pipefy-process-design

name	pipefy-process-design
description	Use this skill ONLY when the user explicitly asks for help designing or architecting a process ("help me design", "what's the best structure", "how do I organize this flow?"). For direct execution requests ("create a pipe for X", "build a reimbursement process", or any message with a detailed spec), skip this skill and execute directly using the domain skills (pipes-and-cards, automations, etc.).
tags	["pipefy","process-design","orchestration","pipes","consulting"]

Pipefy Process Design

This skill activates when the user wants consulting help to design a process — not when they want you to build one. If the user already knows what they want (gave you phases, fields, a spec, or a clear use case), do not use this skill. Execute directly.

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When to use vs when to execute

Signal	Response
"Help me design a process for X"	Use this skill — consulting mode.
"What's the best structure for Y?"	Use this skill — architecture guidance.
"Create a pipe for X"	Skip this skill — execute with pipes-and-cards.
User provides phases, fields, or a spec	Skip this skill — the spec IS the plan. Build it.

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Prerequisites

• Understand the user's industry and use case before advising structure.
• Always search for existing pipes in the org before recommending a new one (search_pipes).

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Discovery phase

1. Research existing org structure:

   MCP: search_pipes name="" (empty search returns all visible pipes) MCP: get_organization organization_id=<id>

2. Understand the process intent:

   • What triggers a new case? (form submission, email, manual)
   • Who are the actors? (submitter, approver, ops team)
   • What are the key decision points? (approve/reject, escalate, auto-close)
   • What data needs to be tracked? (fields per phase)
   • Are there related processes that should be connected? (use relations)

3. Identify the right Pipefy components:

   Need	Component
   Workflow stages	Pipe + Phases
   Structured data per stage	Phase fields
   Reference/lookup data	Database table
   Cross-process linkage	Pipe relation
   Automatic actions	Automation rule
   AI-driven processing	AI automation or AI agent

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Design principles

• Start with the outcome. What does "done" look like for this process?
• Name phases for states, not actions. "Under Review" not "Review It".
• Keep the start form minimal. Only ask for data the requester can provide on day 1.
• Use required fields sparingly. Every required field is a blocker.
• Design for the exception. Add a "Blocked" or "On Hold" phase for edge cases.
• Automate the obvious. If a transition always happens under the same condition, it should be an automation, not a manual step.

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Common patterns

Linear approval flow

Submission → Under Review → Approved / Rejected → Done

• Start form: requester fills details.
• "Under Review" phase: approver field + due date.
• Automation: notify approver on card creation.

Multi-stage pipeline

Intake → Triage → In Progress → Testing → Deployed

• Each phase has role-specific fields.
• Automations advance cards on condition.
• SLA fields track time-in-phase.

Hub-and-spoke (related processes)

• Central "intake" pipe connected via pipe relation to domain-specific pipes.
• Child cards created automatically via automation when parent moves to "Escalated".

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Output format

After the design consultation, produce a concise summary:

Process: <Name>
Phases: [list]
Start form fields: [list with types]
Key automations: [list]
Related processes: [list or "none"]
Next step: [execute with pipes-and-cards skill? or more questions?]

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Success criteria

• User has clarity on phases, fields, and automation triggers before execution starts.
• No duplicate pipes created (checked via search_pipes).
• The design is buildable with available MCP tools (no features promised that don't exist).

See also

• skills/pipes-and-cards/ — execute the design once finalized.
• skills/automations/ — add automation rules to the new pipe.
• skills/process-intelligence/ — analyze an existing process for improvement (distinct from designing new).