Workflow trigger
A workflow trigger is the event that starts an automation run — webhook, schedule, app event (new Stripe charge, Slack message), or instant push from a partner platform. The right trigger choice determines workflow latency and cost.
Trigger choice shapes everything. Categories: polling (workflow checks the source every N minutes — slow + costly), webhook (source pushes to the workflow URL — fast but needs the source to support webhooks), instant events (platforms like Pipedream / Trigger.dev maintain persistent connections for sub-second event delivery), schedule (cron-style time-based), manual (user button click). Production gotchas: polling at scale wastes API quota; webhooks need retry handling because the source won't pause; instant events depend on the platform's uptime; schedules drift across DST + time zones. AI agent workflows lean heavily on webhook / event triggers — polling is too slow for chat-shaped UX.
When to use workflow trigger
- Webhook: when source supports it.
- Instant event: low-latency consumer apps.
- Schedule: periodic reports, daily digests.
Common mistakes
- Polling at 1-minute intervals — burns API quota, still feels slow.
- No webhook retry handling — first network hiccup loses data.
FAQ
What is workflow trigger?
A workflow trigger is the event that starts an automation run — webhook, schedule, app event (new Stripe charge, Slack message), or instant push from a partner platform. The right trigger choice determines workflow latency and cost.
When should I use workflow trigger?
Webhook: when source supports it. Instant event: low-latency consumer apps. Schedule: periodic reports, daily digests.
What are the most common mistakes with workflow trigger?
Polling at 1-minute intervals — burns API quota, still feels slow. No webhook retry handling — first network hiccup loses data.
Related terms
- Workflow engine — A workflow engine is the orchestration runtime — n8n, Make.com, Zapier, Temporal, Airflow — that executes multi-step business processes, handles retries, manages state, and integrates with external systems.
- Agentic workflow — An agentic workflow is a multi-step business process orchestrated by AI agents — where one or more LLM-driven agents make decisions, call tools, and adapt to inputs rather than following a fixed automation script.
- Agent loop — An agent loop is the repeating cycle of an AI agent — observe state, decide on an action (usually a tool call), execute, observe the result, and repeat — until a goal is reached or a stop condition fires.
Last updated: 2026-06-01. Raw markdown: https://promtable.com/glossary/workflow-trigger.md.