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This guide explains the core concepts you need to understand when working with Workflow Builder.

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Workflow templates

A workflow template is a reusable definition of a business process. Templates contain:
  • Name and description - Human-readable identifiers
  • Steps - Individual units of work
  • Transitions - Connections between steps
  • Step groups - Logical groupings for UI organization
Templates support multiple versions, allowing you to iterate on designs while maintaining stable production workflows.

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Workflow versions

Each template can have multiple versions with different statuses:
StatusDescription
DRAFTIn development, can be edited
PUBLISHEDReady to be activated, cannot be edited
DEPRECATEDNo longer recommended for use
Only one version can be active at a time. When a workflow is triggered, the active version is used.

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Workflow executions

An execution is a running instance of a workflow template version. Each execution tracks:
  • Runtime status - Current state (NOT_STARTED, IN_PROGRESS, COMPLETED, FAILED, CANCELLED)
  • Step states - Status of each step in the execution
  • Context - Data passed into and generated by the workflow
  • Timestamps - When the execution started, completed, or failed
Links determine when workflows are triggered automatically:
  • SERVICE_CATALOG - Triggered when a specific service request type is created
  • PRODUCT - Triggered when a specific product is purchased

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Expressions and evaluation

Workflow Builder uses JSONata expressions for dynamic values and conditions.

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Evaluation scope

All expressions are evaluated against an environment with these properties:
VariableDescriptionExample
__context__Access the global workflow context__context__.customerId
__steps__Access any step’s output__steps__.stepId.name
__datasources__Access fetched datasource outputs__datasources__.dsId.data
__each__Access current item in iterations__each__.id

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Example expression

__context__.customer.type = 'premium' and __steps__.verification.approved = true

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Value providers

Value providers define how to produce a value in mappings and configurations:

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Constant value

A hardcoded value: 
{
  "type": "const",
  "value": "Hello World"
}

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Field reference

Access a value from context, step output, datasource, or iteration: 
{
  "type": "field",
  "ref": {
    "source": "CONTEXT",
    "path": "customer.email"
  }
}

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Expression

Compute a value using JSONata: 
{
  "type": "expr",
  "expr": {
    "type": "jsonata",
    "src": "__context__.firstName & ' ' & __context__.lastName"
  }
}

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Mappings

Mappings define how to transform and assign values: 
{
  "id": "map-customer-name",
  "targetPath": "customerName",
  "value": {
    "type": "expr",
    "expr": { "src": "__context__.customer.fullName" }
  },
  "mode": "set"
}
PropertyDescription
targetPathDot-notation path for the destination
valueValue provider defining the source
modeset (replace) or append (for arrays)

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Datasource calls

Fetch external data during workflow execution: 
{
  "id": "fetch-customer",
  "alias": "customer",
  "type": "COMMENDA_LOGICAL_BACKEND",
  "dataSourceID": "ds-customer-api",
  "params": {
    "customerId": {
      "type": "field",
      "ref": { "source": "CONTEXT", "path": "customerId" }
    }
  },
  "select": { "type": "jsonata", "src": "$.data" },
  "scope": "per-step"
}
PropertyDescription
dataSourceIDReference to the datasource definition
paramsParameters to pass to the datasource
selectTransform the response (optional)
scopeper-step or per-item for batch workflows

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Next steps

Step types

Learn about all available step types

JSON schemas

Understand data validation with schemas