Buyer resource · By Jamil Fayad · 20 October 2026
How to brief a workflow automation project.
A useful brief explains the process, the exceptions and how you will check the result. You do not need to choose a technology first. Use these six steps to prepare a focused discussion with a developer.
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1. Describe one repeated task
Name the person who owns the process, what starts it and the result they need. Record the current steps, frequency and typical workload. If these are estimates, label them as estimates.
Example: a shared inbox receives service requests. A coordinator checks the request and assigns it to an available team member.
2. List the tools and information involved
List the inbox, spreadsheet, CRM or other systems that supply and receive information. Note available APIs, account ownership and any restrictions on access. Use anonymized samples when discussing the scope.
Include: required fields, duplicates, missing information and which system is the source of truth.
3. Separate rules from judgment
Write down predictable rules first. Identify any step that needs language interpretation or a person's decision. AI may help with classification or extraction; it should earn its place through evaluation.
Example: route requests by a selected service using rules; send ambiguous requests to the coordinator.
4. Define exceptions and approvals
Specify what happens when data is missing, an integration fails or a request is repeated. Name who approves messages, payments or record changes, and how they can stop or correct a workflow.
Include: retry limits, duplicate prevention, error alerts and a manual fallback.
5. Agree what success means
Choose checks that a process owner can verify. Establish a baseline before claiming time savings. For an AI step, supply representative examples, expected outputs and cases where escalation is required.
Example acceptance check: a repeated request creates one record, not two; incomplete requests go to review without an external message being sent.
6. Plan ownership and ongoing work
Record the deadline, people available for review, hosting and provider accounts, usage costs, documentation and support expectations. Discuss a small first release when requirements are uncertain.
Include: who maintains integrations when an API changes, who can access logs and how long operational data is retained.
Ready to discuss a small first step?
Share a summary without passwords, customer records or confidential documents. Smaller projects are welcome; scope and a quote can follow a fit discussion.