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Task Node ​

What is a Task Node and What is it Used For? ​

A Task Node is the essential building block within the workflow builder that represents a single actionable step. While a Trigger Node is responsible for starting a workflow, Task Nodes execute the individual actions that drive your business process forward.

  • Execution of Actions: Each Task Node carries out a specific operation, such as sending an email, making an API call, processing data, or updating a database.
  • Chaining Steps: To accomplish any meaningful work within a workflow, you chain multiple Task Nodes in sequence (or in parallel), defining the exact order and logic of your automated process.
  • Configurability: Task Nodes are highly configurable—you can specify input parameters, map outputs, handle errors, and set conditional logic to tailor the behavior of each step.

Without Task Nodes, a workflow cannot perform any operations beyond being triggered. They are what make automation possible in the workflow builder.

Configuring a Task Node ​

When you place a Task Node on the canvas, the Task Configuration dialog opens automatically. This dialog is divided into two main sections:

Header: Task Name, Description & Accounts ​

  • Task Name: Displayed in the top-left corner of the dialog, showing the node’s configured name.

  • Description: Centered at the top, this free-text field lets you describe the purpose of the task. Whatever you enter here appears below the node on the canvas, helping you quickly identify each step’s intent.

  • Help Button: A question mark icon that links directly to the documentation page for this specific node.

  • Accounts Dropdowns: On the right-hand side of the header, pick the required credentials:

    • Service Account: Select from preconfigured service-level credentials.
    • Third-Party Account: Choose your personal login where applicable.

(Some nodes may only require service accounts, both, or neither, depending on the action.)

Left: JSON Viewer ​

  • Displays the variables from the last execution of this task.
  • On the first run, it will show only a root object in an empty JSON structure.
  • Allows you to copy any variable’s value and paste it into the configuration fields or elsewhere in your workflow.
  • Serves as a reference to guide your input when filling out the task settings.

Right: Configuration Fields ​

  • A form-based editor where you enter or bind each variable required by the task.
  • Supports various input types: single-line text, multi-line text, lists, dropdowns, and more.
  • Each field corresponds to a parameter in the task’s definition—provide the values or expressions that drive the action.

Tip: If you’ve never executed this workflow, the JSON Viewer will show only the root element. After your first run, it will populate with real data, making subsequent configurations faster.

For a complete list of available variables and examples, see the Task Variable Reference.

At the bottom-right corner of the Task Configuration dialog, you have two action buttons:

  • Cancel: Closes the dialog without saving any changes.

  • OK / Update:

    • OK when creating a new task configuration, which saves and closes the dialog.
    • Update when modifying an existing configuration, which applies your changes and closes the dialog.

Node Tools ​

Once a Task Node is placed on the canvas, you’ll see three control buttons at the top of the node:

  • Clone: Copies the node and all its current settings, creating an identical node.
  • Edit: Reopens the Task Configuration dialog, allowing you to modify the node’s configuration.
  • Delete: Removes the node and its connections from the workflow.

Connecting Nodes ​

At the edges of each node (left, right, or bottom, depending on node type), small connection dots mark where you can link nodes:

  1. Start a Connection: Click and drag from an output dot to begin a connection.
  2. Complete a Connection: Drop the arrow onto another node’s input dot to link them.
  3. Directionality: Connections flow from an output of one node to an input of another—outputs cannot connect to outputs, and inputs cannot connect to inputs.
  4. Visual Feedback: As you drag, an arrow follows your cursor to indicate the pending link.

These tools and connection points let you build, modify, and traverse the graph of Task Nodes in your workflow with precision.

Tentech 2024