Start a workflow when another workflow calls it

When called by another workflow — Started only by an Execute workflow step — makes a workflow that other workflows call, as a step. It says what it needs: typed fields such as an email, a total and a date, which each caller fills in. Use it for work several workflows share — a summary email, an invoice in your accounting system, a message to the on-call team.

Who can do this

Workspace Admins and Editors set the trigger. It works on every plan.

Steps

1. Open the workflow in the designer.
2. On an empty workflow, select Browse all triggers. On one with a trigger, select the trigger, then Change how it starts.
3. Under Developer, select When called by another workflow.
4. Under What the caller sends, fill in a row per field: its name, its type — Text, Number, Date, True or false, List or Object — Required or Optional, and an example. For example customer_email (Text, Required, rohan@consulace.com), order_total (Number, Required, 1499), due_date (Date, Optional). Select Add a field for more. A new field starts as Text and Required.
5. Choose When the caller sends something not listed — Keep it (the default) or Drop it, which leaves the trigger's output with only the fields listed.
6. Add the steps. Each can use the fields as {{ trigger.customer_email }}, or {{ $json.customer_email }} in the step straight after the trigger.
7. Test it with Test run. Testing this workflow on its own uses each field's example. After a real call, Use the last call under Test with pins what that call sent, so tests start from it.
8. Publish the workflow and keep it switched on. Only published workflows can be called.

What happens next

• The workflow appears in Execute workflow's Workflow list in every workflow in this workspace.
• Called by on the trigger lists the published workflows that call it, and the step that does — Weekly sales summary · Execute workflow · step 4. Until there is one, it says No published workflow calls this one yet.
• Each call is its own run on Runs, marked Called by #2041, and counts as a run towards your plan — even when the caller was a test.
• Nothing else starts it — no schedule, address or button. To run it by hand as well, test it, or make a separate workflow with a Manual trigger that calls it.

Good to know

• Values arrive as the field's type. A caller's 1499 comes as a number, a date as 2026-10-16. A value that cannot be read as the type stops the caller's step, naming the field.
• A required field left empty stops the caller's step, naming the field — this workflow does not start. An optional field left empty is not sent.
• Changing the fields changes every caller's step once you publish: a new required field marks every caller's step Needs setup until it is filled in.
• Callers always run the live version — the one you published — never the draft, even when the caller is a test. The run happens in the caller's environment.
• A caller that calls once for all items also sends items, a list of every item it had — kept even with Drop it.
• What the caller gets back, when it waits, is what this workflow's last step returns. Put a Set / Edit Fields last to choose exactly what goes back.
• A caller that waits cannot wait through a Wait step. If this workflow has a Wait, callers must choose Start it and carry on.
• Switched off, it cannot be called: the caller's step fails and says so.

If something goes wrong

Related

• Run another workflow with Execute workflow
• Change how a workflow starts
• Publish a workflow
• Publishing a workflow versus switching it on
• What counts as a run