A workflow runs when its trigger fires. You control how it starts and, separately, where it runs: on your own server (Local) or on the hosted engine (Cloud).
Ways a workflow starts
The Trigger node at the start of a workflow decides what sets it off:
- Manual. You click Run in the builder to execute it on demand. This is the best way to test while you build.
- Form submission. A submission from Gravity Forms, WPForms, Contact Form 7, Ninja Forms, or Elementor Forms starts the workflow and passes the form fields in.
- Webhook. An inbound HTTP request to a unique, generated URL starts the workflow with the request payload.
- WordPress event. A core event, such as a post being published, starts the workflow.
- RSS feed. The workflow polls a feed on an interval you choose (from every 5 minutes up to every 24 hours) and runs on new items.
- Another workflow. One workflow’s output can start another, so you can chain automations together.
See Trigger Nodes for how to configure each type.
Local vs Cloud, chosen per workflow
A control in the builder header lets you set each workflow to run in one of two modes:
- Local runs the workflow on your own WordPress server using your own AI provider key. It is free, your key never leaves WordPress, and no data is sent to our platform. Local is the default for every workflow.
- Cloud runs the workflow on our hosted engine using our keys and your platform credits. There are no PHP timeouts to worry about, and the platform can run scheduled workflows server side.
You can mix both on the same site: some workflows Local, others Cloud. To learn which to pick, see Local vs Cloud execution and BYOK keys vs keyless credits.
When Cloud is unavailable
The Cloud option explains itself when it cannot be selected:
- Not connected. Cloud needs a connected platform account. Until you connect one, only Local is available.
- Unsupported node. A workflow that contains a Local-only node (for example the Chatbot, Create File, Unsplash, or the Google Sheets and Drive outputs) cannot run in the cloud. The toggle names the node that is blocking it.
- Site not reachable. Workflows with WordPress-action nodes, such as Create Post, need a publicly reachable site so the cloud can call back into WordPress. If your site cannot be reached, run the workflow in Local mode instead.
When Cloud is active, the header shows an advisory credit estimate, for example “≈ 8 credits”. The platform makes the authoritative reservation at run time, so the final cost may differ slightly.
Watching a run
However a workflow starts, the live execution panel slides in from the right and shows each node as it runs, with its inputs and outputs. See Watch a run live.
Scheduling
To run a workflow on a schedule, use a trigger that fires on its own: an RSS trigger polls on an interval, and WordPress-event triggers fire whenever the event happens. Cloud mode runs these on the hosted engine, so long-running or frequent schedules are not limited by your server’s PHP execution time.