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

# Overview

> What the Workflow Builder is, what you can build with it, and when to use it instead of ION Actions.

The **Workflow Builder** is ION's tool for building automation flows. A flow reacts to an ION event or a schedule, then runs a sequence of steps that can call external systems, transform data, and read or write ION through the [GraphQL API](/api-reference). You assemble a flow visually from prebuilt components instead of writing an integration from scratch.

## What you can build

* **External connections** move data between ION and another system, such as syncing an order to a supplier portal.
* **Timed automations** run a flow on a schedule, such as checking stock levels every hour.
* **Event-triggered flows** start when something happens in ION, such as a run being created or a purchase order changing state.

## When to use Workflow Builder versus ION Actions

The Workflow Builder and [ION Actions](/automate-with-ion/ion-actions) both automate ION, but they solve different problems:

|                  | Workflow Builder                                               | ION Actions                                                |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Purpose**      | Orchestrate automation across systems                          | Enforce a business rule on a change                        |
| **When it runs** | On a schedule or in response to an ION event                   | Inside a change, before it saves                           |
| **Typical use**  | Sync data to an ERP, replenish inventory, call an external API | Block an invalid change, require a field, gate an approval |
| **Reach**        | ION plus external systems                                      | ION data only                                              |

Use Actions to allow, block, or warn on a change as it happens, such as preventing R\&D parts from being kitted into a production run. Use the Workflow Builder to move data between systems or run automation on a schedule.

## The two components behind every flow

A flow combines two ION-specific components, each with its own connection:

* **ion-webhooks** triggers the flow. It subscribes to ION events and exposes them as a trigger, creating the webhook receiver, managing the subscription, and cleaning it up when you remove the flow.
* **ion-api** reads or writes ION data from inside the flow, through the same GraphQL API the rest of ION runs on.

A flow that only runs on a schedule doesn't need ion-webhooks; a flow that only reacts to an ION event without reading or writing more data doesn't need ion-api. Most flows use both: ion-webhooks to start the flow, ion-api to act on the data it carries. See [Create a flow](/automate-with-ion/workflow-builder/create-a-flow) for how to configure each, and the [ion-api actions reference](/automate-with-ion/workflow-builder/ion-api-actions) for everything ion-api can do.

## Open Workflow Builder

Open **Workflow Builder** from the left navigation, under **Developer Platform**. The entry appears only when your organization has Workflow Builder enabled, and it's enabled per organization rather than per role. To have it turned on, contact [support.firstresonance.io](https://support.firstresonance.io).

Once you're in, see [Create a flow](/automate-with-ion/workflow-builder/create-a-flow) to build one, or [Test a flow](/automate-with-ion/workflow-builder/test-a-flow) to run and monitor one you've built.