> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cassidyai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Overview of Workflows
> Automate complex, multi-step processes with AI-powered Workflows that save time and boost productivity across your organization.
Workflows in Cassidy let you automate multi-step processes by chaining together triggers, AI actions, and integrations into a single repeatable automation. Instead of performing tasks manually or relying on a back-and-forth conversation, a Workflow runs a defined sequence of steps every time -- producing consistent, reliable results.
## How Workflows work
Every Workflow has two building blocks:
* **Trigger** -- the event that starts the Workflow. This can be a manual form submission, a scheduled time, an incoming [webhook](/integrations/webhooks), an [inbound email](/reference/triggers/email), or an event in a connected app like [Slack](/integrations/slack/overview), [HubSpot](/integrations/hubspot/overview), or [Zendesk](/integrations/zendesk/overview).
* **Actions** -- the steps the Workflow performs after the trigger fires. Actions can generate text with AI, query your [Knowledge Base](/knowledge-base/overview), send emails, update CRM records, create documents, run code, and much more.
You chain actions together by [referencing variables](/workflows/building#reference-variables-between-steps) -- the output of one action becomes the input of the next. This lets you build sophisticated automations without writing any code.
## Key features
* **Template library** -- browse pre-built Workflows for common use cases like sales outreach, customer support triage, and meeting follow-ups, then customize them for your team.
* **Workflow Copilot** -- describe what you want to automate in plain language and Cassidy's AI will generate a complete Workflow for you.
* **Integration support** -- connect Workflows to your existing tools via native integrations, webhooks, or [Zapier](/integrations/zapier/overview).
* **Conditional logic** -- use [Paths](/workflows/building#add-conditional-logic-with-paths) to branch your Workflow based on conditions, routing data to different actions depending on the situation.
* **Structured outputs** -- define [specific output fields](/workflows/advanced/structured-output-fields) so your Workflow produces consistently formatted data you can feed into other systems.
## Ways to run a Workflow
Fill in inputs manually and run a Workflow once to get an immediate result.
Import a CSV or use Smart Import to run a Workflow across an entire dataset at once.
Set a Workflow to run automatically on a recurring schedule.
Trigger Workflows from events in connected tools like Slack, Zendesk, or via webhooks.
You can also [run Workflows directly in chat](/guides/chatting-with-an-agent) or equip an [Agent](/agents/overview) with the [Call Workflow](/agents/call-workflow) capability so it can decide when to run a relevant Workflow during a conversation.
## When to use a Workflow vs an Agent
**Use a Workflow** when you want a predictable, repeatable process -- the same steps run the same way every time. Workflows are ideal for tasks with defined inputs and outputs, like generating reports, enriching CRM records, or processing incoming tickets.
**Use an [Agent](/agents/overview)** when you need a flexible, conversational experience -- where the user asks follow-up questions, explores different angles, or needs the AI to decide what to do next. Agents are ideal for research, Q\&A, and tasks where the path isn't predetermined.
Many teams combine both: an Agent handles the conversation, and when a structured task comes up, it [calls a Workflow](/agents/call-workflow) to handle the heavy lifting.
## Next steps
Create your first Workflow from scratch or from a template.
Learn the different ways to execute and debug your Workflows.
Import datasets and run Workflows in bulk.
Manage permissions and deploy externally.