workflow-lock

name	workflow-lock
description	Captures a successful one-off Claude interaction and convert it into a repeatable, templatized workflow with variables and trigger conditions. Activates when the user says "lock this workflow", "save this as a template", "I want to reuse this", or after a successful task where the user indicates they'll need to do it again. Turns one good result into infinite consistent results.

Workflow Lock

The user just did something that worked well and wants to do it again consistently. Capture the successful pattern and convert it into a reusable template with variables, trigger conditions, and quality checks.

When to Activate

Manual triggers:

• "Lock this workflow"
• "Save this as a template"
• "I want to reuse this"
• "Turn this into a repeatable process"
• "Template this"

Auto-detect triggers:

• User says "I'll need to do this again next week/month/quarter"
• User asks Claude to do the same task with different inputs
• User says "can we do exactly this but for [different thing]?"
• User expresses satisfaction with a result and hints at reuse

Phase 1: Identify What Worked

Review the successful interaction and extract:

1. The trigger: What initiated the task? (A question, a data input, a recurring event)
2. The inputs: What information did the user provide? What changes each time?
3. The process: What steps did Claude follow to produce the output?
4. The output: What was the format, structure, length, and quality of the result?
5. The implicit rules: What constraints or preferences were applied that the user didn't explicitly state but that shaped the good result?

Ask the user one question at a time to confirm each:

"I want to capture this so you can reuse it. Let me make sure I've got the pattern right. The trigger for this task is [X] — is that right?"

Phase 2: Templatize

Convert the successful interaction into a reusable template with:

Variables

Replace every instance-specific detail with a named variable in {brackets}.

Example:

• Original: "Write a blog post about React performance optimization"
• Template: "Write a blog post about {topic}"

Identify ALL variables — common ones include:

• {topic}, {audience}, {company_name}, {date_range}, {data_source}
• {tone}, {length}, {format}, {recipient}

Trigger Condition

Define when this workflow should be used:

• Time-based: "Every Monday morning" or "End of each quarter"
• Event-based: "When a new client signs up" or "After each sprint"
• Request-based: "When someone asks for X"

Quality Gate

Define what makes the output acceptable:

• Minimum requirements the output must meet
• Common failure modes to check for
• A quick self-check Claude should run before delivering

Phase 3: Output the Locked Workflow

Present the locked workflow in this format:

# Workflow: [Name]

## When to Use
[Trigger condition — when should this workflow run?]

## Variables
Fill these in before running:
- {variable_1}: [Description of what goes here]
- {variable_2}: [Description of what goes here]

## Prompt Template
[The complete, copy-pasteable prompt with {variables} in place]

## Expected Output
[Description of what the output should look like, including format,
length, sections, and tone]

## Quality Checklist
Before accepting the output, verify:
- [ ] [Check 1]
- [ ] [Check 2]
- [ ] [Check 3]

## Example
**Variables filled:** {variable_1} = "X", {variable_2} = "Y"
**Result:** [Brief description or excerpt of what this produces]

Phase 4: Offer Next Steps

After presenting the locked workflow, ask:

1. "Want me to run this right now with different inputs to test it?"
2. "Should I turn this into a SKILL.md you can install permanently?"
3. "Want me to build a version that works with a spreadsheet of inputs for batch processing?"

Rules

1. Capture implicit preferences, not just explicit instructions. If the user liked a casual tone but never asked for it, include "Use a conversational, casual tone" in the template.

2. Every variable must have a description. "{data}" is useless. "{data: the raw CSV export from Salesforce containing Q3 pipeline metrics}" is useful.

3. Include at least one example of the template filled in. People understand templates better when they see a concrete instance.

4. The locked workflow should be usable by someone other than the original user. Write it as if you're handing it to a colleague who wasn't in the original conversation.

5. Don't over-templatize. If something is always the same (e.g., the output format), hardcode it. Only variablize what actually changes.

Chaining

• prompt-architect → workflow-lock: Build the prompt, then lock it into a repeatable workflow
• automate-audit → workflow-lock: For recurring tasks identified in the audit, lock workflows for each one
• Any successful interaction → workflow-lock: This skill can be chained after ANY task that the user wants to repeat