Getting Started with Workflow Builder

Overview

Use Workflow Builder to codify repeatable work—whether it’s document review, client intake, or multi-step legal analysis—so your team can execute with precision and speed.

Key Features of Workflow Builder:

• Modular Design: Create workflows with step-by-step guidance including user inputs, AI actions, logic conditions, and structured outputs.
• Firm-Custom Logic: Add branching paths with Conditional steps based on selections, tailoring the flow to user choices.
• Prompt Chaining: Connect prompts across steps to build context-aware, iterative responses.
• Secure Collaboration: Assign view, edit, or run access while retaining control over your assets.
• Embedded Expertise: Weave in prior art and work product through embedded files, or documents that are always available in workflows for consistency.

Workflows can also create and edit files directly within them, using a dedicated drafting block for each file type:

• Document drafting block: create or edit Word documents
• PowerPoint drafting block: create or edit PowerPoint presentations
• Excel drafting block: create or edit Excel spreadsheets

Teams can generate new files, modify existing files, apply standardized templates, and incorporate supporting context files as part of a repeatable workflow process.

Best Practices

• Label clearly: Use descriptive output names to track variables across steps.
• Modularize: Break long workflows into reusable sequences.
• Test frequently: Use Test Mode throughout your build to catch logic issues early.
• Use context thoughtfully: Attach only relevant variables to each AI step.
• Stay secure: Never include PII or confidential client data in prompt fields or notes.

Create a New Workflow

1. Go to Library.
2. Select Create → Workflow.
3. Select Create new. If your workspace allows importing workflows, you can also choose Import from file.

When you create a new workflow, Harvey opens the Workflow Builder, which allows you to create your workflow through a Harvey thread. You can also choose to build the workflow manually.

Build a Workflow with Workflow Builder

The Workflow Builder helps you create workflows by describing what you want Harvey to automate.

Harvey generates an initial workflow structure based on a starter prompt or your own custom instructions, creating an editable starting point that you can customize for your workflow needs.

You can continue refining the workflow by chatting with Harvey in the thread or manually editing workflow blocks.

To create a new workflow with Workflow Builder:

1. Select a starter prompt, or enter your own workflow description.
2. Submit your prompt to generate the initial workflow. Harvey may ask you clarifying questions to refine your workflow.
3. Review the generated workflow structure.
4. Continue refining the workflow by:

   1. Chatting with Harvey
   2. Editing workflow blocks manually
   3. Adding tools, instructions, or knowledge sources

You can manually edit the generated workflow blocks at any time.

Example Workflow Prompts

1. Draft a reply outline based on the uploaded opening and response briefs. Return the initial outline to the user. Ask if the user has feedback. Then incorporate that feedback into the final outline.
2. Request an ASX announcement template to fill with the following information: the material acquisition agreement, the company's closing share price on the ASX on the last trading day, and the 1 and 3 month volume weighted average price (VWAP). For quotes or other information requested in the template that don't appear in the information provided, leave a placeholder.

Drafting Blocks (Documents, PowerPoint, and Excel)

Workflows can create and edit Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files directly within a workflow, using a dedicated drafting block for each file type.

With these blocks, you can:

• Generate new files or modify existing ones as part of a repeatable workflow
• Apply standardized templates, such as your firm’s deck layout or checklist format, for consistent output
• Incorporate supporting context files and prior workflow outputs to guide content

To configure a drafting block:

1. In Workflow Builder, create a new workflow or select an existing one to edit.
2. Add a PowerPoint drafting or Excel drafting block by:

   1. Using Workflow Builder to describe the workflow you want to build, specifying if a PowerPoint or Excel file is needed.
   2. Adding the drafting block manually.
3. Under Presentation(s) / Spreadsheet(s) to edit, upload the file you want to edit — either as an embedded file from your computer or Vault, or from a prior workflow block's output.

   1. If you want Harvey to generate a new file from scratch, leave the Presentation(s) / Spreadsheet(s) to edit field blank.
4. Under Workflow context, add any other context Harvey should reference when creating or editing your file.
5. Under Instructions, tell Harvey how to create or edit the file, and adjust the output label.
6. Add a Response block and attach the drafting block's output.

Best Practices for Writing Workflows

1. Use your preferred language. Prompt in whichever language is most comfortable to you. While Harvey will construct a workflow in the same language, it might miss the dialect you are prompting in.
2. Be clear and direct. Lay out the task in clear terms, similar to how you would instruct an associate. Vague descriptions will still be processed, but might not be as effective in nailing down the details.
3. Specify practice area and jurisdiction. Be specific in which practice area or jurisdictions that your workflow will be used in. This will help construct prompts that recognize the nuance of the specific practice area or jurisdiction.
4. Refine workflows iteratively. Continue refining your workflow conversationally with Workflow Builder. You can ask Harvey to update workflow logic, adjust prompts, or reorganize workflow steps as your requirements evolve.

