Workflows
Trigger automated workflows directly from chat — mention them with @ or use them through agents.
What are Workflows in Chat?
Workflows are multi-step automations built in the Workflow Builder. Normally you run them from the Workflows page, but you can also trigger them directly from a chat conversation — either by mentioning a workflow with @ or by chatting with an agent that has workflows attached as actions.
When a workflow runs from chat, you see real-time progress and the final result inline in the conversation. No need to switch to the workflow run history.
Two ways to trigger workflows from chat:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Mention in chat | Type @ in the message input, select a workflow, and send your message |
| Agent with workflows | Chat with an agent that has workflows added as actions — the AI decides when to call them |
Triggering a workflow from chat
Type @ in the chat input to open the mention menu. You'll see a Workflows section listing all workflows you have access to. Select one to tag it in your message.
When you send the message, the AI reads your request and decides whether to trigger the tagged workflow. If it does, you'll see a confirmation panel before the workflow actually runs.
Only workflows that meet all of these conditions appear in the mention menu:
- The workflow belongs to your workspace
- You have access to it (you own it or it's shared with you)
- The workflow is active (published)
- The workflow uses a supported trigger type (see below)
Supported trigger types
Not every workflow can be triggered from chat. Only these trigger types are supported:
| Trigger type | Available in chat? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | Yes | Simple confirm-and-run — no input fields |
| Form | Yes | Shows the form fields inline in chat for you to fill out |
| Scheduled | Yes | Can also be triggered on-demand from chat |
| Webhook | No | Must be triggered by an external HTTP call |
| Integration | No | Must be triggered by an integration event |
Using workflows through agents
Agents can have workflows added as actions in the agent editor. When you chat with the agent, the AI automatically decides when to call a workflow based on your request — just like it decides when to use any other tool.
Adding a workflow to an agent
- Open the agent in the agent editor
- Go to the Actions section
- Click Add action and switch to the Workflows tab
- Select the workflow you want to attach
To detach a workflow, click the X on its card in the Actions section.
You can also attach or detach workflows in the Agent Builder chat. Ask something like "Attach the Summarize Report workflow to this agent" or "Remove the onboarding workflow". The builder searches workflows you have access to, attaches matching ones, and shows the change inline. Only active workflows appear in this search.
How the AI decides to call a workflow
Each attached workflow becomes a tool the AI can call. The tool name is derived from the workflow name (e.g., a workflow named "Summarize Report" becomes the tool workflow_summarize_report). The AI reads the workflow's description and trigger fields to decide when the tool is relevant to your request.
For form-trigger workflows, the AI sees the form field definitions (names, types, descriptions) as the tool's input schema. It can fill in form fields from your message context — for example, if you say "summarize this document" and there's a FILE field, the AI will reference the conversation's attachments.
For manual and scheduled workflows, the tool input is a simple confirmation — the AI proposes triggering the workflow, and you confirm or deny.
Confirmation flow
Every workflow triggered from chat requires your explicit confirmation before it runs. Workflows can perform external actions (sending emails, creating records, calling APIs), so you always get the chance to review before execution.
Manual and scheduled workflows
You see a compact panel with the workflow name and two buttons:
- Trigger — confirms and starts the workflow run
- Deny — cancels the workflow call. The AI acknowledges the denial and moves on without asking again.
Form workflows
The form fields are rendered inline in the chat. If you have file attachments in the conversation, FILE fields are automatically pre-filled:
- Single-file fields get the most recent file; if the form has several, each field gets one of the newest files in upload order
- Multi-file fields get the most recent files from the conversation (up to 50)
If a form has several FILE fields and at least one of them accepts multiple files, nothing is pre-filled and you pick the files yourself.
You can review, modify, or clear the pre-filled values before submitting. Click Trigger to run the workflow with the form data, or Deny to cancel.
