Understanding Nodes

Nodes are the building blocks of workflows. Every action, decision, and transformation in your workflow is represented by a node. This guide teaches you everything about nodes.

Time to complete: 15 minutes

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What is a Node?

A node is a single unit of work in a workflow. Each node:

• Receives input data
• Processes or transforms it
• Outputs results for the next node

Think of nodes as workers on an assembly line, each doing one specific job.

[INPUT] → [ NODE ] → [OUTPUT]
           ↑
        (config)

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Node Anatomy

Every node has the same basic structure:

┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│  📧 Email Send                    ⚙️ │  ← Header (icon + name + settings)
├──────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                      │
│  ○ ────────────────────────────── ○  │  ← Input (left) and Output (right) handles
│                                      │
│  emailsend_1                         │  ← Alias (unique identifier)
│                                      │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Parts

Part	Description	Example
Icon	Visual indicator of node type	📧 for email
Name	Node's display name	"Email Send"
Alias	Unique identifier for referencing	emailsend_1
Input Handle	Left side - receives data	○ on left
Output Handle	Right side - sends data	○ on right
Settings	Access configuration panel	⚙️ icon

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Node Categories

Expedify organizes nodes into categories based on what they do:

Triggers (Starting Points)

Start your workflow when events occur.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Webhook Trigger	External HTTP requests	API integrations, Zapier
Database Trigger	CRM record changes	Contact created, deal updated
Scheduler	Time-based execution	Daily reports, reminders
User Message	Chat messages	Chatbots, AI assistants
WhatsApp Trigger	WhatsApp messages	Customer support
Click Trigger	Manual/button clicks	On-demand workflows

Logic (Decision Making)

Control the flow of your workflow.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Condition	True/false branching	If email exists, then...
Multi-Condition	Multiple branches	Route by category
Loop	Iterate over arrays	Process each item
Delay	Wait before continuing	Rate limiting, spacing
Workflow Switch	Jump to another workflow	Modular design
Merge	Combine parallel paths	Rejoin branches

Data (Transform & Process)

Work with data between steps.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Transform Data	JavaScript transformations	Format, calculate, combine
Set Variables	Store values	Save for later use
Database Query	Run SQL queries	Get data from DB
API Request	Call external APIs	Fetch/send data
Code	Custom JavaScript	Complex logic

AI (Intelligence)

Add AI capabilities to your workflows.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
LLM Integration	Generate text with AI	Content, responses
KB Search	Search knowledge base	Find documents
KB RAG Query	Q&A from documents	Answer questions
Core Agent	Multi-tool AI agent	Complex reasoning
Prompt Template	Structured prompts	Reusable AI instructions

Channel (Messaging)

Send messages across channels.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Email Send	Send emails	Notifications, campaigns
WhatsApp Send	Send WhatsApp messages	Customer comms
SMS Send	Send text messages	Alerts, OTPs
Slack Message	Post to Slack	Team notifications
Voice Call	Make phone calls	Outbound calls

CRM (Customer Data)

Work with CRM records.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Contact Create	Add new contacts	Lead capture
Contact Update	Modify contacts	Data enrichment
Contact Search	Find contacts	Lookup by email
Deal Create	Create deals	Sales pipeline
Task Create	Create tasks	Follow-up reminders

Integration (External Services)

Connect to third-party services.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Google Sheets	Read/write spreadsheets	Data sync
Salesforce	CRM operations	Enterprise sync
Zoho	Zoho CRM operations	Zoho integration
Custom Webhook	Send HTTP requests	Any API

Output (End Points)

Return results from your workflow.

Node	Purpose	When to Use
Text Response	Return text	Chat responses
JSON Response	Return structured data	API responses
Webhook Response	HTTP response	Webhook acknowledgment

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Adding Nodes to Your Workflow

Method 1: Drag and Drop

1. Open the node library (left panel)
2. Find your node category
3. Drag the node onto the canvas
4. Drop where you want it

Method 2: Quick Add

1. Click the + button on a node's output
2. Search for the node you want
3. Click to add and auto-connect

Method 3: Search

1. Press Ctrl/Cmd + K or click search
2. Type the node name
3. Click to add to canvas

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Connecting Nodes

Nodes connect through handles - the small circles on their edges.

Connection Rules

Handle	Position	Purpose
Input	Left side	Receives data from previous node
Output	Right side	Sends data to next node

How to Connect

1. Hover over a node's output handle (right side)
2. Click and drag a line
3. Drop onto another node's input handle (left side)
4. Connection created!

