How do I configure an agent step in a workflow?

Agent steps are the core of powerful workflows—choose skills carefully, configure delegation correctly, and always set a sub-agent timeout to avoid stuck runs.

The configurable agent step is the most flexible step type in a workflow. Users with manage-workflows permission configure it through a form with several sections.

Instruction fields

Four fields guide the agent's behavior at runtime:

Goal: what the step should accomplish overall.
How: the approach the agent should follow—which tools to prefer, constraints, style.
When to stop: the condition that signals this step is done and the workflow should move on.
On error: what to do if a skill call fails or the agent cannot complete its task.

Write these in plain language. The agent merges them into its runtime instructions.

Skills

Agent skills: the skills this step can use. The agent loads them on demand as it decides they are relevant—it does not call all skills; it calls the ones it needs.
Delegatable skills: skills available to sub-agents this step creates via delegation. These should be a strict subset of the main agent's skills, scoped to what the sub-task requires.

Delegation settings

Sub-agent timeout (hours): how long the main agent waits for a delegated sub-agent before giving up. When a timeout fires, the sub-agent is marked as failed and the main agent is told to follow its on error instructions.
Allow sub-agent integration override: advanced. Lets the main agent pass a specific integration instance (e.g. a particular Jira project) to the sub-agent, overriding the skill's default.

Workflow memory

Enable workflow memory: when on, the agent has access to a persistent memory of key facts recorded in previous executions of this workflow. Useful for recurring scheduled workflows that should not repeat completed actions.

Example: a new starter workflow step

Goal: "Look up the new starter in HRIS and prepare their system access checklist."
Skills: HRIS lookup, Document generation.
On error: "Post an internal note on the ticket saying the data could not be retrieved and assign to the IT ops team."

No delegation needed—this step is self-contained.

Single-step workflow vs canvas

Teams configuring workflows often start with one configurable agent step (the simplified workflow builder) and move to Advanced mode (canvas editor) only when they need multiple separate operations or branching. Delegation remains serial (one sub-agent at a time). See Single-step agent workflows vs Advanced mode (canvas editor) for when to choose which.

Guardrails

Sub-agents cannot use tools that require confirmation. Design delegation so sub-agents handle only read-heavy or low-risk tasks; confirmation-gated actions stay on the main agent.
A sub-agent timeout must have a meaningful on error path on the main agent. "Do nothing" will leave the workflow silently stuck.
Test complex agent steps in a pilot workflow on a non-production inbox before enabling for all users.
Review the instruction fields whenever the underlying business process changes—stale instructions are a leading cause of unexpected agent behavior.