# What workflows are

> A workflow is a saved, repeatable job you build once and run over your CRM records: a fixed sequence of steps you run by hand, on a schedule, or from a table, with every run inspectable.

- Source: https://spiich.ai/help/workflows/workflows-overview
- Section: Workflows
- Who can do this: Everyone
- Time: 4 minutes
- Last updated: 2026-08-24

## Before you start

- An active subscription or trial. Every workflow feature requires a paying account.

A workflow is a job you build once and Spiich runs the same way every time: a fixed sequence of steps that reads your CRM records, works on them, and writes back what it found. You run it by hand, put it on a schedule, or let a rep fire it against rows they picked in a table, and every single run stays open for you to inspect afterward.

## What makes something a workflow

A workflow is three things bundled together: a trigger that decides when it starts and what records go in, a sequence of steps that runs in order, with branches and loops where you need them, and a record of every run so you can see exactly what happened. Nothing about a workflow is implicit. You draw the steps yourself on a canvas, in the order you want them to run, and Spiich follows that order every time.

## Workflows compared with background agents

The two automation surfaces in Spiich solve different problems, and it helps to be clear about which one you want before you build.

| | Workflow | Background agent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Decides when to act | You do: manual, schedule, or from a table | The agent does, inside permissions you grant once |
| Shape of the work | A fixed sequence of steps you lay out on a canvas | A single instruction (Objective, Process, Output) the agent interprets itself |
| Best for | A repeatable process with real steps: research, then qualify, then write, then note | An ongoing job that reacts to whatever the CRM does next |
| Inspecting it | Every step of every run, in order, on the canvas | The agent's own run plan and activity log |

If what you want is "when a Deal's stage changes, do X," that is a background agent. See [What background agents are](/help/background-agents/background-agents-overview). If what you want is "every morning, work through this list of accounts the same way, step by step," that is a workflow.

## The Workflows list

Open [**Workflows**](https://app.spiich.ai/workflows) from the left sidebar, or find it from the command palette. The list shows every workflow in the workspace as a row: its name, its description, whether it is **Live** or **Draft, not live**, and a short line about its recent activity. Click a row to open it.

A brand-new workspace sees "No workflows yet. Build your first automation to research, qualify, and save records," with a button to start.

## Create a workflow

1. **Click New workflow**
   From the Workflows list, click **New workflow**. The same dialog opens from the empty state.

2. **Name it**
   Give it a name you would recognize in a list of twenty, for example "Daily lead generation." A **Description** is optional, and it is what shows up as the summary line on the list.

3. **Create it**
   Click **Create workflow**. The workflow opens on its setup screen, where you choose a template or start from scratch. See [Build a workflow](/help/workflows/build-a-workflow).

## Versions, Live and Draft

Every time you save, Spiich writes a numbered version of the workflow. That version is a snapshot: its steps, its trigger, its run settings, all frozen at that moment. Saving does not make a workflow run.

Only the version you **Activate** is the one that actually fires on a schedule or from a table. That distinction matters most when you edit something that is already live: saving writes a new draft version, and the previously activated version keeps running exactly as it was until you activate the new one. A toast spells this out: "Version N is saved as a draft. Activate it to make it the one that runs." Open **Versions** in the details panel any time to see every saved version, load an older one back into the editor, or check which one is live.

A workflow marked **Live** has an active version running its schedule or its table trigger. **Draft, not live** means the workflow exists and may have been saved, but nothing about it runs on its own; it can still be started by hand.

## What this does not do

- A workflow has exactly one trigger, so its When-to-run setting cannot be Schedule and Manual at the same time. Running it from a table is a separate, additional way to start it and works alongside whichever trigger it already has.
- Turning a workflow off does not undo anything it already wrote, and a run already in progress finishes on its own.
- Deleting a workflow removes its versions, its runs and everything those runs recorded. This cannot be undone.

## If something goes wrong

**You saved a change but the workflow is still doing the old thing.** You saved a draft version on top of a live one. Open the workflow and click **Activate** to make your edit the one that runs.

**The panel warns that an older version is still active.** More than one version was activated at some point, so more than one may still be firing on its own schedule. Open **Versions** in the details panel and activate the one you actually want, so it is the only one running.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can a workflow react to a CRM change the moment it happens?

Not from the trigger editor. A workflow starts manually, on a schedule, or from a table selection. Reacting instantly to a CRM change is what background agents do; see [What background agents are](/help/background-agents/background-agents-overview).

### Do I need to be an admin to create a workflow?

No, everyone can create and build a workflow. Deciding whether a workflow is offered inside Tables for the rest of the team is the one admin-only setting; see [Triggers and schedules](/help/workflows/workflow-triggers-and-schedules).

### What happens to runs that already finished if I delete the workflow?

They are deleted with it. Deleting a workflow removes its versions, its run history and everything those runs recorded, and it cannot be undone.

### Can two people edit the same workflow at once?

Yes, and Spiich tells you if that happens. If someone else saves a version while you are still editing, a banner offers to load their version or keep your own edits.

## Related

- [Build a workflow](https://spiich.ai/help/workflows/build-a-workflow)
- [Triggers and schedules](https://spiich.ai/help/workflows/workflow-triggers-and-schedules)
- [Test and monitor workflow runs](https://spiich.ai/help/workflows/test-and-monitor-workflow-runs)
- [What background agents are](https://spiich.ai/help/background-agents/background-agents-overview)
- [Background Agents](https://spiich.ai/product/background-agents)