Workflow Best Practices
Building effective workflows is about giving Assistant clear direction. The more specific and structured your workflow design, the more consistent and reliable your results will be.
This guide covers proven practices for creating workflows that deliver high-quality, repeatable results.
Write Clear Instructions
The Assistant Instructions field is the most important part of your workflow. This is where you tell Assistant exactly what to do and how to do it.
Put everything in the instructions. Your workflow instructions should be self-contained. Don't split instructions across multiple artifacts or expect Assistant to piece together guidance from different sources.
Be specific about the process. Break down the workflow into numbered steps, each with a clear objective:
- Step 1: What should Assistant do first?
- Step 2: What comes next?
- Step 3: How should results be compiled?
Name the tools to use. If your workflow involves specific capabilities like analyzing drawings or searching documents, mention them explicitly. For example: "Use the drawing analysis tool to examine each sheet" or "Search the project specifications for relevant sections."
The clearer your instructions, the more consistent your results. If you find yourself explaining the workflow to colleagues, that explanation belongs in your instructions.
Define Your Output Format
Don't leave the output format to chance. Specify exactly what you want the results to look like.
Describe the structure. If you want a table, define the columns. If you want a checklist, specify the items. If you want a report, outline the sections.
Provide examples. Show Assistant what a good result looks like. For instance:
"Present findings in a table with these columns: Item Number, Description, Status (Compliant/Non-Compliant/Needs Review), and Code Reference. Include the specific code section number in the Code Reference column."
Specify citation format. If your workflow requires references to source documents, explain how citations should appear:
"Cite each finding with the document name and page number, formatted as: [Document Name, p. XX]"
The more clearly you define your expected output, the less time you'll spend reformatting results.
Use Artifacts Wisely
Artifacts are powerful, but they work best when used for their intended purpose: capturing output, not storing instructions.
Artifacts are for results, not recipes. Think of artifacts as containers where Assistant writes its findings—not as instruction manuals for Assistant to read.
Pre-populate with structure only. If you want results in a specific format, set up the artifact with headers or a template structure. For example, create a Results Table artifact with column headers already in place.
Keep artifacts minimal. One or two well-designed artifacts are better than many scattered ones. Each artifact should have a clear, single purpose.
| Do This | Avoid This |
|---|---|
| Use artifacts to capture workflow output | Put workflow instructions in artifacts |
| Pre-populate with headers and structure | Leave artifacts completely empty |
| Create one artifact per output type | Create many overlapping artifacts |
Request the Right Files
When your workflow requires users to provide files, make it easy for them to understand what's needed.
Write meaningful descriptions. Instead of "Upload file," explain what type of file is needed and why:
"Drawing Sheet - Upload the architectural floor plan you want to check for code compliance"
"Project Specifications - Upload the relevant spec sections for submittal review"
Be specific about file types. If you need a particular format or type of document, say so. This helps users provide the right files the first time.
Good file descriptions save time for everyone. Users know exactly what to provide, and your workflow gets the inputs it needs.
Build in Quality Checks
Reliable workflows include verification steps to ensure accuracy.
Update results as you go. Instruct Assistant to add findings to the results artifact incrementally, rather than saving everything for the end. This makes progress visible and prevents lost work.
Add a verification step. Include a final step where Assistant reviews its own work:
"Step 5: Review all findings for completeness. Verify that each item includes a citation and that the status accurately reflects the evidence found."
Cross-check against requirements. If your workflow checks documents against standards or specifications, include a step to confirm all required checks were performed.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Watch out for these common mistakes that can undermine workflow effectiveness:
- Instructions scattered across artifacts — Keep all workflow logic in the Assistant Instructions field
- Vague or incomplete guidance — "Check the document" is less effective than "Check the document for ADA compliance in sections 4.1 through 4.5"
- No output format specified — Without a defined format, results may vary each time
- Missing verification steps — Always include a final review step to catch errors
- Empty file descriptions — Users shouldn't have to guess what files to provide
Putting It All Together
A well-designed workflow combines all these elements:
- Self-contained instructions that explain the complete process
- Numbered steps with clear objectives
- Defined output format with examples
- Minimal, well-structured artifacts for capturing results
- Descriptive file requests that guide users
- Built-in verification to ensure quality
When you follow these practices, your workflows will deliver consistent, high-quality results that your team can rely on.
Ready to build your first workflow? Head to the Workflow Builder to get started.