Custom Workflows
Stock workflows cover common patterns. Create your own to unlock what’s possible — complex tasks done in minutes, or turned into workflows that run automatically.
Three ways to create
Ask your assistant
The easiest way to create a workflow is to email your assistant.
“Create a workflow that labels emails from my team and keeps them in inbox”
“I want a weekly summary of all newsletters I received”
“Make a workflow that alerts me when I get emails with ‘urgent’ in the subject”
Your assistant understands what you want, generates the workflow, tests it, and enables it for you.
Start by asking your assistant. If you need more control, you can also configure workflows manually.
Build it in the web app
You can also build workflows in the web app by chatting with your assistant there. Describe what you want, iterate together until it looks right, test it, and set it live.
Configure manually
For full control over every setting, you can use the manual configuration form. Choose triggers, select tools, set the mode, and write your own instructions.
What you can automate
Workflows have access to all the tools your assistant can use:
| Category | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Read, search, label, archive, send, create drafts | |
| Calendar | View events, create meetings, check availability |
| Research | Search the web, analyze results, run calculations |
| Documents | Create, edit, and organize documents and content |
| Integrations | Work with GitHub, Slack, Linear, Notion, HubSpot, Dropbox, Asana |
| Other workflows | Query what other workflows have done, or trigger them |
Workflow types
Instruction-based workflows
The default type. You describe what you want in plain language, and your assistant follows your instructions at runtime.
Example: “When I receive a newsletter, archive it and add the ‘newsletters’ label”
Best for flexible reasoning, open-ended tasks, and quick iteration.
Code workflows
For workflows that need to follow exact steps every time. Your assistant can generate these for you from a plain language description — you don’t need to write any code yourself.
Example: “Every morning at 8 AM, gather all unread emails, group them by sender, and send me a summary with counts per sender”
Best for complex multi-step processes, precise formatting, and aggregating data from multiple sources.
Learn more in Advanced Topics.
Safety controls
Custom workflows follow the same safety rules as stock workflows:
- Modes — Autonomous, approval-required, or read-only
- Per-tool controls — Different approval levels for different actions
- Built-in protections — Certain risky combinations are blocked automatically
Learn more in Safety.
Getting started
- Try asking your assistant — Email yourname@town.com with what you want
- Build it in the web app — For more control, chat with your assistant in the workflow builder
- Go manual — For full control, configure every setting yourself
Related
- Building Workflows — Create workflows by talking to your assistant
- Manual Configuration — Full control over settings
- Advanced Topics — Deep-dives for power users
- Safety — Control and approval settings