Triggers

Trigger nodes are special nodes that start workflow execution. Every workflow has exactly one trigger node, and it determines when and how your workflow runs.

Available Triggers

How Triggers Work

External Event        Workflow
     │                  │
     ▼                  ▼
┌─────────┐      ┌─────────────┐      ┌──────────┐
│  Event  │─────▶│   Trigger   │─────▶│ Next Node│
│ System  │      │    Node     │      │   ...    │
└─────────┘      └─────────────┘      └──────────┘
                        │
                        ▼
                 trigger object
                 {
                   meetingPlanId,
                   dealRoomId,
                   event,
                   firedAt
                 }

1. An external event occurs (meeting ends, schedule fires, user clicks Trigger)
2. The event system matches the event to subscribed workflows
3. The trigger node activates and outputs event data
4. Downstream nodes process the data

Trigger Output

All triggers output a trigger object containing:

{
  "meetingPlanId": "mp_abc123",
  "dealRoomId": "dr_xyz789",
  "organizationId": "org_456",
  "event": "MEETING_ENDED",
  "firedAt": "2024-01-15T14:30:00Z"
}

Choosing a Trigger

Use Event Trigger when:

• You want to react to something happening (meeting ends, deal updates)
• You need manual testing capability
• The timing depends on external events

Use Scheduled Trigger when:

• You want workflows to run at specific times
• You're building daily/weekly summaries
• You need predictable, recurring execution

Trigger Configuration

Uniqueness

Each workflow has exactly one trigger. You cannot have multiple triggers in a single workflow.

Deduplication

The system prevents duplicate executions for the same event:

• Same event + same workflow version = single execution
• This prevents issues from event replay or system retries

Event Filtering

Triggers only fire for events matching their configuration:

• Event Trigger: Only fires for the selected event type
• Scheduled Trigger: Only fires when cron schedule matches

Comparison

Best Practices

1. Choose the Right Trigger Type

• Event-driven logic → Event Trigger
• Time-based tasks → Scheduled Trigger

2. Consider Testing Strategy

• Event Trigger with MANUAL mode makes testing easier
• Scheduled Triggers require waiting or schedule modification to test

3. Handle Missing Context

• Scheduled workflows may not have meeting context
• Use conditionals to handle cases where expected data is missing

4. Document Trigger Purpose

• Name workflows clearly to indicate their trigger
• Example: "Post-Meeting Summary (MEETING_ENDED)"

Common Patterns

Pattern: Meeting-Triggered Workflow

[Event Trigger: MEETING_ENDED] → [Load Meeting] → [Process] → [Action]

Pattern: Pre-Meeting Preparation

[Event Trigger: MEETING_START_MINUS_1H] → [Load Meeting] → [Generate Briefing] → [Send to Slack]

Pattern: Daily Summary

[Scheduled Trigger: 0 0 9 * * *] → [Query Data] → [Generate Summary] → [Email Report]

Pattern: Testing with Manual Trigger

[Event Trigger: MANUAL] → [Load Meeting] → [Debug Output]

Next Steps

• Event Trigger - Complete event trigger documentation
• Scheduled Trigger - Complete scheduled trigger documentation