Using the Builder Assistant

The Workflow Builder includes an AI assistant that helps you design workflows through conversation. Instead of filling in every form field manually, you can describe the task you want to automate and the assistant will ask questions, propose a design, and populate the form on your behalf.

How It Works

When you open the Workflow Builder, the right panel shows a chat interface. The assistant follows a structured process:

1. You describe the task — Explain what you want the workflow to do, what files are involved, and what the output should look like
2. The assistant asks follow-up questions — It will gather details about inputs, outputs, steps, standards, and constraints
3. The assistant summarizes its understanding — Before making any changes, it presents its proposed design and asks for confirmation
4. The assistant populates the form — Once you approve, it fills in the relevant fields (name, description, instructions, requested files, etc.)
5. You iterate together — Continue the conversation to refine the design, adjust instructions, or add details

The assistant can read the current state of the form at any time, so manual edits you make are always visible to it. You work on the form together — there is no conflict between manual edits and assistant updates.

Starting a Conversation

When creating a new workflow, the assistant prompts you to describe the workflow or automation you want to build. A good starting message includes:

• The task or process you want to automate (e.g., "review contractor submittals against project specs")
• What inputs users will provide each run (e.g., "a submittal PDF and the relevant spec sections")
• What outputs the workflow should produce (e.g., "a compliance table with flagged items and citations")
• Any relevant context like standards, templates, or process steps your firm follows

You Don't Need Everything Upfront

The assistant is designed to ask follow-up questions. A short description like "I want a workflow that checks drawings against our internal standards" is a perfectly fine starting point — the assistant will ask for the details it needs.

When editing an existing workflow, the assistant prompts you to describe what changes you want to make. You can ask it to update specific fields, improve instructions, restructure the workflow, or troubleshoot issues with past runs.

What the Assistant Can Do

The assistant can read and update most form fields:

Field	Assistant can set?	Notes
Name	Yes
Description	Yes
Category	Yes
Inputs	Yes
Outputs	Yes
Requested Files	Yes	Defines per-run file prompts
Instructions	Yes	The assistant's strongest area
Assistant Mode	Yes	Standard, Deep Research, or Background Agent
Linked Artifacts	Yes	Can create and pre-populate artifacts
Visibility	No	You must set public/private yourself
Model	No	You must choose the model yourself
Context files	No	You must add context files/folders using the form

The assistant will remind you to set visibility, model, and context files when they are relevant to the workflow design.

Tips for Effective Conversations

Describe the process, not just the goal

Instead of "make a QA workflow," try "I want a workflow that checks architectural floor plans against our firm's drafting standards. The user uploads a drawing set PDF, and the workflow should review each page and produce a table of violations with citations to both the drawing and the standard."

Share examples of good output

If you know what a successful result looks like, describe it:

"The output should be a table with columns for Item Number, Description, Status (Compliant / Non-Compliant / Needs Review), and Code Reference."

The assistant will incorporate this into the instructions it writes.

Iterate on instructions

The instructions field is the most impactful part of any workflow. After the assistant drafts instructions, review them and ask for changes:

• "Add a verification step at the end where the assistant checks its own work"
• "Be more specific about the citation format — I want page numbers included"
• "Break step 3 into two separate steps"

Let the assistant handle the writing

The assistant is trained on workflow best practices and will produce well-structured, detailed instructions. Rather than writing instructions yourself and asking the assistant to review them, describe what you want and let the assistant draft the instructions — then iterate from there.

Reference your firm's processes

If your workflow mirrors an existing internal process, describe that process in detail:

"We currently do submittal reviews manually. The reviewer opens the submittal, checks it against the project specs section by section, flags anything missing or non-compliant, and fills out a review form with their findings. I want the workflow to follow the same process."

The assistant will translate your manual process into structured workflow instructions.

Working Together on the Form

The builder is collaborative — you and the assistant can both modify the form at any time:

• The assistant reads before writing. Before every update, the assistant checks the current form state to detect any manual changes you've made.
• Manual edits are respected. If the assistant notices you changed a field it previously set, it will ask whether you want to keep your version or use its suggestion.
• Confirmation before overwriting. When the assistant would change existing content (corrections, rewording, restructuring), it shows you the proposed change and waits for approval before applying it.

After the Conversation

When you're satisfied with the workflow design:

1. Review all fields — Check that the form looks correct, especially fields the assistant cannot set (visibility, model, context)
2. Add context files — Use the "Add Files and Folders to Context" button to attach any persistent reference materials
3. Choose a model — Select the appropriate language model for this workflow
4. Set visibility — Choose public (shared with your organization) or private (only you)
5. Click Create — Save the workflow from the header button

You can always come back and edit the workflow later — the assistant is available on the edit page too.