Phases and Transitions

Phases are the building blocks of every workflow. Each phase represents a step in your process, and transitions connect phases to define the order things happen. This guide covers the different phase types and how to connect them.

Phase Types

Nembl supports six phase types, each designed for a specific purpose:

START

Every workflow begins with a Start phase. It is automatically added when you create a new workflow. The Start phase marks the entry point where a request begins its journey. You cannot delete it, and every workflow has exactly one.

There is nothing to configure on the Start phase. It simply connects to the first real step in your process.

PROCESS

A Process phase is where work happens. This is the most common phase type. Use it for any step that requires someone (or something) to take action:

• Reviewing a request
• Completing a task
• Filling out additional information
• Running an automated action

When configuring a Process phase, you can set:

• Name — A clear description of the step (for example, "Review Application" or "Order Equipment").
• Description — Details about what needs to be done.
• Assignment — Who is responsible for this phase (a specific person, team, or role).
• Execution mode — Manual (a person does it), Automated (the system does it), or Agent (an AI agent handles it).

DECISION

A Decision phase creates a branch point where the workflow can take different paths based on conditions. For example, a decision might check whether a purchase request is above a spending threshold. If yes, it goes to a manager approval step. If no, it skips straight to fulfillment.

See Decisions and Parallel Paths for details on setting up conditions.

PARALLEL

A Parallel phase splits the workflow into multiple paths that run at the same time. Use this when several things need to happen simultaneously, like ordering equipment and setting up accounts as part of employee onboarding.

A Parallel phase has a fork (where paths split) and a join (where paths come back together). The workflow waits at the join until all parallel paths are complete before moving on.

See Decisions and Parallel Paths for details.

DATA

A Data phase collects or transforms information without requiring human action. Use it to:

• Pull data from an external system
• Transform or map fields between formats
• Set default values for later phases
• Run calculations or lookups

Data phases execute automatically and move to the next phase as soon as they finish.

END

Every workflow ends with an End phase. When a request reaches the End phase, the workflow is complete and the request moves to the Completed state. You can have multiple End phases in a workflow (for example, one for successful completion and one for rejection).

Working with Transitions

Transitions are the arrows that connect one phase to the next. They define the path a request follows through the workflow.

Creating a Transition

1. Hover over the source phase until connection handles appear.
2. Click and drag from a handle to the target phase.
3. Release to create the connection.

Adding Labels

Labels on transitions describe when that path is taken. This is especially important for Decision phases where multiple outgoing paths exist. For example:

• "Approved" and "Rejected" on paths leaving an approval decision
• "Under $500" and "$500 and above" on paths leaving a budget check

To add a label, click on the transition arrow and enter the label text.

Removing a Transition

Click on the transition arrow to select it, then press Delete or click the remove button.

Organizing Your Canvas

As workflows grow, keeping the canvas organized helps you and your team understand the process at a glance:

• Arrange phases left to right or top to bottom to show the natural flow of the process.
• Space phases evenly so transitions are easy to follow.
• Group related phases together visually.
• Use descriptive names on every phase so the canvas reads like a process map.

Next Steps

• Learn how to set up Decision branches and Parallel paths. See Decisions and Parallel Paths.
• Understand how workflows run once they are published. See Workflow Execution.