Creating workflows in Box Automate

This guide provides end users with a complete walkthrough for building, configuring, and managing workflows using the Box Automate builder.

Getting Started with the Workflow Builder

To begin creating a workflow: 

1. Navigate to the Box Automate section of your Box account
2. Click New+ to create a workflow
3. Configure the settings below:

• The Header: Where you name your workflow and manage publishing states.
• The Builder Canvas: A visual, drag-and-drop workspace where you map out your process logic.
• The Side Panel: Your library of available Triggers, Outcomes, and Branching options.
• Workflow Settings: Set the name of the workflow.

4. Open the builder to an empty canvas.
5. Add a Trigger: 
   1. Drag a trigger event from the Flow Triggers section in the side panel onto the canvas. This is the event that will kick off your automation.
6. Define Outcomes
   1.  Once a trigger is placed, the canvas will show a "+" helper node. Drag outcomes or click the node to add steps that should follow the trigger.

Understanding Triggers

Triggers are specific events that initiate an Automate workflow. In Box Automate, triggers are designed to be content-aware and can be scoped to specific folders or metadata conditions.

Trigger Types

• File Events: Initiate workflows when a file is: Uploaded, Moved, Copied, Downloaded, or Deleted, Preview, Lock, Unlock, Watermark Removed, Add Collaborator, Classification Applied, File with Metadata.
• Folder Events: Trigger actions: Created, Moved, Copied, Downloaded, or Deleted or Add Collaborator
• Task Events: Workflows can start when a General Task or an Approval Task (Accepted or Rejected) is completed.
• File Request: Launches a workflow when someone completes the File Request form and uses it to submit content to the designated Box folder.
• Box Sign: Trigger sign events such as Completed, Declined, Expired, Cancelled
• Metadata Triggers: Launch a workflow when a specific Metadata Template is applied or when a specific attribute value is updated. This supports conditional logic such as "Equal to," "Contains," or "Is blank."
• Manual Start: Allows users to manually invoke a workflow directly from the file or folder "More Options" menu in the Box web app. This is ideal for processes that require human discretion before starting.
• Form Submissions: If enabled (Enterprise Advanced Plus accounts only), a workflow starts every time a designated Box Form is submitted.

Configuring Outcomes

Outcomes are the automated steps performed by the workflow. Box Automate allows you to chain multiple outcomes together and use dynamic variables to pass data between steps.

Key Outcome Capabilities

• File Outcomes: Continues workflows when a file is: 
  • Moved
  • Copied 
  • Renamed
  • Deleted 
  • Lock 
  • Unlock
  • Watermark Added/Removed 
  • Add/Remove Collaborator 
  • Classification Applied.
• Folder Outcomes:
  • Created
  • Moved
  • Copied
  • Renamed
  • Deleted
  • Restored
  • Add/Remove Collaborator
  • Classification Applied
• Collaboration: Add or remove collaborators from specific files or folders dynamically.
• Task Assignments: Assign Approval Tasks or General Tasks to specific users or groups. You can include custom instructions and set due dates.
  • When using an AI outcome, it is recommended to include an approval task to ensure you are able to verify the AI outcome results.  
• Notifications: Send automated email notifications to specific recipients. You can customize the subject and message body using variables (e.g., including the name of the person who started the workflow).
• Box AI: For any AI related outcomes it is recommended to include an approval task to review AI outcomes, ensuring the results are correct as needed:
  • Document summarization: Select an agent for responses, and include prompt instructions if needed.
  • Automated Q&A: 
• Metadata Extract: Select an Extract agent, and then the file to extract the information form. 
• Document Generation: Select from a metadata template, enter a name or variable for the document, and folder location.
• Requesting Signatures
• Integrations: Box Automate integrates with Box tools, third-party connectors, and via APIs.
• Metadata: apply, update, or extract metadata using AI for files and folders.

Logic, Branching, and Variables

Box Automate supports complex, non-linear business processes through advanced routing:

• Branching: Use conditional logic to route the workflow down different paths (e.g., if a task is "Rejected," move the file to a different folder than if it were "Approved").
• Loops: 
  • For Each Loop: Iterate over a list of users, files, or all files in a folder
  • Loop Back (Go Back): Send the flow back to a previous step with a configurable max loop count
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• Variables: Variables allow outcomes to use information from earlier steps. For example, a "Rename" outcome can use a metadata value extracted by a previous AI step or the name of the user who uploaded the file.
• Merging: Parallel branches can be merged back into a single path before the final outcome is performed.

Saving and Publishing

• Saving Drafts: You can click Save at any time to store your progress. Drafts can be saved even if they contain errors or incomplete configurations. Additionally, if a workflow draft is saved while the previous is active, you will need to reactivate the draft to update it to the newest version. 
• Publishing: Click Publish, validating and then activating the workflow.

Monitoring and Tracking

After a workflow is active, you can monitor its performance through the Tracking page. This provides a granular, step-by-step history of every execution, including timestamps, variable values used at each step, and the current status of active tasks. This allows stakeholders to troubleshoot issues and monitor process efficiency effectively.