An agent workflow template is ready to reuse when it names its trigger, permissions, success artifact, failure behavior, and human approval boundary. If those are missing, the template is a prompt demo, not an operating procedure.
Quick answer
- Name the recurring problem.
- List every tool and account the workflow touches.
- Define the artifact that proves success.
- Describe duplicate-run and timeout behavior.
- Mark every external side effect that needs approval.
Permissions are part of the template
A template that says 'connect your tools' is incomplete. It should say which tools, what scopes, what can be read, and what can be changed.
Success should be observable
Good workflows leave an artifact: a message sent, a PR opened, a status file marked done, a report saved, or a calendar event created. A transcript saying the agent tried is not enough.
Approval boundaries prevent surprises
Any workflow that sends, posts, deletes, purchases, invites, or changes production state needs an explicit confirmation step. That boundary should be written into the runbook, not improvised at runtime.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to reject a bad template?
Ask what artifact proves success. If the answer is vague, the workflow is not ready.
Should templates include model choices?
Yes when cost or quality depends on model strength. Otherwise provide a default and an escalation rule.
Can a workflow start read-only?
Yes, and that is often the best first version. Add writes only after the read-only workflow proves useful.