🎨Visual Workflow Builder Guide

Create Powerful AI Automations with Drag-and-Drop Simplicity

AgenticFlow's Visual Workflow Builder transforms complex AI operations into simple, visual processes. No coding requiredβ€”just drag, drop, and connect to build sophisticated automations.


πŸ–ΌοΈ Understanding the Workflow Interface

Main Canvas

The workflow canvas is your creative workspace where you build automations:

  • Infinite Canvas: Zoom and pan to organize complex workflows

  • Grid Snapping: Nodes automatically align for clean, professional layouts

  • Visual Connections: See data flow between components with colored connection lines

  • Real-Time Preview: Watch data move through your workflow as you build

Node Library Panel

Browse and search through 80+ workflow components:

  • Categories: Organized by AI Models, Integrations, Logic, Data, and Communications

  • Search Function: Quickly find specific tools and services

  • Drag-to-Add: Simply drag nodes from the library onto your canvas

  • Node Descriptions: Hover to see what each component does

Properties Panel

Configure each node's settings and behavior:

  • Input Fields: Set parameters, API keys, and configuration options

  • Dynamic Values: Reference data from previous nodes in your workflow

  • Validation: Real-time error checking ensures valid configurations

  • Help Text: Inline guidance for each setting


πŸ”§ Building Your First Workflow

Step 1: Start with a Trigger

Every workflow begins with a trigger that starts the automation:

Manual Trigger

  • Purpose: Run workflows on-demand with a button click

  • Use Cases: Testing, one-time processing, manual data operations

  • Setup: Simply drag the "Manual Trigger" node onto your canvas

Scheduled Trigger

  • Purpose: Run workflows automatically at specific times

  • Options: Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or custom cron schedules

  • Setup: Configure time zones and schedule patterns through the visual interface

Webhook Trigger

  • Purpose: Start workflows from external applications

  • Integration: Connect with websites, forms, and third-party services

  • Setup: AgenticFlow provides a unique URL for each webhook trigger

Step 2: Add Processing Nodes

AI Model Nodes

Transform data with the power of artificial intelligence:

Text Generation (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini)

  • Configuration:

    • Select your preferred AI model from the dropdown

    • Set temperature (creativity level) with a visual slider

    • Define max tokens (response length)

    • Input your prompt in the text editor

  • Dynamic Inputs: Reference data from previous nodes using {{node_name.output}}

  • Advanced Settings: Control response format, stop sequences, and model parameters

Image Generation (DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion)

  • Visual Prompt Builder:

    • Enter your image description

    • Set style parameters with dropdown menus

    • Adjust dimensions using preset ratios or custom values

    • Control quality settings with visual sliders

  • Output Formats: Choose PNG, JPEG, or WebP

  • Batch Processing: Generate multiple variations simultaneously

Document Analysis (OCR, PDF Processing)

  • File Input: Upload documents or reference files from previous nodes

  • Processing Options: Extract text, analyze content, or extract specific data

  • Output Configuration: Choose between raw text, structured data, or summaries

Logic and Control Nodes

Conditional (If/Then/Else)

  • Visual Condition Builder:

    • Choose comparison operators from dropdowns

    • Set values using input fields or dynamic references

    • Preview condition results in real-time

  • Multiple Paths: Create complex decision trees with visual branching

  • Data Types: Handle text, numbers, dates, and boolean values

Loop (Repeat Operations)

  • Loop Types:

    • Fixed Count: Repeat a specific number of times

    • Array Processing: Process each item in a list

    • Conditional: Continue until a condition is met

  • Visual Configuration: Set parameters using forms and sliders

  • Nested Loops: Create loops within loops for complex processing

Wait/Delay

  • Timing Options: Seconds, minutes, hours, or days

  • Dynamic Delays: Calculate wait times based on previous node outputs

  • Visual Timeline: See when delayed actions will execute

Data Transformation Nodes

JSON Parser

  • Visual Data Explorer: Browse JSON structure with an expandable tree view

  • Path Builder: Click to select data paths instead of typing them

  • Preview: See extracted data in real-time

  • Error Handling: Visual indicators show parsing issues

Text Processor

  • Operations Menu: Choose from replace, split, join, format, and more

  • Pattern Matching: Visual regex builder for complex text operations

  • Live Preview: See text transformations as you configure them

Data Filter

  • Condition Builder: Create filtering rules using visual forms

  • Multiple Criteria: Combine conditions with AND/OR logic

  • Preview Results: See filtered data before workflow execution

Integration Nodes

Database Operations (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB)

