Learn about the built-in Router Tool available in Flows.
This article covers the following topics:
- What is the Router Tool and what does it do?
- What challenges does the Router tool address?
- How to Access the Router Tool
What is the Router Tool and what does it do?
The Router Tool in Flows allows you to split your workflow into multiple paths, each following different rules or conditions. This means that depending on the data coming from Knack or another linked app, you can trigger different actions automatically, all within the same Flow.
In other words, the Router Tool allows you to set conditions for different scenarios in your Flow. For example: "If Condition A is met, start Step A; otherwise, start Step B."
With the Router Tool, you can set up multiple "routes" based on specific conditions. For example:
- If a new record in Knack is marked as a "high priority" customer, you can send them a special follow-up email.
- If the record is "standard priority," you can trigger a different set of actions within the Flows, like sending a regular confirmation email.
What challenges does the Router Tool address?
The Router Tool in Flows helps solve a number of common challenges when automating workflows, especially when working with data from Knack:
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Handling Multiple Scenarios in a Single Flow: Without the Router, you’d need to create separate Flows for each possible scenario. For example, if you want different actions for VIP customers versus regular customers, it could become complex to manage. The Router Tool solves this by allowing you to split your workflow into multiple paths, each customized for a specific scenario, all within the same Flow.
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Simplifying Conditional Logic: Manually adding conditions for each action can be difficult to manage, especially in large workflows with many steps. The Router Tool organizes these conditions into separate routes, making it easier to handle and understand what actions are taken based on different conditions. This reduces errors and complexity in your Flows.
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Reducing Workflow Duplication: One of the biggest challenges in automating workflows is the need to create multiple workflows that handle slight variations in logic. The Router Tool eliminates this redundancy by allowing you to manage all variations in one Flow, saving time and effort.
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Improving Workflow Efficiency: When workflows need to take different actions based on incoming data (e.g., different customer types or order values from Knack), the Router Tool ensures that only the relevant actions are executed. This makes your workflows more efficient by preventing unnecessary actions and streamlining the process.
In summary, the Router Tool addresses the challenges of managing complex conditional workflows, reduces the need for multiple Flows, and improves overall efficiency by allowing you to handle various scenarios all in one place.
How to Access the Router Tool
After selecting the Flow where you want to utilize the Router Tool, identify the specific steps within the Flow that require the application of your desired conditions.
You can then add a Tool by clicking on the "+" button underneath each necessary step. Clicking the "Tool" option will allow you to select from a range of different tools Flows offers, including the Router Tool.
