Manual Configuration

Manual configuration is a form-based editor for workflows. Use it when you want explicit control, or when importing an existing configuration.

Accessing manual configuration

1. Go to Workflows in Town
2. Click the Create button (or navigate to /workflows/create)
3. You’ll see the blank template form

Configuration sections

Basic information

Choose a clear, descriptive name that helps you identify the workflow later.

Default mode

Choose how much autonomy your workflow has:

Triggers

Triggers determine when your workflow runs. Click Add Trigger to add one or more:

Manual

The workflow only runs when you click “Run” in the UI.

Schedule (cron)

Runs on a schedule using cron expressions:

Configure:

• Cron Expression — When to run
• Timezone — Which timezone to use
• Account — Which Gmail account (if multiple)

Incoming email

Runs every time a new email arrives.

• Account — Which Gmail account to monitor (or all)

Email to assistant

Runs when you send an email to yourname@town.com.

• Account — Which Gmail account to listen on

Tools

Select which tools your workflow can use. Tools are grouped by category:

Email tools:

• Read Email, Search Emails, Add/Remove Label
• Archive Email, Trash Email, Move Email
• Create Draft, Send Email, Send Email to User
• List Labels, List Attachments, Get Attachment

Calendar tools:

• List Calendar Events, Get Calendar Event
• Create Calendar Event, Edit Calendar Event, Delete Calendar Event

Research tools:

• Web Search, Web Search (Analyzed)
• Run Code, Get Sandbox File

Introspection tools:

• Query Action Log, List Agents, Get Agent Runs
• Analytics tools

Integration tools (when connected):

• GitHub tools (List Repos, PRs, Commits, etc.)
• Slack tools (DM User)
• Linear, Notion, HubSpot tools

MCP servers

If you have MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers configured, you can enable them here. MCP servers extend your workflow with custom tools.

• See MCP Servers for details

Workflow logic

The logic defines behavior. For prompt-based workflows:

• Scope and success criteria
• Process and edge cases
• Output format
• Constraints and exclusions

Tips for writing prompts:

• Be specific and detailed
• Include examples of expected behavior
• Define edge cases and how to handle them
• Specify output formats (especially for summaries)
• List any protected domains or exceptions

See Prompts Reference for a detailed guide.

Importing configuration

If you have an existing workflow configuration (exported as JSON), you can import it:

1. Click Import Config in the header
2. Paste your JSON configuration
3. The form will populate with the imported settings
4. Make any adjustments
5. Click Create Workflow

This is useful for:

• Duplicating workflows between accounts
• Sharing workflow configurations
• Restoring from a backup
• Modifying stock workflow configurations

Creating the workflow

Once you’ve filled in all required fields:

1. Review your configuration
2. Click Create Workflow
3. The workflow will be created and enabled

You’ll be redirected to the workflow detail page.

After creation

On the workflow detail page, you can:

• Run the workflow manually
• Edit the configuration
• View Runs to see execution history
• Test with a dry run
• Disable/Enable the workflow
• Export the configuration
• Delete the workflow

Validation

The form validates your input:

• Name and logic are required
• Cron expressions must be valid
• At least one trigger is recommended

If validation fails, you’ll see error messages indicating what needs to be fixed.

Example configuration

Here’s an example configuration for a bill tracking workflow:

Name: Bill Tracker

Description: Watches for bills and invoices, extracts amounts and due dates

Mode: Autonomous

Triggers:

• Incoming Email (all accounts)

Tools:

• Read Email
• Search Emails
• Add Label
• Send Email to User

Logic:

You are a bill tracking workflow. When a new email arrives:

1. Analyze if it's a bill, invoice, or payment due notice
2. If it is:
   - Extract the vendor name, amount, and due date
   - Add the label "bills"
   - Log the extracted information
3. If not a bill, do nothing

Only process emails that are clearly bills or invoices. Marketing emails
about "payment methods" or "billing updates" are NOT bills.

Do NOT archive emails — only label them.

Related

• Workflow Builder — Create workflows with natural language
• Concepts — Technical deep-dives on code workflows
• Reference — Triggers, tools, modes, and prompts