| name | novu-dashboard-workflows |
| description | Author step content for Novu workflows defined in the Dashboard or generated/edited via the Novu MCP. Use when filling in step controls (subject, body, editorType, headers, body, conditions) for email, in-app, sms, push, chat, delay, digest, throttle, or HTTP Request steps. |
| inputs | [{"name":"NOVU_SECRET_KEY","description":"Server-side API key from https://dashboard.novu.co/api-keys. Used by the Novu MCP and Dashboard automation.","required":true,"type":"secret"}] |
Dashboard Workflows
Rules for authoring step content (subject, body, editorType, headers, body, conditions) on workflows that live in the Novu Dashboard — whether you're editing them by hand or via the Novu MCP.
Authoring in code with @novu/framework? Skip this skill — the Framework SDK encodes these constraints in its types and helpers.
Still need to decide what the workflow should look like (channels, severity, critical, digest, templates)? Start with design-workflow/, then come back here to fill in the step content.
When to use this skill
Use it whenever you write or edit the controls of a Dashboard / MCP step:
- "Set the email subject and body for this step"
- "Update the in-app notification copy"
- "Add headers to this HTTP Request step"
- "Change the digest window to 1 hour"
- "Skip this step when the subscriber is offline" (step condition)
- Any Novu MCP tool call that writes step content (
create_workflow, update_workflow_step, etc.)
Step Content Guidelines
These rules apply to every step type.
- Use Liquid variables in control values for personalization. Variables must be wrapped in double curly braces
{{ and }}. Example: {{ subscriber.firstName }}, {{ payload.* }}.
- EXCEPTION: In Block Editor (
editorType: "block") node attributes, never use curly braces — use bare variable names like payload.actionUrl instead of {{ payload.actionUrl }}. See references/email-step.md for the full Block Editor rules.
- For steps after an HTTP Request step, use
{{ steps.<http-step-id>.<property> }} to reference response data. Only properties defined in that HTTP step's responseBodySchema are available — never invent arbitrary response fields. Example: if HTTP step fetch-user defines responseBodySchema with name and email, use {{ steps.fetch-user.name }} and {{ steps.fetch-user.email }}.
- Never hardcode URLs, names, or product names — use variables instead.
- Keep content consistent with other workflow steps.
- Modify the content according to the user's intent.
- Preserve everything not explicitly asked to change.
- Keep the same
editorType (block or html for email) and structure.
Step Types
Each step type has its own content rules. Open the matching reference before writing controls.
| Step type | Reference | Use it for |
|---|
| Email | references/email-step.md | Detailed content, formal communications, receipts |
| In-App | references/in-app-step.md | Real-time updates, activity feeds, high engagement |
| SMS | references/sms-step.md | Urgent alerts, verification codes, time-sensitive messages |
| Push | references/push-step.md | Mobile engagement, re-engagement, time-sensitive updates |
| Chat | references/chat-step.md | Slack / Discord / Teams team & developer alerts |
| Delay | references/delay-step.md | Pause workflow execution before a channel step |
| Digest | references/digest-step.md | Batch multiple notifications into one |
| Throttle | references/throttle-step.md | Limit notification frequency, prevent fatigue |
| HTTP Request | references/http-request-step.md | Call external APIs / webhooks; fetch data for later steps |
| Step condition | references/step-conditions.md | JSON-Logic for "send only if…", merge / replace / remove |
Common Pitfalls
- Curly braces inside Block Editor attributes — Maily TipTap node attrs (
url, text, src, id, each, href, externalLink) take bare variable names. "{{ payload.actionUrl }}" is wrong; "payload.actionUrl" is right. See references/email-step.md.
- Referencing undeclared HTTP response fields —
{{ steps.<http-step-id>.<property> }} only works for properties listed in that step's responseBodySchema. Add the property to the schema first.
- Hardcoding array items instead of looping — when the payload contains an array (
payload.items, payload.providers), iterate with a Block Editor repeat node or an HTML {% for %} loop. Don't list array items as separate nodes / elements.
- Empty key/value entries in HTTP headers or body — use an empty array
[] when not needed. Never [{ "key": "", "value": "" }].
- Hardcoded URLs / product names — always pull from
payload.* or subscriber.* so the workflow stays portable.
- Changing
editorType when editing email — keep block as block and html as html unless the user explicitly asks to switch.
- Replacing a step condition when the user said "add" — "add" / "also" / "and" merges with
{ "and": [...] }; "change to" / "set to" replaces; "remove" / "clear" returns null. See references/step-conditions.md.
See Also