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Once a workflow is started by a Trigger, its real power comes from the sequence of Actions and Conditions that follow. These are the nodes you use to build out your automation’s logic, allowing you to perform tasks, make decisions, and manipulate data.
  • Actions are the workers; they do things.
  • Conditions are the brains; they decide things.
By connecting these nodes, you create a visual flowchart that represents your automated process.

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Actions: Performing Tasks

Actions are nodes that perform a specific task, such as calling an external API, pausing the workflow, or transforming data. We can group them into three main categories:

External Integrations

These actions allow your workflow to communicate with the outside world.
  • Webhook: Send HTTP requests (GET, POST, etc.) to any third-party API.
  • Altostrat API: Make authenticated calls to the Altostrat platform API itself.

Flow Control

These actions control the execution path and timing of your workflow.
  • Delay: Pause the workflow for a specified duration (e.g., 5 minutes).
  • Iterator: Loop over an array of items and run a sub-workflow for each one.
  • Trigger Workflow: Call another, separate workflow, enabling modular design.
  • Terminate: Stop the workflow immediately with a completed or failed status.

Data Manipulation

These actions are used to reshape, parse, and generate data within your workflow.
  • Data Mapper: Create new JSON objects by mapping values from previous steps.
  • JSON Parser: Convert a JSON string into a structured object.
  • Text Transform: Generate dynamic text using powerful Liquid templating.
  • Date Transform: Perform calculations and formatting on date/time values.

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Conditions: Making Decisions

Conditions are decision-making nodes that evaluate data and create branching paths. Each condition node typically has at least two outputs: true and false, allowing you to route the workflow based on the result.

String Condition

Compare text values. Use this to check status fields, user input, or any other text-based data. (Operators: equals, contains, starts_with, regex, etc.)

Number Condition

Evaluate numeric values. Perfect for checking amounts, counts, or scores. (Operators: greater_than, less_than_or_equal, etc.)

Date Condition

Perform time-based logic. Check if a date is in the past, future, or within a certain range. (Operators: is_past, is_within, is_after, etc.)

Boolean Condition

Check for true or false values. Ideal for evaluating flags or binary states from API responses. (Operators: is_true, is_false)

Array Condition

Evaluate lists of items. Check if an array is empty, contains a specific value, or matches a count. (Operators: is_empty, count_greater_than, contains_value, etc.)

Logical & Switch

Build complex decision trees. The Logical Group combines multiple rules with AND/OR logic, while the Switch provides multi-path routing based on the first matching case.

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Connecting Nodes

You build a workflow by drawing edges (lines) between the handles (dots) on each node. Most action nodes have a single output handle, while condition nodes have multiple handles (true, false, error) to direct the flow.

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Passing Data Between Nodes with Liquid

The real power of workflows comes from passing data between steps. You can reference the output of any previous node using Liquid templating. The syntax is simple: {{ node_id.output_key }}. For example, if a Webhook Trigger (node_1) receives a payload like {"user": {"id": 123, "name": "Alice"}}, a later Text Transform node could create a personalized message: Hello, {{ node_1.body.user.name }}! which would render as Hello, Alice!.

Mastering Liquid Templating

Liquid is essential for dynamic workflows. Dive into our dedicated guide to learn about objects, tags (if/for), and filters (upcase, date, etc.).

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Next Steps

Understanding Triggers

Revisit the complete guide to all the ways you can start a workflow.

Using the Vault for Secrets

Learn how to securely store and use API keys, tokens, and other secrets in your actions.