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Create a workflow with Buzz

Describe what you want to automate and let Buzz build, save, and turn on the workflow for you.

Written by Ellen Kajca

You can build a workflow by telling Buzz what should happen, in plain language. Buzz sets up the trigger and steps for you, asks about anything it needs, and saves the workflow so you can review it before you turn it on.

Before you start: Buzz must be enabled in your workspace. To learn how workflows work, see Workflows overview.

1. Start a new workflow with Buzz

  1. Open the Workflows app and select Create workflow.

  2. In Create a new workflow, select Create with Buzz.

Prefer to choose the trigger and steps yourself? Select Build manually instead.

2. Describe your workflow

In Describe your workflow, write what should start the workflow and what should happen next. Then select Create with Buzz.

For the best result, include:

  • The trigger: what starts the workflow, for example “when an action moves to Blocked” or “every weekday at 9am”.

  • Where it runs: the project the workflow should watch.

  • What should happen: for example post a comment, change a status, assign someone, or send a message.

  • Who is involved: the people to @mention, assign, or notify, by name.

Example: “When an action in Project 2 moves to Blocked, post a comment on the action that @mentions Ellen Kajca and asks what information is needed to unblock it.”

Not sure where to start? Select one of the examples above the text box — Daily project brief, Triage new requests, or Email to task — to fill in a ready-made description, then edit it.

3. Answer Buzz’s questions

The workflow editor opens with Buzz on the left and your workflow on the right. You can watch Buzz fill in the When… trigger and the Then… steps as it works.

If Buzz needs more information, it asks you in the conversation. Select one of the suggested answers, or type your own in Something else and press Enter. To go on without an answer, select Skip. In this example, the project has no “Blocked” status, so Buzz asks how to proceed.

If the workflow needs a connection, such as Gmail or Outlook, Buzz helps you set it up in the same conversation.

4. Review the workflow

When Buzz finishes, it summarizes what the workflow will do. Hive saves the workflow automatically and keeps it Disabled, so nothing runs until you turn it on.

Check each part before you turn it on:

  • Title — shown at the top of the page. To rename it, choose Rename in the three-dot menu beside the title.

  • In — the project the workflow watches. You find it under When….

  • When… — the trigger, for example Action updated… Status changed to In Progress.

  • Then… — the steps. For simple requests, Buzz usually adds a Give Buzz a job step that describes what Buzz does each time the workflow runs. For more complex requests, Buzz may build and attach a snippet instead.

  • On — under When…, use the On menu, such as actions only, to choose whether the workflow runs on actions, subactions, or both.

To change something, send Buzz a follow-up message (for example “Change the message to also ask for a due date”) or select one of the suggestions above the message box. You can also edit the trigger and steps yourself. After a manual edit, select Save.

5. Turn the workflow on

When you are happy with the workflow, do one of these:

  • Ask Buzz to enable, publish, or turn on the workflow, or select the suggestion to enable it. Buzz confirms when the workflow is live, and the status at the top changes to Enabled.

  • Open the status menu at the top of the page and choose Enabled. This applies right away.

To turn a workflow off, choose Disabled in the status menu, or choose Disable from the workflow’s three-dot menu in the Workflows library.

Select All in the breadcrumb at the top of the page to go back. Your new workflow appears in the list with its project and status. A sparkle icon next to the title means the workflow includes AI-powered steps, such as Give Buzz a job.

Buzz controls in the editor

  • Stop Buzz: stop the current response so you can review or edit the workflow.

  • Build with Buzz: open or close the conversation. Buzz may close the panel when it finishes. Select Build with Buzz to see its summary.

You can also use Build with Buzz on existing workflows you can edit, to ask Buzz for changes.

Tips

  • Use the status, label, and people names exactly as they appear in your project. If something doesn’t exist, Buzz asks you what to use instead.

  • Test a new workflow on one project before you widen it to more projects.

  • Select the Runs tab to check when the workflow ran and whether each run succeeded.

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