Workflows are powerful tools for automation, but they work best when they stay focused. If a Workflow grows to hundreds of steps or relies on deep branching logic, it may be performing tasks it wasn't designed for.
This guide helps you identify when your automation has outgrown a Workflow and how to transition to Procedures for a better customer experience and easier maintenance.
When a workflow is doing too much
Workflows are built for structured, linear conversations. They guide customers through a fixed set of options using reply buttons to handle routing, triage, and background automations. They are not designed for complex, multi-step processes that require reasoning or adaptability. If you build deep branching logic inside a Workflow, you will eventually hit a "complexity ceiling."
Signs your Workflow is too complex
Step volume: Your Workflow is approaching or has hit the step limit (e.g., several hundred steps).
Maintenance pain: Teammates are afraid to edit the Workflow because the branching logic is too difficult to follow.
Customer friction: Customers frequently drop off mid-flow or get stuck in "dead ends" because the fixed path doesn't account for their specific edge case.
Exception handling: You are manually building dozens of paths to handle every possible "what if" scenario.
Choosing the right tool for the job
Workflows and Procedures solve different problems.
| Workflows | Fin Procedures |
Best for | Routing, triage, and simple background tasks. | Complex resolutions, data validation, and multi-step logic. |
How it works | Predefined reply buttons and fixed paths. | Natural language instructions that Fin adapts dynamically. |
Handles complexity | None, customers must follow the set path. | High, Fin can revisit steps or switch topics if a customer changes direction. |
Adaptability | Becomes harder to manage as logic grows. | Designed for complexity; logic is contained in simple documents. |
How to restructure your setup
The most effective Intercom setups use both tools in tandem.
1. Use Workflows for the "front door"
Keep your Workflows lean. Use them as a traffic controller to greet customers and identify their intent.
Collect the customer's topic (e.g., billing, technical issue, or returns).
Run background automations like tagging or assignment.
Handle simple, fixed responses that don't require reasoning.
2. Use Procedures for the resolution
Once the Workflow identifies a complex intent, hand the conversation off to Fin. Procedures allow Fin to use judgment and system interactions to solve the problem.
Dynamic branching: Procedures handle customers who provide information out of order.
System integrations: Use Data Connectors within a Procedure to check real-time data, like order status or eligibility.
Natural language: Write instructions like you are training a teammate, rather than building a visual map.
Tip: Think of your Workflow as the receptionist and your Procedure as the specialist. The receptionist greets and routes; the specialist solves the problem.
FAQs
Can I just add more steps to my existing workflow?
Can I just add more steps to my existing workflow?
Workflows have a step limit. More importantly, large workflows become difficult to maintain, and teammates are reluctant to change them. If you're already near the limit, more steps aren't the answer.
Do I need to rebuild everything from scratch?
Do I need to rebuild everything from scratch?
Not necessarily, start by identifying the parts of your workflow that involve the most logic or branching, those are the best candidates to move into a Procedure. Keep the structural shell of your workflow (the routing and triage parts) and replace the complex sections with a handoff to a Procedure.
How do I hand off from a Workflow to a Procedure?
How do I hand off from a Workflow to a Procedure?
Use a 'Let Fin handle' step in your workflow at the point where you want Fin and its Procedures to take over. From there, Fin will manage the conversation using the Procedures you've configured.
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