one edge at a time.

{
  "kind": "alaskan.workflow", "version": 1, "slug": "new-lead-intro", "name": "New-lead intro, with approval",
  "summary": "…", "for": "Outbound and sales teams", "dog": "kodiak",
  "trigger": { "type": "event", "event": "crm.lead.created" },
  "nodes": [
    { "id": "lead", "type": "app", "title": "Read the new lead", "app": "hubspot", "action": "HUBSPOT_LIST_CONTACTS", "input": { "limit": 1 } },
    { "id": "draft", "type": "think", "title": "Draft the intro", "prompt": "Write a first email …" },
    { "id": "approve", "type": "decide", "kind": "send", "title": "Send this intro?", "prompt": "{{draft}}",
      "options": [{ "key": "send", "label": "Send it" }, { "key": "skip", "label": "Don't send", "effect": "decline" }] },
    { "id": "send", "type": "app", "title": "Send the intro", "app": "gmail", "action": "GMAIL_SEND_EMAIL", "write": true, "input": { "body": "{{draft}}" } },
    { "id": "skipped", "type": "write", "title": "Mark the lead as skipped" }
  ],
  "edges": [["lead", "draft"], ["draft", "approve"], ["approve", "send", "send"], ["approve", "skipped", "skip"]]
}

The shape

WorkflowTemplate { kind: "alaskan.workflow", version: 1, slug, name, summary, for?, author?,
                   license?, dog, trigger: {type: "schedule" | "event" | "manual", when?, event?},
                   nodes: [{id, type, title, app?, action?, write?, input?, prompt?, query?,
                   url?, kind?, options?: [{key, label, effect?}]}],
                   edges: [[from, to, when?]] }

Who runs it

dog is the key of the dog that runs it. In a team without that dog, the lead runs it.

Triggers

• schedule, with when (weekdays 07:30, mon,thu 09:00; see the when format),
• event, with event (crm.lead.created),
• manual.

In version 1 every workflow can be run by hand. Schedules and events are recorded for what comes next.

Nodes

Each node has an id, a type and a title.

Type	What it does
app	An action in a connected app (app slug, action slug, input). A read runs when the app is connected. Anything that changes the app is marked "write": true and runs only after a decide in the same run was approved.
search, news	A web or news search (query).
page	Reads a page (url).
computer	A browser task on the dog's screen, in plain words.
think	The model turns what the run has so far into the next thing (prompt).
decide	An approval gate. It becomes a card in Decide with these options (1 to 4, each key and label, optional effect: "decline"), and the run waits. kind and prompt (the card's summary) are optional.
write	Records the result with the session.
wait	A pause.
branch	Leaves by the edge whose when is found (the step before produced something) or empty.

Every workflow has at least one decide.

Edges

[from, to] or [from, to, when]. Out of a decide, when is the chosen option's key (or its number, 1 to 4). Out of a branch, it's found or empty. There are no loops, so a run always ends.

When a decision is made and its 10-second undo has passed, the run carries on along the edge for the chosen option. A typed answer, an expiry or an undone rule ends the run.

Text in prompts and inputs

{{company}}, {{today}}, {{dog}}, {{last}} (the step before) and {{<node id>}} (that step's output).

When something isn't connected

Anything the server can't do (no lookups, no model key, an app that isn't connected, the computer in demo mode) is simulated, and the step says so in the session: "Simulated: …". A run never pretends.

Examples

All eight starter workflows are in Workflow templates, each with its graph and its JSON: Invoice chase, Morning inbox triage, New-lead intro.