# Prompt and Iterate with Workflow Assistant

> Write a first build request, adapt worked prompts, plan with sticky notes, and make focused changes to an existing automation.

Draft a complete automation from a specific prompt, then refine the canvas one change at a time. For account connections, change approval, and testing, see [Workflow Assistant](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/workflow-assistant).

**At a glance**

- **Use it to:** Write specific first-build prompts, turn numbered sticky notes into a draft, and iterate on an existing automation one change at a time
- **Find it:** Bottom-right canvas → Assistant composer (or press N to sketch numbered sticky notes first)
- **Cost:** 0 Step credits for building and editing · Uses workspace Glow AI tokens
- **Limits:** Specify the trigger, target apps, fields, and destination up front · On Live automations, use Review changes first
- **Instead:** Direct MCP slash commands (/build-automation, /explain-automation, /optimize-automation) in a connected AI client

## Write the First Request

Name the trigger, apps, input fields, and destination first, then send focused follow-ups.

**Vague Request** (Avoid)

- "When a message arrives, add the lead and notify the team."
- Leaves the trigger app (Slack, Gmail, or Webhook) and CRM unspecified.
- Omits which fields to map and whether to keep the draft unpublished.

**Specific First Request** (Recommended)

- "When a Typeform response arrives, add the person to HubSpot and post a summary to #sales."
- Names the exact trigger, target apps, and destination channel.
- Ends with: "Ask me about required accounts and fields. Leave the automation unpublished."

You can also place Steps manually and ask the assistant to map fields by Step number. Use test accounts and safe records when [testing the draft](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/workflow-assistant#test-the-automation-after-a-build).

## Build from Sticky Notes

Press `N` to add canvas sticky notes with one numbered stage per note:

Note 1: Leads arrive by Webhook → Note 2: Score with AI Prompt → Note 3: Route hot leads to #sales

Then ask:

> Build the automation described in my sticky notes. Ask me about missing accounts and fields, and leave it unpublished.

Notes never execute or store run data. Keep them as canvas documentation; see [The Dock & App drawer](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/the-canvas/the-dock).

## Worked Prompts by Task

These levels match [Use Cases & Examples](https://docs.getglow.ai/getting-started/examples/overview). Add your accounts, sample input, and an instruction to keep the draft unpublished.

  

**Level 1: Fundamentals**

### Level 1: Fundamentals

**Clean a lead and notify the team:**

Google Sheets → [Change Fields](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/change-fields) → Slack

```text
When a new row is added to my "New Leads" Google Sheet, extract the domain from the email column using data transformation, clean up the lead name, and post a formatted summary to the #sales-alerts Slack channel.
```

**Send a scheduled KPI summary:**

[Scheduler](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/triggers/scheduler) → [HTTP Request](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/http-request) → Gmail

```text
Schedule an automation to run every weekday at 9:00 AM. Fetch daily KPI statistics from our analytics endpoint using an HTTP Request Step, format the numbers for currency, and send a summary email via Gmail to leadership@example.com.
```

  

  

**Level 2: Routing and AI**

### Level 2: Routing & AI

**Classify and route a support message:**

[Webhook](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/triggers/webhook) → [AI Prompt](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/ai-prompt) → [Switch](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/switch) → Slack or Airtable

```text
Create an automation starting with a Webhook trigger. Add an AI Prompt Step to analyze the incoming support message, classifying urgency (Low, High, Critical) and category (Billing, Bug, Account) into JSON. Add a Switch Step: if urgency is Critical, send an alert to #urgent-ops in Slack; otherwise, log the ticket to Airtable.
```

**Enrich and route a lead:**

Typeform → Apollo.io → [Conditions](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/conditions) → Salesforce or HubSpot

```text
When a new Typeform submission arrives, look up the company in Apollo.io. Add a Conditions Step: if estimated_num_employees is greater than 500, route to our Salesforce Enterprise Lead queue; otherwise, add the contact to our HubSpot general nurture list.
```

  

  

**Level 3: Loops and Agents**

### Level 3: Loops & Agents

**Follow up on overdue invoices:**

[Scheduler](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/triggers/scheduler) → [HTTP Request](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/http-request) → [Filter](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/filter-items) → [Repeater](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/loops/repeater)

```text
Every Monday morning, fetch all unpaid invoices from our Stripe account via HTTP Request. Filter the list for invoices older than 14 days. For each overdue invoice, send a reminder email via Gmail and update the invoice tracking status in Notion.
```

**Import records without duplicate email addresses:**

Google Drive → [Repeater](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/loops/repeater) → CRM

```text
When a CSV file is uploaded to the /inbox Google Drive folder, read the file records, remove duplicate email addresses, and use a Repeater loop to create corresponding customer profiles in our CRM.
```

**Review extracted invoice data before writing:**

[Webhook](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/triggers/webhook) → [AI Agent](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/ai-agent) → [Human Review](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/user-approval) → [Repeater](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/loops/repeater)

```text
Start with invoice text received by a Webhook. Ask an AI Agent to return vendor name, invoice date, line items, and total as structured JSON. Add Human Review showing the extracted data. Equip the agent with no write tools. Connect only the approved Human Review outcome to a loop that adds line items to a test Airtable table. Route denial and expiry to explicit non-write outcomes, with no default continuation to the write action. Ask me about required accounts and fields; leave the automation unpublished.
```

**Investigate a support inquiry with an agent:**

Support Trigger → [Human Review](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/action-steps/user-approval) → Send Reply

```text
Create an autonomous support triage automation. Add an AI Agent equipped only with read-only Knowledge Base search and HubSpot CRM lookup tools. Let the agent investigate incoming inquiries and draft a solution. Send replies through a separate downstream Step. For Enterprise customers, require Human Review before that send Step, with only the approved outcome connected to sending.
```

  

## Iterate on an Existing Automation

When Steps already exist on the canvas, the composer asks **“What should we change?”**. Check the current routing first, then request one focused change at a time.

### Explain the Automation

> Explain how this automation routes failed payments and where the data is stored.

Use this on an inherited canvas and verify the explanation against the Step settings.

### Modify Logic

Name the exact Step and branch to update:

- **Add a branch**: Ask to add a Slack notification if the `'Check Status'` condition fails.
- **Add an error fallback**: Ask to add an Error Path on the CRM Step that alerts `#ops-errors` in Slack.
- **Insert a delay**: Ask to insert a 2-hour Wait Step between drafting the email and sending it in Gmail.
- **Clean inputs**: Ask to clean the text inputs in Step 3 using in-field data transformation pipes.

Inspect updated routes, accounts, and mappings before testing. On a Live automation, use [Review changes first](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/workflow-assistant#choose-how-the-assistant-applies-changes).

### Suggest Improvements

Ask the assistant to check edge cases or suggest where a loop or Human Review Step fits. Review every suggestion before applying it.

**Verify it works**

- **Run:** Paste one of the prompts above into Workflow Assistant on an empty draft canvas
- **You should see:** Workflow Assistant places and connects the Steps, then lists any accounts or pickers that still need selection.

## What's Next?

👉 **[Review and validate the draft](https://docs.getglow.ai/build/ai-features/workflow-assistant#automated-draft-validation)**, then choose a test. For guided builds with expected outcomes, use [Use Cases & Examples](https://docs.getglow.ai/getting-started/examples/overview).