Nodes overview
A node is a single step in a workflow. You build an automation by dragging nodes onto the canvas, connecting them, and configuring what each one does. When the workflow runs, data flows from one node to the next along the connections you've drawn.
This page explains the parts every node shares. Each node type then has its own page with its parameters and an example.
Anatomy of a node
Every node on the canvas has the same basic structure:
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Label | The node's display name on the canvas (e.g. Message, Mapping). |
| Description | A short line reminding you what the node does. |
| Parameters | The settings you fill in to tell the node how to behave. These are specific to each node type and are listed on that node's page. Some nodes have no parameters at all. |
| Handles | The small connection points on the node. Data enters through an input handle and leaves through an output handle. |
Open a node's parameters by clicking the node on the canvas — its configuration panel slides open on the side.
Connecting nodes
Nodes are joined with connections (also called edges). You drag from a node's output handle to the next node's input handle.
- A connection always flows out of one node and in to another.
- The data a node produces becomes the input of whatever node you connect it to.
- A node can feed more than one node, and some nodes (see Logic & Control Flow) send data down different paths depending on conditions.
Think of a workflow as a pipeline: the Start node hands its data to the next node, that node transforms or acts on it and passes its result along, and so on until an End node.
Every workflow needs a Start and an End
Two rules apply to every workflow:
- Exactly one Start node — the single entry point where a run begins.
- At least one End node — marks a run as complete.
Everything else between them is optional and up to you.
Node states during a test run
When you use Test Run in the builder, each node lights up so you can watch execution happen live. A colored ring around a node tells you its current state:
| Ring color | State | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (no ring) | Idle | The node hasn't run yet. |
| 🔵 Blue | Running | The node is executing right now. |
| 🟢 Green | OK | The node finished successfully. |
| 🔴 Red | Error | The node failed. Open it to see the error. |
Click a node after a run to inspect what went in, what came out, and any error it reported.
These live states are only shown during a run — they are not part of your saved workflow.
Node categories
Nodes are grouped by what they're for:
- Lifecycle — where a workflow begins and ends.
- Logic & Control Flow — decide which path a run takes, and handle errors.
- Data & Transformation — shape, map, store, and compute data.
- Connections & Integrations — talk to external systems like WooCommerce and NetSuite.