Build a Workflow Manually

With a new workflow open, you can select Start by adding your first step in the workspace on the right-hand side. You can configure four types of steps:

• User Input: Collect files, freeform text, review tables or selections from users.
• AI Action: Run a custom prompt using prior inputs as context.
• Logic: Direct flow using Conditional logic based on user selections.
• Output: Present the AI-generated results back to the user.

Each input is automatically labeled with an output name, which can be referenced in later steps using the “@” prefix or included as an attachment in the Context field.

Step 1: User Inputs

First, you will add steps into your workflow to collect files, freeform text, or selections from users. Use any of the below inputs to get started:

• File Upload: Request up to 50 documents per step (maximum 20MB total). Configure accepted file types and provide upload instructions.
• Freeform Text: Capture unstructured user input.
• Selection List: Present dropdown-style choices for users to select from.
• Review Table Selection: Request that users select and choose a review table.

Optional Inputs and Default Context

In the context panel, you can mark user input steps (file uploads or freeform text) as optional.

• When a step is set as optional, users are not required to upload a file or enter text to continue running the workflow.
• Instead, when building the workflow you must designate default files or text as embedded context for the AI to use when no input is provided.

This allows workflows to flex between user-provided materials and organization-standard defaults—ideal for scenarios like:

• “Upload your contract or use the standard supply agreement.”
• “Add your own analysis or rely on the embedded precedent memo.”

To configure this:

1. Open the user input step.
2. In the context panel, toggle make step optional on.
3. Define default embedded files or text for context to be used if the field is left blank.

Step 2: Configure Prompts with AI Actions

Next, define your prompt and attach context from the user inputs above. This step runs AI-powered analysis using the inputs you’ve collected. Each prompt step should include:

You can also chain prompts together, deciding whether each step builds on a previous output or starts fresh.

Step 3: Add Conditional Logic & Branching

Conditional logic enables dynamic branching based on earlier inputs. You can:

• Pair with Selection List steps to route users through different paths.
• Map multiple selections to a shared path (e.g., A/B/C → Branch X).

This allows nuanced flow design based on scenario-specific needs.

Step 4: Response Steps

Use a Response step to display the final output of your workflow.

• Choose which generated outputs to show—and in what order.
• You can display all outputs, or only the most relevant ones, depending on your use case.
• Every workflow must end with a Response step. This step wraps up your workflow and delivers clear, actionable AI results to the user.

Editing Steps

You can reorder, add, or delete steps using the ellipsis menu in the corner of each step card.

You can also refine workflows conversationally with the Workflow Builder by describing the changes you want Harvey to make.

Making bulk changes: To delete or duplicate steps in bulk, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard, then click and drag your mouse over the steps.

Advanced Building

For step-by-step guidance on creating a review table template, selecting a review table, setting table instructions, or attaching a file as review table column context in Workflow Builder, see the instructions below.

Video Tutorial: Creating a Review Table Template in Workflow Builder

Video Tutorial: Selecting a Review Table Template in Workflow Builder

Setting Review Table Instructions in Workflow Builder

When building or editing a workflow that includes a review table, you can set table-level instructions that automatically apply to every column generated in the table.

• To add instructions when saving a review table as a template: Select Save as template from the review table, enter your workflow details, then add or confirm your instructions in the column builder panel.
• To view or edit instructions on an existing workflow: Open Workflow Builder, select the review table block, and locate the Instructions field at the bottom of the column builder panel.

Attach a File as Review Table Column Context in Workflow Builder

When a workflow includes a review table, you can attach a reference file to an individual column so Harvey applies that file as context every time the review table step runs. This is useful when a column should always check documents against a fixed reference, like a playbook, regulatory framework, or standard form.

• To attach a file while building the review table step: Open the review table block, select the column you want, then choose Attach file in the column builder panel. You can also @ mention the file in the column prompt to direct how Harvey uses it.
• To edit or replace a column's file on an existing workflow: Open Workflow Builder, select the review table block, select the column, and update or remove the attached file in the column builder panel.

Set Workflow Details

To help others in your workspace identify what the workflow can be used for you can set workflow details.

1. With your workflow open, select the icon in the title bar and select Edit workflow details, or select the pencil icon next to the workflow’s title. You can add the following details:

   1. Workflow name: Clear and descriptive, for internal identification.
   2. Practice area and Document classification tags: Apply tags to organize your workflows.
   3. Description: High-level summary of what the workflow does.
   4. Notes: Optional field for build-time context (not visible to end users).
2. Select Save to update changes.

Testing a Workflow

Select Test to preview how your workflow will run for other users. This opens Test Mode in a new tab, where you can validate step logic, prompts, and outputs in a live environment.

FAQs