  • Connection Setup: Secure credential storage with encrypted fields

  • Query Builder: Visual interface for creating database queries

  • Table Browser: Explore database structure without leaving AgenticFlow

  • Result Preview: See query results in formatted tables

API Calls (HTTP, REST, GraphQL)

  • Request Builder:

    • Select HTTP method from dropdown (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)

    • Add headers using key-value form pairs

    • Format request body with JSON editor

    • Test requests before saving

  • Authentication: Support for API keys, OAuth, and custom auth

  • Response Handling: Parse and extract data from API responses

File Operations

  • Cloud Storage: Connect to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon S3

  • File Actions: Upload, download, move, copy, delete

  • Format Support: Handle documents, images, videos, and data files

  • Batch Operations: Process multiple files simultaneously

Step 3: Connect Your Nodes

Visual Connection System

  • Drag to Connect: Click and drag from output ports to input ports

  • Smart Routing: Connections automatically route around other nodes

  • Color Coding: Different data types use distinct colors (text=blue, files=green, etc.)

  • Connection Labels: Hover to see data type and validation status

Data Flow Visualization

  • Real-Time Data: See actual data values flowing through connections during testing

  • Error Indicators: Red connections highlight data type mismatches or errors

  • Success Paths: Green connections show successful data flow

  • Branch Visualization: See which conditional paths are taken

Step 4: Configure Node Settings

Dynamic Configuration

Every node's settings can reference data from previous nodes:

  • Variable Reference: Type {{ to see available data from previous nodes

  • Auto-Complete: Intelligent suggestions for available data fields

  • Data Type Matching: Visual indicators show compatible data types

  • Validation: Real-time checking ensures valid references

Advanced Settings

  • Error Handling: Configure what happens when nodes fail

  • Timeout Settings: Set maximum execution time for each operation

  • Retry Logic: Automatically retry failed operations with backoff

  • Conditional Execution: Run nodes only when certain conditions are met


🎯 Node Categories and Use Cases

πŸ€– AI Model Nodes

Text Processing

  • GPT-4 Turbo: Best for complex reasoning and long-form content

  • Claude Sonnet: Excellent for analysis and structured outputs

  • Gemini Pro: Great for multimodal tasks and code generation

  • Llama 3: Open-source option with strong performance

Image & Video

  • DALL-E 3: High-quality image generation from text prompts

  • Midjourney: Artistic and stylized image creation

  • Stable Diffusion: Customizable image generation with fine control

  • RunwayML: Video generation and editing capabilities

Audio Processing

  • ElevenLabs: Natural text-to-speech in multiple voices

  • OpenAI Whisper: Accurate speech-to-text transcription

  • Murf: Professional voice synthesis for presentations

  • AudioCraft: Music and sound effect generation

πŸ”— Integration Nodes

Communication

  • Email (Gmail, Outlook): Send personalized emails and newsletters

  • SMS (Twilio, Vonage): Bulk messaging and notifications

  • Slack/Discord: Team communications and bot integrations

  • Social Media: Post to Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram

Data Sources

  • Spreadsheets (Google Sheets, Excel): Read and write tabular data

  • Databases: Connect to SQL and NoSQL databases

  • CRM Systems: Integrate with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive

  • E-commerce: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce integration

File Management

  • Cloud Storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box

  • Document Processing: PDFs, Word docs, presentations

  • Media Files: Images, videos, audio processing

  • Backup & Archive: Automated file organization and storage

⚑ Logic & Control Nodes

Flow Control

  • Conditional Logic: If/then/else decision making

  • Loops & Iteration: Process lists and arrays

  • Parallel Processing: Run multiple operations simultaneously

  • Error Handling: Catch and handle failures gracefully

Data Operations

  • Transform: Convert data between formats (JSON, CSV, XML)