[Node A] ────────────→ [Node B]
         output→input

Multiple Outputs

Some nodes have multiple outputs:

[Condition]
    ├──── True ────→ [Success Path]
    └──── False ───→ [Error Path]

Multiple Inputs

Nodes can receive from multiple sources:

[Source A] ───┐
              ├──→ [Merge] ──→ [Next Step]
[Source B] ───┘

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Configuring Nodes

Every node has configuration options accessible via the right panel.

Opening Configuration

1. Click on any node
2. Right panel shows configuration
3. Fill in required fields
4. Settings auto-save

Configuration Panel Sections

Section	Contains
Basic	Name, alias, description
Configuration	Node-specific settings
Advanced	Timeout, error handling

Field Types

Field Type	Example	How to Fill
Text	Subject line	Type directly
Dropdown	Select integration	Choose from list
Variable	{{contact.email}}	Use variable picker
Code	JavaScript	Write in editor
Toggle	Enable feature	Click on/off

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Node Aliases

Every node gets a unique alias - an identifier used to reference its outputs.

Alias Format

{nodetype}_{number}

Examples:

• webhooktrigger_1 - First webhook trigger
• emailsend_1 - First email send
• transformdata_2 - Second transform data

Custom Aliases

You can rename aliases for clarity:

1. Click on the node
2. Find Alias field in config
3. Enter a descriptive name

Default: emailsend_1 Custom: send_welcome_email

Using Aliases in Variables

Reference node outputs using their alias:

{{webhooktrigger_1.payload.email}}
{{transformdata_1.formatted_name}}
{{send_welcome_email.success}}

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Node States During Execution

When a workflow runs, nodes show their status:

State	Visual	Meaning
Pending	Gray	Waiting to execute
Running	Blue pulse	Currently executing
Completed	Green border	Finished successfully
Failed	Red border	Error occurred
Skipped	Gray dashed	Path not taken

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Node Input and Output

Input Data

Each node receives input from connected nodes:

// Input automatically includes outputs from all connected upstream nodes
{
  "webhooktrigger_1": {
    "payload": { "email": "user@example.com" }
  },
  "transformdata_1": {
    "formatted_email": "user@example.com"
  }
}

Output Data

Each node produces output for downstream nodes:

// Email Send node output
{
  "success": true,
  "message_id": "msg_123",
  "recipient": "user@example.com"
}

Viewing Input/Output

During testing or execution:

1. Click on any node
2. View Input tab - what the node received
3. View Output tab - what the node produced

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Required vs Optional Fields

Required Fields

Marked with * or red indicator. Node won't execute without these.

Node	Required Fields
Email Send	To, Subject, Body
LLM Integration	Integration, Prompt
Condition	Variable, Operator, Value

Optional Fields

Enhance functionality but have defaults:

Node	Optional Fields
Email Send	CC, BCC, Attachments
LLM Integration	Temperature, Max Tokens
API Request	Headers, Timeout

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Common Node Patterns

Pattern 1: Trigger → Action

Simplest workflow - event triggers action.

[Webhook Trigger] → [Send Email]

Pattern 2: Trigger → Transform → Action

Process data before acting.

[Database Trigger] → [Transform Data] → [Update Contact]

Pattern 3: Trigger → Condition → Branches

Route based on conditions.

[Trigger] → [Condition] → True → [Action A]
                       → False → [Action B]

Pattern 4: Trigger → Loop → Action

Process arrays.

[Webhook] → [Loop over items] → [Process each item]

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Tips and Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Good aliases:
✅ validate_email
✅ send_welcome_email
✅ check_lead_score

Bad aliases:
❌ node1
❌ x
❌ temp

Organization

• Keep related nodes close together
• Align nodes vertically or horizontally
• Use consistent spacing
• Group logical sections

Performance

• Minimize nodes when possible
• Use Transform for multiple operations
• Avoid unnecessary loops
• Cache repeated API calls

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Next Steps

Now that you understand nodes, continue with:

1. Understanding Variables - Master data flow
2. Configuring Nodes - Detailed setup guide
3. Node Reference - Complete node documentation

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Quick Reference

Node Categories

TRIGGERS      → Start workflows (webhook, database, schedule)
LOGIC         → Control flow (condition, loop, delay)
DATA          → Transform (transform, code, query)
AI            → Intelligence (LLM, KB search, agent)
COMMUNICATION → Messaging (email, WhatsApp, SMS)
CRM           → Customer data (contact, deal, task)
INTEGRATION   → External services (API, sheets)
OUTPUT        → Return results (response, webhook)

Node Anatomy

Input Handle (○) ─── [Icon + Name] ─── Output Handle (○)
                         │
                      (alias)
                         │
                   Configuration

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Delete node	Delete or Backspace
Duplicate	Ctrl/Cmd + D
Copy	Ctrl/Cmd + C
Paste	Ctrl/Cmd + V
Undo	Ctrl/Cmd + Z