Understand automations in WRKZY

The mental model

A WRKZY automation is a published workflow that listens for one customer or business signal, evaluates controls, and then performs ordered steps. Think of it as five connected decisions: when to start, who or what qualifies, what should happen, when a person must intervene, and what proves the run completed.

The automation directory is the operating console—not just a list. It separates configuration from execution and shows how many workflows are live, paused, draft, or need attention. It also summarizes recent retained-run success and pending work.

Lifecycle states

A workflow can also have unpublished changes. That means the builder contains edits while the currently published version remains the execution source. Do not assume a saved edit is live.

Tour the automation workspace

1. Open Automations in the intended workspace.
2. Read the summary cards: Live, Needs attention, and Outcomes.
3. Use search or filter by lifecycle status, owner, channel, or outcome.
4. Open a workflow. Use Overview for health and intent, Builder for configuration, and Runs for execution evidence.
5. If the directory shows Needs attention, open that workflow's Runs before making design changes.

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What each layer answers

• Outcome answers why the automation exists: respond, qualify, follow up, recover, convert, retain, collect, or escalate.
• Trigger answers which event can enroll a record.
• Safety and journey rules answer who should be suppressed, how often the workflow may run, and when it exits.
• Steps answer what WRKZY attempts, including conditions, waits, customer messages, CRM changes, routing, or webhooks.
• Published version answers which immutable configuration produced a run.
• Run details and action outcomes answer what actually happened.

A practical reading exercise

For any live workflow, explain it in one sentence: “When this verified event occurs for this eligible record, WRKZY will perform these controlled actions, unless this stop or failure rule applies.” If you cannot complete that sentence from the builder, the workflow is not yet easy enough to operate.

Verify your understanding

Choose one workflow and confirm:

• Its owner, outcome, trigger, current lifecycle state, and published version are visible.
• A teammate can distinguish the live version from saved draft changes.
• The Runs view shows recent outcomes or clearly shows that no run has occurred.
• Waiting work and recent failures are not being mistaken for successful completion.

Safe next steps

If the workflow purpose is sound but configuration is unclear, pause it before editing. If the purpose itself is unclear, duplicate it into a draft or archive it after confirming no business process depends on it. Preserve the workflow name, approximate failure time, run ID, published version, and redacted error when escalating.