Workflows
Workflows are how you run the same Nomic agent on repeatable, high-stakes tasks—reviews, extraction, drafting packages—where consistency and structured outputs matter more than a one-off chat. A workflow locks in tools, instructions, context, and execution mode so every run follows the same playbook.
When to use a workflow
Use a workflow (instead of only free-form Assistant in a project) when:
- The task repeats — Submittals, drawing QA passes, code checks, RFI responses—same shape of work, many times.
- Everyone should follow the same steps — Standard outputs (tables, reports, marked-up PDFs) and comparable results across projects.
- Runs can be long — Whole drawing sets, multi-file reviews, or autonomous passes are a better fit for Background Agent mode than a quick back-and-forth.
- You need artifacts you can export — Compliance tables, review narratives, drawing markups; workflows are built to populate artifacts predictably.
Use open-ended Assistant when you are exploring, asking one-off questions, or prototyping ideas before you turn them into a workflow.
What a workflow is
Each workflow defines:
- Instructions — The system prompt that tells the agent exactly what to do, in what order, and how to format results.
- Tools — The capabilities the agent may call (search, read files, drawing judge, sub-agents, tables, and so on), constrained to what the task needs.
- Context — Files, folders, or tags that are always available on every run (for example, firm standards).
- Requested files — Inputs the user attaches per run (for example, this week’s drawing set or submittal PDF). Requested file slots can be required or optional, and can accept one file or multiple files.
- Project scope — Optional project linkage so the workflow appears in that project's Workflows page and runs inside the project experience.
- Assistant mode — How the run behaves: interactive Standard, thorough Deep Research, or autonomous Background Agent. See Run a workflow.
That combination is what makes outputs consistent across people and projects. See Workflow Builder for each setting.
Nomic templates
Templates are starter workflows Nomic ships with your workspace: they package the agent with opinionated instructions, typical inputs and outputs, and modes tuned for jobs like drawing standards review, submittal review, RFI responses, invoice extraction, and more. Open Workflows > Templates to browse them by category. They are the fastest way to turn on a capability without authoring instructions from scratch—you can run as-is, clone, or open in the Workflow Builder and customize.
Templates are different from workflows your organization builds from scratch or from a clone; both appear in the Workflows list, but templates give you a proven baseline.
See the full catalog and notes on special types in Nomic templates.
Design vs run
| Goal | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Run a template or saved workflow | Run a workflow |
| Customize or create workflows | Workflow Builder (form fields) and Workflow Builder agent (builder assistant) |
| Write strong instructions | Authoring instructions |
Requested file slots
Requested files are per-run inputs specific to the task at hand. Each requested file slot includes:
- Name and description so users know exactly what to provide
- Required vs optional behavior
- Single vs multiple file selection
For example, a QA workflow might request:
- Drawing Set (multiple, required) — Upload one or more architectural floor plan PDFs to check
- Reference memo (single, optional) — Upload supporting notes if available
When someone launches a workflow, required slots must be filled before they can start. Optional slots can be skipped.
Project-scoped workflows
When a workflow is linked to a project, that workflow is managed from the project:
- Open Projects → [Project Name] → Workflows to view and run workflows used in that project
- Use Create workflow from the project workflows page to pre-select the project in Workflow Builder
- Workflow runs started from a project open in the project chat experience and remain associated with that project
Top-level Workflows remains the place for organization-level workflows that are not scoped to a specific project.
Next steps
- Browse Nomic templates and pick one that matches your process.
- Read Run a workflow before your first long review or background run.
- When you are ready to tailor a template or build your own, use Workflow Builder agent and Authoring instructions.
For account setup and context (integrations, projects), see the Quickstart.