> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.membrane.agency/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# In-app Workflow Builder

Let your tenants build their own automation workflows between your app and external apps. Your agent can also create and manage workflows programmatically. Membrane provides the triggers, actions, and data schemas — you build the workflow UI and orchestration.

## Getting Started

1. Complete the [Quickstart: Product Integrations](/docs/getting-started/product-integrations) guide.
2. Ask your coding agent to build the workflow builder:

> "Build a workflow builder UI where my tenants can create automations between our app and their connected external apps. Use Membrane for triggers and actions."

If you want to learn how it works under the hood — read on.

## How It Works

1. **Tenants connect apps** — Using the [Integration Catalog](/docs/getting-started/product-integrations/integration-catalog), tenants connect their accounts.
2. **They build workflows** — Using your workflow builder UI, tenants create automations with triggers and actions.
3. **Membrane provides building blocks** — Event triggers, actions, and data schemas from connected apps are available through the API.
4. **Your app executes workflows** — When triggers fire, your app orchestrates the steps using Membrane actions.

## Key Components

### Event Triggers

Workflows start when something happens in your product or a connected external app. Membrane provides [event subscriptions](/docs/how-membrane-works/events) through workspace External Event Types, and Actions provide authenticated calls into connected apps.

**You build:**

* UI for selecting an app, event type, and action sequence
* Backend that creates Membrane flow instances for event subscriptions
* Webhook endpoint to receive event notifications

**Membrane provides:**

* External Event Types and subscriptions
* Action schemas for connected apps
* Event payloads for workflow input

### Workflow Actions

[Actions](/docs/how-membrane-works/actions) are the steps that do something in external apps — create a contact, send a message, update a record.

**You build:**

* UI for selecting and configuring actions
* Input mapping UI (map data from previous steps)
* Execution logic that runs actions in sequence

**Membrane provides:**

* Pre-built actions for connected apps
* Input/output schemas for each action
* Action execution with automatic authentication

### Workflow Execution

Your app orchestrates execution — receiving trigger events, running actions in sequence, and handling errors.

**Common patterns:**

* **Synchronous** — Run actions one after another, passing outputs as inputs
* **Async with queues** — Use [Temporal](https://temporal.io) or similar for reliable execution
* **Parallel** — Run independent actions concurrently

## Example Implementation

See the [Workflow Builder Example](https://github.com/membranehq/workflow-builder-example) for a complete reference implementation with Next.js, Temporal, MongoDB, and Membrane React SDK.