  • Filter: Remove unwanted data based on criteria

  • Aggregate: Sum, count, average, and group data

  • Validate: Check data quality and format compliance


πŸš€ Building Common Workflows

Content Creation Workflow

  1. Trigger: Scheduled daily at 9 AM

  2. Data Source: Fetch trending topics from RSS feeds

  3. AI Generation: Create article outlines using GPT-4

  4. Content Creation: Generate full articles with Claude

  5. Image Generation: Create featured images with DALL-E

  6. Publishing: Post to WordPress and share on social media

Customer Support Automation

  1. Trigger: New support ticket webhook

  2. Text Analysis: Classify ticket urgency and category

  3. Knowledge Search: Find relevant help articles

  4. AI Response: Generate personalized reply with GPT-4

  5. Human Review: Send for approval if confidence is low

  6. Response Delivery: Reply to customer automatically

Data Processing Pipeline

  1. Trigger: New file uploaded to cloud storage

  2. File Processing: Extract text from documents

  3. AI Analysis: Analyze sentiment and extract key information

  4. Data Transformation: Convert to structured format

  5. Database Storage: Save processed data

  6. Notification: Alert team members of completion

Social Media Management

  1. Trigger: Weekly schedule

  2. Content Planning: Generate post ideas based on trending topics

  3. Visual Creation: Create engaging graphics

  4. Copy Generation: Write platform-specific captions

  5. Scheduling: Queue posts for optimal timing

  6. Analytics: Track performance and adjust strategy


πŸ“Š Testing and Monitoring

Workflow Testing

  • Test Mode: Run workflows with sample data before going live

  • Step-by-Step Debugging: Execute nodes one at a time to identify issues

  • Data Inspector: View actual data values at each step

  • Error Simulation: Test error handling with invalid inputs

Execution Monitoring

  • Live Dashboard: Watch workflows execute in real-time

  • Execution History: Review past runs with detailed logs

  • Performance Metrics: See execution times and resource usage

  • Error Alerts: Get notified when workflows fail

Optimization Tips

  • Parallel Processing: Run independent operations simultaneously

  • Batch Operations: Process multiple items together when possible

  • Caching: Store frequently used data to reduce API calls

  • Error Recovery: Implement retry logic for transient failures


🎨 Best Practices for Visual Workflows

Organization and Clarity

  • Consistent Spacing: Align nodes in a logical flow from left to right

  • Grouping: Use visual spacing to group related operations

  • Naming: Give descriptive names to nodes and connections

  • Comments: Add notes to explain complex logic

Performance Optimization

  • Efficient Connections: Minimize the number of API calls

  • Batch Processing: Group similar operations together

  • Conditional Logic: Skip unnecessary operations when possible

  • Resource Management: Set appropriate timeouts and limits

Error Handling

  • Graceful Failures: Handle errors without stopping the entire workflow

  • Logging: Capture detailed error information for debugging

  • Fallback Options: Provide alternative paths when operations fail

  • User Notifications: Alert stakeholders of critical failures

Security Considerations

  • Secure Credentials: Store API keys and secrets securely

  • Data Validation: Verify input data before processing

  • Access Controls: Limit who can modify sensitive workflows

  • Audit Trails: Track changes to workflows and configurations


🌟 Advanced Features

Workflow Templates

  • Industry Templates: Pre-built workflows for common use cases

  • Custom Templates: Save your workflows as reusable templates

  • Template Marketplace: Share and discover community templates

  • Version Control: Track changes and revert to previous versions

Collaboration

  • Team Workspaces: Share workflows with team members

  • Permission Management: Control who can view and edit workflows

  • Comments and Reviews: Collaborate on workflow improvements

  • Real-Time Editing: Work together on workflows simultaneously

Enterprise Features

  • High Availability: Redundant infrastructure for mission-critical workflows

  • Scaling: Handle thousands of concurrent executions

  • Compliance: SOC 2, GDPR, and industry-specific compliance

  • Custom Integrations: Build your own nodes and integrations


The Visual Workflow Builder makes AI automation accessible to everyone. Start simple with basic automations, then expand to complex multi-step processes as you become more comfortable with the platform. The visual interface ensures you always understand exactly what your automations are doing, making it easy to maintain and modify them as your needs evolve.

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