Build your first workflow

This walkthrough builds a small but complete workflow: given an account, research it, summarize the research, and write the summary back onto the account.

If you haven't already, read Workflows vs agents and Workflows for context.

1. Open the Workflow Builder

Navigate to Automation → Workflows and click New workflow. New workflows seed with one empty Step 1, so you'll land on a canvas with an "Add a task" affordance — not a blank flow.

2. Define the inputs

In the Triggers / Inputs / Outputs panel on the left, declare an account_id input. This is what the workflow expects from whoever runs it (a trigger, a manual run, a parent workflow, or an agent).

3. Add a Get Record task

Click Add a task in Step 1, search for Get Record, and select it. Configure:

• Record type: accounts
• Record id: {{ inputs.account_id }}
• Selected fields: name, domain, industry, and any other fields your research step needs (smaller is better)

This task fetches the account and exposes it as {{ steps.1.account }}. See the Get Record task reference for all options.

4. Add a Research task

Add a second step, search for Research, and select it. Configure a query that uses variables from Step 1, for example:

What are the top 3 strategic priorities of {{ steps.1.account.name }} ({{ steps.1.account.domain }}) for the next 12 months?

Pick a research model that's strong on external research (the Research task reference has the full list).

5. Add an AI Prompt task

Add a third step, search for AI Prompt, and select it. Use it to summarize the research into something you can write back to the account:

Summarize the following research into a 2-sentence "Account Angle" we can use in our next outreach. Research:

{{ steps.2.result }}

Use the Wrench icon in the prompt field to insert variables from prior steps without typos.

6. Add an Update Record task

Add a fourth step, search for Update Record, and select it. Configure:

• Record type: accounts
• Record id: {{ inputs.account_id }}
• Field values: map the AI Prompt output ({{ steps.3.text }}) onto the AI-fillable account field where you want the angle to live.

See the Update Record task reference.

7. Publish and run it

Click Publish in the workflow builder header to create a new version. The published version is what triggers, agents, and manual runs use — drafts only run from inside the builder.

To run it on a real account:

1. Open any account in Records → Accounts.
2. Click Run workflow and pick your new workflow.
3. Watch the run in the Runs tab of the builder, or in /automation/executions.

8. Inspect the run

Each step's input, output, and any errors are captured in Diagnostics and Runs. If a step fails, fix it, click Re-run from this step to avoid re-running the prior steps, and iterate.

Where to go next

• Trigger this workflow automatically on opportunity stage change — see Trigger a workflow on opportunity stage change.
• Run this workflow over many records — see Run a workflow over many records.
• Debug failures and variable issues — see Debug a failed workflow run.
• Wrap it in an agent so Genie can call it as a tool — see Use a workflow as a tool inside an agent.
• Browse the Task reference for every task type you can add.