Estimated Read Time: 4 minutes
Overview
Workflows are automated sequences that handle repetitive tasks in your business. Think of a workflow as a helpful assistant that watches for specific moments (called "triggers") and then automatically takes action based on rules you've set up. Instead of manually performing the same task over and over, workflows do the work for you—consistently and reliably, every single time.
Key Terms
Workflow: An automated sequence that performs specific actions based on triggers and conditions you define.
Trigger: The event that starts a workflow into action.
Sequence: The series of steps a workflow follows once triggered.
Active: A workflow that's currently turned on and running. It will respond to triggers whenever they occur.
Inactive: A workflow that's currently turned off. It won't respond to triggers until you turn it back on.
Why Workflows Matter
Workflows solve a real problem: repetitive work slows teams down.
Without workflows, repetitive tasks create problems:
- Manual work takes significant time
- Inconsistency between team members (one person summarizes differently than another)
- Important details get missed
Workflows solve this by:
- Executing the same process perfectly every time
- Freeing your team to focus on higher-value work like building relationships and solving problems
Real-world example: Instead of manually summarizing every customer call, a workflow automatically captures key points, action items, and next steps. Your team gets consistent summaries instantly—and everyone stays aligned.
Where to Find Workflows
To access Workflows in AskElephant:
- From the main landing page, click "Workflows" in the left-hand navigation menu
- You'll see all your current workflows listed, along with tools to create new ones
Understanding Workflow Status
When you look at your workflows, you'll see their current status:
- Active workflows are like trains on the tracks—they're running right now and watching for triggers.
- Inactive workflows are paused. They won't respond to triggers until you turn them back on.
Pro tip: Always check the status of critical workflows regularly. A workflow that should be active but isn't could mean missed automations.
Structure of Workflows
Workflows are built from nodes—the individual steps that make up your automation. Each node takes input and converts it into an output.
There are two types of nodes:
Trigger Nodes — The starting point that kicks off your workflow. A trigger appears only once per workflow (example: "a new meeting recorded").
Action Nodes — The steps that follow the trigger. Action nodes process information, filter data, run prompts, and generate outputs like summaries, CRM updates, emails, or Slack notifications. Each action node has its own configuration settings and produces either synthesized output or performs a specific action.
AskElephant includes native action nodes (conversation creation, filtering, prompts, etc.) plus integration-specific nodes for HubSpot, Salesforce, Notion, Slack, and other tools.
Workflow Use Cases
Use Case | Description |
Meeting Summaries | Automatically summarize meetings and send them to your team. |
CRM Updates | Capture key information from conversations and automatically update deals in HubSpot or Salesforce. |
Customer Health Monitoring | Analyze multiple meetings to assess customer health and flag at-risk accounts. |
Lead Routing | Automatically qualify and route leads to the right team members. |
Meeting Context | Search past meetings, add external research, and create comprehensive summaries with one workflow. |
When Workflows Don't Run (Troubleshooting)
If you see a workflow showing "NA" for "Last Run," it typically means one of three things:
- The trigger hasn't occurred yet — The specific event the workflow is watching for hasn't happened
- Conditions haven't been met — You set specific rules, and those rules haven't triggered
- There's a trigger configuration issue — The workflow may not be set up correctly to catch triggers
Action: Review workflows showing "NA" if you expected them to run. Check your trigger settings and conditions.
Next Steps
Now that you understand what workflows are and why they matter, you're ready to explore them further. The next logical step is learning about Recipes—pre-built workflow templates that make getting started quick and easy. Check out our guide on Recipes to learn how to leverage existing templates instead of building from scratch.
Need Additional Help?
If you have questions or need further assistance, the AskElephant support team is here to help!
You can reach our support team in several ways:
- click the chat button in the bottom right corner of your screen,
- email us at support@askelephant.ai
- or use @askelephant support in your dedicated Slack channel.
We're committed to getting you the answers you need as quickly as possible.