Workflows Explained

In Supervity, a workflow is the executable structure that defines how work runs.

It specifies:

• what actions are performed
• in what order
• under what conditions
• with what failure and retry behavior

Workflows are:

• deterministic
• visual
• auditable
• reusable

They do not reason or make decisions.
That responsibility belongs to agents.

Workflow vs Agent (Important Distinction)

Agents plan and control execution.
Workflows execute safely and predictably.

→ Learn more: Understanding Agents

Core Workflow Concepts

Steps

A step is a single executable action.

Examples:

• send an email
• call an API
• read or write a file
• transform data
• request human approval

Each step:

• receives inputs
• produces outputs
• succeeds or fails
• emits logs and timing data

Connections & Dependencies

Steps can be connected in multiple ways.

Sequential

Parallel

Conditional

Dependencies ensure correct execution order and data flow.

Triggers

Triggers define when a workflow execution begins.

Supported triggers:

• manual (UI or API)
• scheduled (time-based)
• webhook (event-driven)
• integration events

Triggers start runs (jobs), not workflows themselves.

Runs, Jobs & Executions

• A workflow defines structure
• A run (job) is a single execution of that workflow

Each run:

• has its own inputs
• produces its own outputs
• maintains its own logs
• moves independently through execution states

Variables & Data Flow

Data moves through workflows via variables:

• inputs — provided at run start
• step outputs — results of execution
• transformed data — computed or reformatted values

Variables are:

• typed
• scoped per run
• traceable step by step

Workflow Patterns

Sequential Workflows

Best for linear processes:

Parallel Workflows

Best for independent actions:

Conditional Workflows

Best for routing and decision outcomes:

Human-in-the-Loop Workflows

Best for governance and compliance:

→ Deep dive: Human Review & Approvals

Workflow Execution Lifecycle

Each run moves through a defined lifecycle:

1. Triggered
2. Running
3. Waiting (human review or delay)
4. Completed
5. Failed
6. Cancelled

All state transitions are logged and observable.

Monitoring & Observability

For every run, you can inspect:

• step-by-step timeline
• inputs and outputs
• execution duration
• retry attempts
• failure reasons

This makes workflows debuggable and auditable, not opaque.

Error Handling & Reliability

Workflows support:

• automatic retries with backoff
• step and workflow timeouts
• fallback execution paths
• failure notifications
• safe cancellation

Failures are explicit and visible.
Nothing fails silently.

Advanced Workflow Patterns

Loops & Iteration

Nested Workflows

Data Transformation

Built-in steps allow you to:

• parse json or xml
• format data
• filter lists
• compute values
• merge multiple sources

Security & Governance

Workflows inherit platform-wide controls:

• role-based access
• least-privilege integrations
• approval gates
• audit logs
• version history

Every change is tracked.

Best Practices

Design for Clarity

• use descriptive step names
• keep workflows focused
• document assumptions

Design for Reliability

• validate inputs early
• handle failure paths explicitly
• avoid unnecessary branching

Design for Scale

• use parallel execution
• batch operations where possible
• monitor execution trends

Who This Is For

Business Users

• understand what runs and when

Operations Teams

• standardize and govern execution

Developers

• treat workflows as execution primitives

Where to Go Next

• delegate decisions → Understanding Agents
• automate over time → Scheduling & Automation
• extend execution → API Reference
• add governance → Human Review & Approvals

Workflows are the execution backbone of Supervity —
predictable, inspectable, and safe by design.