Workflows & Automation

Workflows are automated processes that run your business. They respond to events, process information, and take action — all automatically.

What is a Workflow?

A workflow is:

An automated process: Responds to events and takes action
Event-driven: Triggers on emails, tasks, conversations, etc.
Configurable: You control what happens and when
Traceable: Every action is logged and explainable

Workflows turn routine processes into automated systems that run 24/7.

How Workflows Work

1. Event Triggers

Workflows start when events occur:

Email received: New email arrives at your Solo Identity
Task created: Agent or user creates a task
Conversation updated: New message in a conversation
Agent action: Agent takes a specific action
Scheduled: Time-based triggers (cron-like)

2. Processing

The workflow processes the event:

Analyzes context: Understands what happened
Makes decisions: Determines what to do
Takes action: Executes the workflow steps
Logs results: Records what happened

3. Actions

Workflows can:

Send emails: Reply, forward, notify
Create tasks: Turn events into actionable items
Update data: Modify records, status, etc.
Invoke agents: Trigger other agents
Call APIs: Integrate with external services

Types of Workflows

Solo's Default Workflows

Included with every Solo Identity

Solo provides built-in workflows that work automatically:

Email processing: Categorize, route, and respond to emails
Task management: Create tasks from actionable emails
Agent coordination: Route work to appropriate agents
Usage tracking: Monitor token usage and executions

Benefits:

✅ No configuration required
✅ Token usage tracking included
✅ Agent execution monitoring
✅ Optimized for performance

When to use:

Most users should use Solo's default workflows
Perfect for getting started
Covers 90% of use cases

Custom Workflow Tools

Advanced automation with your own workflow tool instance (such as n8n)

For advanced users who need:

Complex multi-step workflows
Custom integrations
Advanced logic and branching
Full control over automation

Requirements:

Your own n8n instance
Webhook URL configuration
API key for authentication
Understanding of n8n workflows

When to use:

You need workflows beyond Solo's defaults
You have existing workflows in your tool (e.g., n8n)
You need custom integrations
You want full control

See Custom Workflow Tools for setup.

Workflow Events

Workflows receive events with this structure:

{
  "eventId": "uuid",
  "scope": "identity" | "business",
  "identityId": "uuid",
  "agent": {
    "id": "uuid",
    "kind": "inbox-manager",
    "name": "Jordan"
  },
  "type": "email" | "chat" | "task",
  "content": "...",
  "metadata": { ... }
}

Event Types

Email Events

New email received
Email replied to
Email forwarded
Attachment received

Task Events

Task created
Task updated
Task completed
Task assigned

Conversation Events

New message
Conversation updated
Participant added
Status changed

Agent Events

Agent action taken
Agent decision made
Agent escalation
Agent error

Workflow Configuration

Important: You don't need to configure workflows to get started. All workflows are built into Solo and work automatically.

Default Workflows (Solo)

Automatically enabled: Workflows run automatically
No configuration needed: Just sign up and use Solo
Includes usage tracking: Token usage and executions tracked automatically
Can't be disabled: Core functionality required for Solo to work
Internal to Solo: All workflows exist within Solo's system

Extended & Custom Workflows

Extended workflows: Available based on your plan
Custom options: Reach out to sales to learn about custom workflow options
Advanced customization: May require custom workflow tool instance (see below)

Custom Workflow Tools (Advanced)

For users who need full control over automation:

Enable Custom Workflows: Toggle "Use Custom Workflow Instance" in Settings → Workflow
Webhook URL: Your workflow tool's webhook endpoint (e.g., n8n, Zapier, Make)
API Key: Authentication token
Save: Configuration is saved

Important: When using custom workflow tools (such as n8n):

Solo's default workflows are disabled
You must handle all automation yourself
Usage tracking may be limited
You're responsible for workflow reliability

Workflow Best Practices

No Setup Required

Workflows work automatically: All workflows are built into Solo and run automatically
No configuration needed: Just sign up and start using Solo
No maintenance: Solo handles all workflow operations internally
Focus on your work: Let workflows handle automation behind the scenes

Understanding Your Workflows

Default workflows: Run automatically for all users
Extended workflows: Available based on your plan
Custom options: Reach out to sales to learn about custom workflow options
Advanced customization: May require custom workflow tool instance (see Custom Workflow Tools)

Monitor Usage (Optional)

Check token usage regularly in Settings → Workflow
Monitor execution counts
Watch for errors or failures
Stay within plan limits

Custom Workflows (If Using)

Test workflows thoroughly before enabling
Start with simple workflows
Monitor for errors and issues
Have fallback plans

Workflow Examples

Email Auto-Reply

Trigger: Email received Action:

Analyze email content
Determine if auto-reply is appropriate
Draft reply
Send (or hold for approval)

Task Creation

Trigger: Email with actionable item Action:

Extract task details
Create task
Assign to appropriate agent
Notify relevant parties

Escalation

Trigger: Agent confidence below threshold Action:

Notify human reviewer
Hold action pending approval
Log escalation reason
Follow up if no response

Troubleshooting

Workflow not triggering?

Check workflow is enabled
Verify event types match
Check webhook URL (custom workflow tools)
Review logs for errors

Workflow errors?

Check your workflow tool instance status (custom)
Verify API key is valid
Review workflow logic
Check rate limits

High usage?

Review workflow efficiency
Optimize workflow steps
Consider caching
Monitor token consumption

Next Steps

Version: 1.0
Last Updated: November 2025