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Workflows

M
Written by Maureen Changawa
Updated this week

Introduction

Workflows in Sana Agents help you turn complex, multi-step work into simple, reusable flows. Instead of rewriting long, one-off prompts, you can define clear steps, set inputs, and let Sana handle the heavy lifting.

With workflows, you can:

  • Run true multi-step executions that can branch and adapt, not just follow a rigid list.

  • Set up automations with clear variables and inputs that are easy to reuse.

  • Discover, understand, and organize workflows in a dedicated space.

  • Keep track of results in a focused inbox so they never get lost in chat.

Workflows are available on all Sana tiers.

How to use workflows

Browse and select a workflow

You can start a workflow in two main ways.

From the Workflows page:

  1. Open Sana Agents.

  2. Go to the Workflows section in the sidebar.

  3. Browse the list, or use search and filters to find the workflow you need.

  4. Review the icon, description, and category to quickly understand what each workflow does.

  5. Select a workflow to open its details.

From a new chat:

  1. Start a new chat in Sana Agents.

  2. Before you begin typing, select a saved workflow from the list.

  3. Apply the workflow instantly, without leaving the conversation.

  4. Review the workflow details before you run it.

Run a workflow and provide inputs

To run a workflow:

  1. Open the workflow you want to use.

  2. Review the description and steps so you understand what it will do.

  3. Fill in any required inputs (variables), such as names, dates, links, or files. These fields let you reuse the same workflow in many situations without editing the underlying prompt.

  4. Choose any relevant sources or web search options, if the workflow supports them.

  5. Select Run workflow.

Sana will execute the workflow as a multi-step process. It can reason across steps and adjust as it goes, instead of rigidly completing one step before moving to the next.

Schedule workflows and set triggers

You can schedule workflows so they run automatically and send you the results by email.

To schedule a workflow:

  1. Open the workflow you want to schedule.

  2. Go to the Schedule tab.

  3. Choose a trigger, for example:

    • Before meeting

    • Meeting ended

    • Received email

    • Specific days of the week

    • Monthly

    • Annually

    • Specific time of day

  4. Confirm the workflow inputs for scheduled runs, such as which calendar or inbox to monitor.

  5. Select Start to activate automatic runs and email notifications.

Sana will now run the workflow according to the trigger you set and deliver the outputs without you needing to start it manually.

Find your results in the workflow inbox

The Workflow inbox is a dedicated space for reviewing outputs from your workflows, ensuring your results are easy to find, and that you have a clear view of the outputs from your workflows.

To review your results:

  1. Open the Inbox section under Workflows.

  2. See all recent workflow runs, including scheduled and triggered runs.

  3. Open a run to review the full output, context, and any linked files.

Creating a workflow

You can quickly create your own workflow Creating a workflow in Sana Agents by following the below steps.

1. Identify your objective

Decide what you want the workflow to accomplish. Common examples include:

  • Recurring status or performance reports.

  • Email outreach flows.

  • Meeting preparation and follow-up.

  • Project planning or documentation updates.

By being specific about your goal makes it easier to design clear, reusable steps.

2. Open the workflow creation flow

  1. Go to the Workflows section in Sana Agents.

  2. Select Create workflow.

You can now choose between two creation paths:

  • Ask AI to help

    • In the Describe your workflow view, type what you want the workflow to do in natural language, for example:

      "Create a workflow that automatically summarizes any new audio added to the 'Team meetings' folder and sends the summary via email to all attendees."

    • Select the arrow button to continue. Sana will turn your description into a draft workflow that you can review and adjust.

  • Start from scratch

    • Select Start from scratch.

    • You will open an empty workflow where you can add triggers, steps, and settings manually.

This gives you a flexible starting point whether you prefer to describe the outcome or design each step yourself.

3. Fill in workflow details

Add the core information that helps others understand and find your workflow:

  • Title: Clearly describe what your workflow does.

  • Description: Add a short explanation so others know when to use it.

  • Category: Choose an existing category or create a new one to keep workflows organized.

  • Sources: Add sources such as documents, databases, or SharePoint folders to ground the workflow in the right information.

  • Access: Decide who can use the workflow:

    • Only me (private)

    • Everyone in organization (shared)

    • Specific users or user groups (granular access control)

4. Define the steps and instructions

Use the workflow builder to create multiple steps that the agent can follow:

  1. Break down the process into clear, logical steps.

  2. In each step, describe what the AI should do in simple, direct language.

  3. Use variables (for example, company_name, date_range) so people can fill in important details each time they run the workflow, without editing the steps themselves.

  4. Reference important sources or collections where relevant, especially for data-heavy or compliance-sensitive workflows.

5. Save and test

  1. Save your workflow.

  2. Run it with a realistic example input to make sure the outputs look right.

  3. Refine your steps, variables, and sources if needed.

When you are happy with the results, your workflow is ready for others to reuse and schedule.

Organize and discover workflows

As your organization creates more workflows, good organization makes it easy for everyone to find what they need. In the Workflows area, you can typically:

  • My workflows: See workflows you created or own, including ones you have scheduled.

  • Browse: Explore all workflows you can access, with free-text search, filters, and categories.

  • Categories: Group workflows by team, function, or use case (for example, Sales, Support, Finance, HR, Engineering).

  • Filters and icons: Filter by ownership, category, or other properties, and use icons and descriptions to quickly understand each workflow’s purpose.

When to use workflows

Workflows are ideal whenever you want to make important work consistent, repeatable, and easy for others to use. They shine when you are ready to move beyond one-off prompts and create shared, reliable ways of working.

Email workflows

  • Sales outreach: Standardize initial outreach, follow-ups, and reminder sequences so every prospect gets a high-quality, on-brand experience.

  • Customer support: Help agents respond quickly and consistently to common questions, with workflows that draft replies based on your help content.

Reporting and analytics

  • Weekly or monthly reports: Generate performance summaries, highlights, and next steps based on your internal data and documents.

  • Project reports: Track milestones, risks, and deliverables using a structured, reusable reporting workflow.

Meetings

  • Meeting preparation: Create agendas, key questions, and background summaries before internal or client meetings.

  • Follow-up and notes: Turn raw notes into clear summaries, action items, and follow-up emails, and send them automatically if you choose.

Content and comparison

  • Content creation: Use workflows for blog drafts, release note drafts, or internal updates that follow your preferred structure and tone.

  • Comparison workflows: Compare two documents, versions, or plans to highlight differences for review, proofreading, or approvals.

Automations you want to reuse and share

Any time you find yourself writing the same long prompt in chat—or wish you could reuse someone else’s expert prompt—consider creating a workflow instead. You will:

  • Get more reliable, consistent outputs.

  • Make it easier for teammates who are less comfortable with prompt-writing.

  • Build a shared, evolving library of your organization’s best ways of working.

FAQ

Q. Are workflows deterministic?

A. No. Workflows are not designed to execute deterministically, step by step, in a rigid way. Instead, they use agentic reasoning to move through steps intelligently. This flexibility helps Sana produce better results in many real-world scenarios, even if it does not follow a strict “do exactly step 1, then exactly step 2” pattern.

Q. Can I share workflows with my team or organization?

A. Yes. You can keep workflows private, share them with your entire organization, or restrict them to specific users or user groups. This lets you design workflows that are either personal tools or shared assets for entire teams.

Q. Where do I find outputs from my workflows?

A. All outputs from scheduled and triggered workflows appear in the Workflow inbox, so you can review them in one place instead of searching through chat history.

Support

For further questions or information about Sana Agents, please contact [email protected] via email.

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