Live progress and results
Once you confirm, the chat shows real-time status updates:
| State | What you see |
|---|---|
| Running | Animated Running "[workflow name]" workflow indicator |
| Completed | Ran "[workflow name]" workflow in Xs with the output displayed below |
| Failed | "[workflow name]" workflow failed with a red panel showing the failure details |
| Declined | [workflow name] (cancelled) header. Expand it to see the amber Workflow execution was declined notice |
When a workflow is triggered, the workflow progress is visible, as long as the workflow is running.
As soon as the workflow returns an output via an Output node, the output value is shown directly in the chat message as a formatted result panel. If there is no Output node, you see a generic "completed" message without detailed output.
Access control
Workflow access in chat follows the same permission model as everywhere else in ajan, with one important nuance for agent-attached workflows.
When you mention a workflow with @, it only appears in your mention menu if you have access to it. If you can't see it, you can't trigger it.
When a workflow is attached to an agent, the access check happens at execution time, not when you open the agent. This means:
- You can chat with an agent that has a workflow you don't have access to
- The AI knows the workflow exists and might try to call it
- When it does, you see an error message saying you do not have access and should contact an administrator
| How the workflow is shared | Can trigger from chat? |
|---|---|
| You own the workflow | Yes |
| Shared with the entire workspace | Yes — all workspace members |
| Shared with specific people or groups | Yes, if you are included |
| Not shared with you | No — you get an access error |
Form workflows attached to an agent are an exception. If the form's Access control is set to Workspace or Public, anyone in your workspace can trigger the workflow through the agent, even if it was never shared with them.
Limitations
| Limitation | Details |
|---|---|
| Mobile | You cannot mention workflows in the mobile app. An agent can still call an attached workflow there, but mobile has no Trigger or Deny buttons, so the call can remain pending while it waits for confirmation. |
| Agent-to-Agent (A2A) | When an agent calls another agent via A2A, the sub-agent cannot trigger workflows. Workflow tools are disabled in the A2A execution path to prevent recursive triggers. |
| File pre-fill cap | Up to 50 conversation attachments are considered when pre-filling FILE fields, newest first. Older files beyond this limit are not included. |
| Tool name length | Workflow tool names are capped at 63 characters (a provider-level constraint). Very long workflow names get their tool name truncated. |
| Duplicate workflow calls | The AI is instructed not to call the same workflow more than once per user request. Different workflows can await your confirmation from the same response. |
| Confirmation always required | Every workflow trigger from chat requires explicit user confirmation. There is no auto-execute mode for chat-triggered workflows. |
| Unsupported triggers | Workflows with webhook or integration triggers cannot be triggered from chat. These trigger types are designed for external event sources. |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Type @ in any chat, select a workflow from the mention menu, and send your message. No agent needed. The AI will decide whether to trigger the workflow based on your request.
The chat keeps checking until the workflow reaches a terminal state. You'll see a Running "[workflow name]" workflow indicator for as long as it's in progress. There's no timeout in the chat view. Even workflows that run for minutes eventually show their result.
Not from the chat UI directly. If you need to cancel a running workflow, go to the workflow's run history in the Workflows section.
Check that the workflow is active (published), uses a supported trigger type (manual, form, or scheduled), and that you have access to it. Webhook and integration-triggered workflows never appear in the menu.
Yes. If an agent has multiple workflows attached, the AI can call different workflows in the same response.
Yes, for FILE-type form fields. When a workflow has FILE fields and the conversation has attachments, those fields are pre-filled from the conversation. Multi-file fields get the most recent files (up to 50); single-file fields get the most recent one. You can always change or clear these before confirming.
FAQ
Use a workflow when the task has repeatable steps, structured inputs, branching logic, approvals, or integrations that should run in a predictable order. Use an agent when the task is more conversational or requires flexible reasoning.
Workflows can call agents, perform actions, process files, and pass outputs between nodes. Each step should have clear inputs and outputs so later nodes can use the result reliably.