> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.msgcompanion.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Workflows overview

> What a workflow is, the ready-made ones you can start from, and how many your plan lets you switch on.

A workflow is a set of steps Companion runs by itself when something happens: a customer writes, a chat goes quiet, a payment link is paid, or a time comes round.

<Note>
  Everyone in the workspace can open **Workflows** and see how each one is built. Only owners and admins can create, edit, switch on, switch off or delete a workflow.
</Note>

## What a workflow is made of

Every workflow has one **trigger**, which starts it, and one or more **steps** joined to it. A step can send something, wait, check a condition, or do a job for your team such as adding a tag.

Each run is for one conversation. Some examples:

* Reply to a customer who writes when you are closed.
* Thank a customer the moment they pay a payment link.
* Tell the team when a customer has been left waiting.
* Tag and assign a conversation that mentions a word you choose.
* Send a template to every open conversation with a tag, at 09:00 each Monday.

## Ready-made workflows

Under **Start from a ready-made workflow** on the Workflows page there are four to begin from. Choose **Start from this** and Companion makes a copy, switched off, and opens it in the builder for you to change.

| Ready-made workflow | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Reply outside opening hours** | Tells a customer who writes when you are closed that you have their message. Runs at most once every 12 hours for each conversation. |
| **Thank you after a payment** | Thanks the customer when a payment link is paid. |
| **Follow up when a conversation goes quiet** | When a customer has waited 20 hours, apologises for the wait and notifies the team. |
| **Tag and assign on a keyword** | Tags a conversation when the customer mentions a quote or a price, and assigns it to the member you choose. |

Check the wording, the hours and the member before you switch one on. They are starting points, not finished workflows.

## Switched off until you switch it on

A new workflow is always switched off, whether you build it from a blank canvas, start from a ready-made one or duplicate another. It shows as **Draft** and runs for nobody until you switch it on. Saving a workflow never switches it on.

The label on each workflow tells you where it stands:

* **Draft**: never switched on.
* **Active**: switched on.
* **Paused**: switched off after having been on.

## How many you can switch on

Your plan limits how many workflows are switched on at once. You can build and save as many as you like.

| Plan | Workflows switched on at once |
| - | - |
| Starter | 5 |
| Growth | Unlimited |
| Business | Unlimited |

The free trial has Growth's limits. On Starter, the Workflows page shows how many of the 5 are in use. When all 5 are on, switch one off or move up a plan to switch on another.

## Related

* [Build a workflow](/workflows/build-a-workflow)
* [Test a workflow and read the run log](/workflows/test-and-run-log)
* [How WhatsApp messaging works](/get-started/how-whatsapp-messaging-works)
* [Plans](/billing/plans)


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