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Automate with Flows

A flow is a trigger and a list of steps: create a desk, add a row, send an email, save knowledge, run an AI step or call a web address. Each run is logged.

All plansUpdated

A flow runs a set of steps for you. You choose when it runs, such as every morning, whenever a table gets a new row, or only when you click Run now, and what it does, in order: create a desk, add a table row, send an email, add a knowledge entry, ask AI to write something, or call another service on the web. Each run keeps a log of every step, so you can see exactly what worked.

Before you start

  • Every plan includes Flows.
  • Some steps need something set up first:
  • Flows run while PlexiDesk is open. Scheduled flows that come due while PlexiDesk is closed run the next time it is open.

Create a flow

  1. Open the Brain area and choose Flows.
  2. Click New flow. A flow called New flow opens.
  3. Click the title and give it a name, such as "Monday planning desk".
  4. Choose when it runs, under When. See Triggers.
  5. Add steps with the buttons after Add step:. Each step appears as a card. Fill it in. See Steps.
  6. Click Run now to try it.

A new flow is Enabled. Untick Enabled to stop it running on its own; Run now still runs it.

Changes save as you go: a text box saves when you click away from it.

Triggers

Choice under When When the flow runs
I run it manually Only when you click Run now.
Every day, Every week, Every month On that schedule. PlexiDesk checks for due flows shortly after it opens, then every five minutes.
When a task is completed Whenever a desk is marked complete.
When a table row is added Whenever a row is added to any table.
When a webhook is called Whenever something sends a request to the flow's own web address. See Run a flow from a webhook.

A flow started by a desk being completed or a row being added does not set off other flows, so flows cannot trigger each other in a loop.

Steps

Step What it does What to fill in
Create a desk Creates a new desk. Desk title.
Add a table row Adds a new, empty row to a table. Choose a table…
Send an email Sends an email from your connected mail account. Recipients, separated by commas, Subject and Body.
Add a knowledge entry Adds an entry to Ask Brain. Entry title and Entry body.
Run an AI step Asks AI to write something, from your prompt. The prompt.
Call a webhook / API Sends a request to a web address, such as another service's webhook. The address, the method (POST, GET, PUT, PATCH or DELETE), headers, one per line such as Authorization: Bearer …, and a body.

Use the arrows on a step's card to move it up or down. Click the cross (Remove step) to delete it.

Send an email sends for real, so test a new flow with your own address first.

Use an AI step's output in later steps

Type {{ai}} in a later step, for example in an email body or a knowledge entry. When the flow runs, {{ai}} is replaced by what the most recent AI step wrote. If no AI step has run yet, it is left empty.

For example: an AI step with the prompt "Write three bullet points to kick off the week", then Send an email with the body {{ai}}.

Call a webhook / API sends its body as JSON unless you set a different content type in the headers.

Run it and read the log

Click Run now. It reads Running… while the flow runs. When it finishes, Last run lists each step with a tick or a cross and what happened, such as Created desk "Monday planning"., Emailed 3 recipient(s). or Called hooks.example.com (HTTP 200).

A step that could not run says why, for example No mail account connected., No table chosen. or A valid http(s) URL is required. The next steps still run.

The log of the last run stays with the flow, so you can check it later.

Run a flow from a webhook

With When a webhook is called chosen, the flow shows its address: http://127.0.0.1:<api-port>/webhooks/ followed by the flow's own identifier. Send a POST request there to run the flow.

  • The local API must be on. Turn it on in Brain > APIs. See Connect your own scripts and AI tools to Plexii.
  • The address works only from your own computer. A service on the internet needs a tunnel to reach it.
  • The flow must be Enabled.

Your flows

The Flows page lists every flow with how it runs, how many steps it has, when it last ran, and whether it is On, Off or its Last run failed. Click one to open it.

Click Module overview (the grid button) for a summary: how many flows you have, how many are on, failing or never run, and a breakdown by trigger.

Tips

  • Start manual. Build the flow on I run it manually, run it a few times, then switch it to a schedule.
  • Put the AI step first. Steps run in order, so an AI step must come before the steps that use {{ai}}.
  • Keep one job per flow. Two short flows are easier to fix than one long one.

Common questions

My scheduled flow didn't run. Check that it is Enabled and that PlexiDesk was open. Due flows run within five minutes of PlexiDesk opening.

The AI step failed. If it says No Anthropic key set for the AI step., sign in to use your credits, or add your own key. See Add your own API keys.

Can a flow change a row's values? Add a table row adds an empty row. To fill in values, use a desk agent or the API. See Desk agent widget.

Is a flow the same as a desk agent? No. A flow runs fixed steps across your workspace. A desk agent lives on one desk and uses AI to do a job with the widgets wired into it. See Desk agent widget.

Still need help? Contact support at [email protected].