--- title: Configure Your People Workflows slug: configure-your-people-workflows createdAt: 2026-09-11T09:08:04.631Z --- Workflows help you to build, run, and track every step of the employee lifecycle. These guides cover how to configure workflows, set up steps such as tasks, communications, surveys, and integrations, coordinate stakeholders, and monitor progress across your organization. :::hint{type="warning"} Ashby's People Ops module is currently available through restricted early access. The following documentation is provided for design partners participating in that program. ::: # Permissions and access - Users with permission to edit workflow templates can create and edit workflows, and manage workflow categories. - Users with the Enroll employees in workflows permission can enroll employees in any active workflow the employee is eligible for, even without view or edit access to that workflow. - Employees can submit a workflow's form themselves only if the workflow is marked self-serve and they match its eligibility criteria. :::hint{type="info"} Learn more about Ashby's People Ops permission sets: [Configure Permission Sets](docId:7apvU1qei2QWWO4SL6UOI). ::: # What is a workflow? A workflow is what brings your organization's process into Ashby's People Ops module. Create workflow templates to determine your steps, the step timing and assignees, and the logic that decides which steps apply. When editing templates, a version is created and changes only take effect when you publish. On publishing, you choose whether and how the changes affect employees already enrolled. A workflow instance is one employee's enrolled run of that definition. Instances have a status of Active, Completed, or Cancelled. Ashby supports multiple workflows, so you can maintain separate workflows for different populations rather than forcing everything through one path. ## Step types Each step in a workflow is one of the following types: - **[Task](docId\:GeMmwdl4AKM_hEmYubMDd)**: a to-do assigned to a person or role. - **[Email](docId:9080TW_e5wep1PqCemmfS)**, **[Slack](docId:5ZcVknQO9SwJjSMcI4zv2)**, and **[SMS](docId\:E0MLjDlsaM3eUvMoaDFKS)**: outbound communications. SMS steps appear when SMS workflow steps are enabled for your organization. - **[Survey](docId:41hk1AGVmmxizThOGkk-D)**: a form that collects information, optionally writing responses back to employee fields. - **[E-signature](docId\:dVwEPxa64CApIu-THRCFq)**: a document sent for signature. - **[Approval](docId\:haT1qVueFoddTLT_qZOPs)**: a decision step whose result you can reference in later conditions. - **[Events](docId:5MeevnttA_1UreHytPvBc)**: calendar events for meetings. - **[Integration](docId\:VjltFAm6NPE3gBRtRR5Qr)**: a background check or a push to ADP. - **[Webhook](docId\:BTj4zkHQkZLyR5YvIUK00)**: a call out to an external system. ## Assignees and roles Steps support multiple assignees, so shared responsibility doesn't create a single point of failure. Assign a step to specific users, to a built-in workflow role, or to a custom group role you create. Built-in workflow roles include Hiring Manager, Onboarding Buddy, Recruiting Coordinator, Recruiter, and HR Business Partner (HRBP). Ashby generates name and email tokens for every workflow role, which lets you send an email from one role that references another, such as an introduction from the recruiter naming the new hire's HRBP. ## Logic and timing Branching logic within a single workflow determines which steps apply to a particular new hire, based on their start date, job consideration attributes, or employee attributes such as job title, role, or location. - **Filters** control who a step applies to. The filter defaults to **Everyone**, and you select it to add a condition. - **Dependencies** hold a step until an earlier step finishes. You can filter on data a dependent step returns, such as the result of a background check. - **Delays** offset when a step triggers relative to its dependencies. Each step carries a status of Future Step, Blocked, Pending, Completed, Skipped, Approved, or Rejected. When a step fails, it moves to **Waiting for Manual Retry**, and anyone with access to the step can retry it. Ashby records who completed each step and when. Steps Ashby completes automatically show **Ashby Bot** as the completer. :::hint{type="info"} People Ops doesn't include prebuilt workflow templates today. Your Ashby contact can help you translate an existing onboarding checklist into your first workflow. ::: # Workflow Types People Workflows supports two workflow types: onboarding workflows and form-triggered workflows. ## New hire onboarding workflows New hire onboarding workflows run when someone is hired through Ashby Recruiting. Build a workflow to handle onboarding steps like sending welcome emails, assigning tasks, and provisioning equipment. - 🔨 [Configure your Onboarding Workflow](docId\:WL_mYv9Z7lBI-cVdk-UhD) - 💼 [Manage Onboarding Roles](docId\:oHcr9HtGWWtm8us1IUYdg) - ✉️ [Enroll New Hires in Onboarding Workflows](docId\:lJOs22PR72IwGv0gSfd3d) - 🤖 [Configure Onboarding Workflow Automations](docId\:LId8DgTDMUQ0VwPSirDUQ) ## Form-triggered workflows Form-triggered workflows let you run processes beyond onboarding inside Ashby's People Workflows. Build a form and workflow for any people process, such as off-boarding, onboarding contractors who weren't hired through Ashby Recruiting, leave requests, or location change requests. - 📋 [Configure your Form-Triggered Workflow](docId\:g1ou6cAjHluz0GUguWlvT) :::hint{type="info"} Learn more about Ashby's two People Workflow types at [Onboarding Workflows vs. Form-Triggered Workflows](docId\:j5MnwaoqVsEbOOITccXAv). :::