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Generalize workflows into repeatable AI automations without required documents #1082

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Generalize workflows into repeatable AI automations without required documents#1082
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paullizer
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enhancementNew feature or request

Description

@paullizer
Paul Lizer (paullizer)
opened on Jul 27, 2026

Summary

Generalize workflows from document-centric jobs into repeatable AI automations. A workflow must be able to run with only instructions and a selected model or agent; workspace documents, document actions, and file synchronization must be optional capabilities rather than required prerequisites.

User Value

Users can automate recurring prompt- or agent-driven work without manufacturing a document event or document selection. Existing document analysis, tabular analysis, file synchronization, and artifact workflows remain available when they are useful.

Proposed Behavior

  • Require workflow instructions and exactly one execution target: a model or an agent.
  • Support manual and scheduled execution for workflows with no document selection, document action, or File Sync configuration.
  • Treat workspace documents, document actions, and File Sync as optional input/action steps that can be combined with the base AI execution when configured.
  • Reuse the chat-compatible execution path so generic workflows retain relevant model/agent capabilities, including tabular analysis and generated artifacts where supported.
  • Preserve existing personal and group document-centric workflow definitions and behavior.
  • Adjust the workflow UI and validation so the required core configuration is clear and optional document/sync controls are not presented as mandatory.

Acceptance Criteria

  • A user can create and manually run a personal workflow with instructions plus a model or agent, without selecting workspace documents or configuring File Sync.
  • A scheduled personal workflow with no document inputs executes and records a run successfully.
  • Equivalent group workflows support the same minimum configuration and authorization model.
  • Existing workflows that use document actions, selected documents, or File Sync remain compatible.
  • Workflow execution can use the relevant chat-compatible model/agent capabilities, including tabular analysis where supported by the selected runner.
  • The workflow UI communicates required versus optional configuration and provides actionable validation.
  • Focused functional coverage protects the no-document path and existing document workflow behavior.

Notes

Current implementation already models manual, interval, and file-sync triggers plus model and agent runners. The likely work is to decouple document-action validation and execution from the core runner while preserving existing run history, authorization, and scheduling contracts.

Activity

  1. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    self-assigned this
    on Jul 27, 2026
  2. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    added
    enhancementNew feature or request
    on Jul 27, 2026
  3. github-project-automation
    added this to Simple Chat Roadmapon Jul 27, 2026
  4. github-project-automation
    moved this to Pending Evaluation in Simple Chat Roadmapon Jul 27, 2026
  5. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    moved this from Pending Evaluation to In progress in Simple Chat Roadmapon Jul 27, 2026

  6. paullizer commented on Jul 27, 2026

    @paullizer
    Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    on Jul 27, 2026
    CollaboratorAuthor

    Implemented in PR #1083.

    Summary:

    • Workflows now default to instructions plus a Direct Model or Agent, with workspace documents optional.
    • Personal and group workflow modals expose No document action and defer document picker initialization until document context is selected.
    • New Direct Model workflows use endpoint-bound Semantic Kernel core capabilities; legacy saved model workflows retain raw-completion behavior.

    Validation:

    • Passed functional_tests/test_generic_workflow_automation.py.
    • Passed functional_tests/test_workflow_model_core_capabilities.py.
    • Passed JavaScript/Python syntax checks, editor diagnostics, and git diff --check.
    • ui_tests/test_workflow_document_action_modal.py is present but skipped in this environment because authenticated SIMPLECHAT_UI_BASE_URL and storage state were unavailable.

    Documentation: docs/explanation/features/GENERIC_WORKFLOW_AUTOMATION.md (v0.250.063).

  7. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    moved this from In progress to In review in Simple Chat Roadmapon Jul 27, 2026
  8. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 27, 2026

    Add stepped workflow builder and task sequences

    79148c8

  9. paullizer commented on Jul 27, 2026

    @paullizer
    Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    on Jul 27, 2026
    CollaboratorAuthor

    Expanded implementation is now in PR #1083 (commit 79148c8).

    Added:

    • Five-step personal/group workflow builder: General, Trigger, Tasks, Reliability, Review.
    • Ordered instruction tasks with add, edit, remove, and reorder controls.
    • Bounded prior-task output context, per-task retries, and halt/continue error strategy.
    • Task run-item persistence and workflow activity lifecycle events.
    • Existing File Sync and document actions remain optional inputs and existing no-task workflows retain legacy execution.

    Validation:

    • 12/12 focused functional checks passed.
    • Syntax, diagnostics, whitespace, revision-scoped XSS, and broken access-control checks passed.
    • Updated Playwright tests are discoverable but skipped locally because no authenticated UI storage state is available; the fresh local server redirects to Microsoft sign-in.
  10. Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    added a commit that references this issue on Jul 28, 2026

    Document workflow automation release

    0435882

  11. paullizer commented on Jul 28, 2026

    @paullizer
    Paul Lizer (paullizer)
    on Jul 28, 2026
    CollaboratorAuthor

    Release notes are now included in PR #1083 under v0.250.064: docs/explanation/release_notes.md. The entry covers repeatable AI workflow task sequences, retries/error strategy, optional document and File Sync inputs, legacy compatibility, and the five-step workflow builder.

  12. Chad Palmer (chadpalmer)
    added a commit that references this issue on Aug 5, 2026

    Generalize workflows for document-free automation

    45c4aa7
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