Multi-step workflow agents
From an incoming event to a review-ready handoff. Operational agents assemble typed context across channels, run parallel checks against your systems, and pause at an explicit human checkpoint whenever a discrepancy appears.
Design your workflowIllustrative · synthetic workflow example
A synthetic onboarding run collects inputs from a form, email, and ERP, executes three parallel verification branches, stages clean items in draft mode, and pauses at a human checkpoint over a billing cycle discrepancy.
2 branches matched · 1 checkpoint hold
01 · Trigger & context intake
Inputs across three channels normalize into one typed context record before branches run.
Typed context validated · 14 structured fields
02 · Orchestration graph & parallel checks
assemble_contextFan-out to three parallel verification branchesverify_documentsMatchedSignatures, validity dates, and mandatory clauses confirmed
cross_check_recordsReviewMismatch: form requests quarterly billing, contract sets monthly
prepare_handoffMatchedProvisioning checklist and workspace roles staged as draft
03 · Exception & approval queue
Execution pauses at the approval gate and surfaces the conflicting clauses side by side.
Linked source citations
An operational workflow agent never improvises its control flow. It pairs unstructured understanding with an explicit state graph, typed schemas, and deterministic gates.
Operational event trigger
state.intake_contextstate.parallel_checksstate.human_signoffA run starts from a form submission, inbound email, webhook, or schedule. The agent fetches related records, extracts structured fields from attachments, and validates everything against a typed schema before advancing.
Forms, email, ERP & CRM · upfront schema validationIndependent branches execute concurrently: document verification, cross-system reconciliation, and draft payload preparation. Deterministic business rules classify clean matches versus exceptions.
Concurrent verification branches · zero premature writesClean runs advance to draft readiness or authorized next steps. Any conflict, missing evidence, or high-impact write pauses at an explicit human checkpoint with linked citations, owner assignment, and an immutable step log.
Owner assignment · linked citations · closed-loop auditStart where work stalls between systems or waits on manual chasing, and shape each workflow around your team's rules.
Closed-won CRM record or submitted onboarding package
Human sign-off required on non-standard commercial terms or missing annexes
Collects agreements, intake forms, and security annexes, verifies completeness across fields and signatures, drafts targeted follow-ups for missing items, and stages provisioning tasks for operations.
Inbound delivery receipt or supplier invoice arrival
Routes quantity gaps, unit-price differences, or unapproved line items to a buyer
Matches line items across the purchase order, warehouse receipt, and supplier invoice. Clean matches stage for accounting entry while discrepancies queue with exact line-level evidence.
New enterprise support ticket or operational alert
Support owner review before external replies, account credits, or config changes
Pulls account history, active configuration, recent logs, and service terms, classifies severity, attaches a source-cited diagnostic brief to the ticket, and prepares a draft reply.
Scheduled pre-shift run across operational queues
Reassignments and supplier escalations wait for operations lead confirmation
Scans stalled orders, cross-team handoff bottlenecks, and incomplete records overnight, groups findings by owner, and delivers a concise briefing linked directly to each underlying record.
When an agent connects to operational systems, governance is part of the runtime architecture: enforced by schemas, checkpoints, and step logs.
Every tool input, extracted payload, and state transition validates against a typed schema, catching malformed or incomplete data before any downstream write.
High-impact writes, external messages, and policy exceptions pause cleanly in draft state until the designated owner reviews the evidence and approves.
Idempotency keys and persisted step checkpoints let interrupted runs resume cleanly when an external API times out, without duplicating writes or notifications.
Every trigger payload, source lookup, rule evaluation, and human sign-off is recorded in one inspectable timeline so teams can audit why any step advanced or held.
A staged rollout validates decision quality on real operational traffic before enabling controlled write actions.
Select one high-friction operational handoff and document its exact inputs, matching rules, failure modes, and human escalation criteria.
State graph & typed schema specWire read-only integrations first and evaluate the agent against real operational cases in draft mode without modifying live records.
Verified accuracy against real runsTurn on draft creation and bounded system updates while routing every exception or sensitive transition through owner sign-off.
Controlled production rolloutAdd new verification branches, connected systems, and sibling playbooks on the same permissions and audit foundation.
Reusable operational backboneLet's start with one recurring operational process: map its inputs, the checks between systems, and the exact checkpoints where people stay in control.
Talk about your workflow