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Create and edit workflows

A workflow is a reusable, named procedure that turns a real task — code compliance, RFI drafting, drawing review — into something one click can run. This page covers the basics of building and updating them.

Create a new workflow​

  1. Open Workflows from the left nav.
  2. Click Create workflow.
  3. Give it a clear, task-shaped name like "ASHRAE 90.1 envelope check" — names live on the Workflows list and inside Assistant, so write them for the person who will run them.
  4. In the builder, describe what the workflow should do, what files it needs, and what output it should produce.
  5. Save it as private while you test.

Once saved, the workflow shows up in the Workflows list and inside Assistant's workflow picker.

Edit a workflow​

Open any workflow and click Edit. You can:

  • Update instructions and standards.
  • Add or remove requested files (slots a user fills in when they run it).
  • Add context files that should be included on every run.
  • Change who can see it.

Saving updates the current draft in place. A new version is only created when the version at the top of the history has already been released, so repeated edits while drafting do not pile up versions.

To release your changes to everyone, test a draft before publishing, or roll back to an earlier version, see Workflow management.

Who can see it​

While drafting, set access to Private to user so only you can see and run it. When it is ready, switch to Public — which means everyone in the project when the workflow is tied to one, and everyone in your organization when it is not.

In the workflow sharing panel the same choice reads as Invited people only versus Everyone in that scope. Making a shared workflow private again does not delete other people's run history.

Use private workflows for drafting and shared workflows for approved team processes. If several people are building workflows for the organization, agree on naming, ownership, and review before sharing broadly.

You can also invite specific people by email as run or edit collaborators, independent of the organization- or project-wide setting. See Workflow management for the full sharing model.

Best practices​

  • Start small. Get the workflow doing one task well before adding more.
  • Use requested files rather than hardcoded context when the input changes each run.
  • Test on one sample drawing or spec before sharing — it's much easier to spot bad instructions on a single page than on a full set.
  • Ask a subject matter expert to review the first few outputs before making a workflow visible to the whole organization.
  • Retire or rename old versions so teammates do not run the wrong workflow.