Workflows - Feather

What Are Workflows?

Workflows are automated multi-step call sequences that orchestrate outreach to your leads over time. Unlike agents that handle single interactions, workflows manage entire engagement campaigns with multiple call touchpoints, delays, and conditional logic. Think of workflows as your automated outreach campaigns that can:

Execute multi-step sequences - Make multiple calls in a defined order
Schedule intelligently - Respect business hours, time zones, and TCPA compliance
Adapt to outcomes - Branch based on call results (answered, voicemail, no answer, etc.)
Persist over time - Continue sequences over days or weeks
Scale outreach - Run hundreds of executions simultaneously

Common Use Cases

Sales Sequences

Multi-touch outreach with calls and voicemails to nurture leads through your sales funnel.

Appointment Reminders

Automated reminder call sequences leading up to appointments.

Lead Nurturing

Long-term engagement campaigns that warm up cold leads with multiple call touchpoints over time.

Re-engagement Campaigns

Win back inactive customers with scheduled follow-up calls.

Workflow Architecture

Workflows vs Executions

Feather uses a two-level architecture:

Workflow: The template defining the sequence, schedule, and rules
Workflow Execution: An instance running for a specific lead

This separation allows you to:

Define once, run for thousands of leads
Track individual execution progress
Pause/resume/cancel specific executions
Monitor performance across all executions

Creating a Workflow

Basic Workflow Structure

const workflow = {
  name: "3-Day Sales Sequence",
  description: "Initial call with two follow-up attempts",
  active: true,
  timezone: "America/New_York",
  definition: {
    steps: [
      {
        type: "CALL",
        order: 1,
        delayInSecs: 0,
        agentId: "agent-123",
        leaveVoicemail: true,
        needsTCPACompliance: true,
        finishOn: ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
      },
      {
        type: "CALL",
        order: 2,
        delayInSecs: 86400, // 24 hours
        agentId: "agent-123",
        leaveVoicemail: true,
        needsTCPACompliance: true,
        finishOn: ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
      },
      {
        type: "CALL",
        order: 3,
        delayInSecs: 172800, // 48 hours after step 2
        agentId: "agent-123",
        leaveVoicemail: false,
        needsTCPACompliance: true,
        finishOn: ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
      }
    ]
  }
};

const response = await fetch('https://prod.featherhq.com/api/v1/workflow', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-API-Key': API_KEY,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify(workflow)
});

Workflow Steps

Call Steps

Call steps execute phone calls using your configured agents:

{
  "type": "CALL",
  "order": 1,
  "delayInSecs": 0,
  "agentId": "agent-123",
  "leaveVoicemail": true,
  "needsTCPACompliance": true,
  "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"],
  "conditions": {
    "field": "previousDisposition",
    "operator": "equals",
    "value": "NO_ANSWER"
  }
}

Key Properties:

agentId (required): Which agent handles the call
leaveVoicemail: Whether to leave voicemail if detected
finishOn: Call dispositions that end the workflow
conditions: Optional conditional logic for branching

Step Ordering & Delays

Steps execute in order based on the order field (1-indexed). The delayInSecs determines when each step runs:

Step 1: Runs immediately when execution starts
Step 2+: Runs after delayInSecs from the previous step’s completion

Example timeline:

Step 1 (order: 1, delay: 0)       → Executes at 10:00 AM
Step 2 (order: 2, delay: 3600)    → Executes at 11:00 AM (1 hour after Step 1 completes)
Step 3 (order: 3, delay: 86400)   → Executes at 11:00 AM next day (24 hours after Step 2 completes)

Call Dispositions

Call steps end with dispositions that determine workflow behavior:

Disposition	Description
`COULD_NOT_CONNECT`	Call failed to connect
`NO_ANSWER`	Lead didn’t answer
`LEFT_VOICEMAIL`	Voicemail was left
`VOICEMAIL_DETECTED`	Voicemail detected, no message left
`SILENCE_TIMEOUT`	Call answered but silent
`BAD_NUMBER`	Invalid phone number
`NOT_INTERESTED`	Lead expressed disinterest
`WARM_TRANSFER`	Call transferred to human
`CALENDLY`	Appointment booked
`DNC`	Do not call request
`ENDED`	Call completed normally
`FRAUD`	Fraudulent activity detected
`LINE_BUSY`	Line was busy
`CALL_AGAIN`	Lead requested callback

Workflow Exit Conditions

Use finishOn to end the workflow when specific dispositions occur:

{
  "finishOn": [
    "CALENDLY",      // Success - booked meeting
    "NOT_INTERESTED", // Opted out
    "DNC",           // Do not call
    "BAD_NUMBER"     // Invalid number
  ]
}

Conditional Logic

Create branching workflows based on previous outcomes:

{
  "steps": [
    {
      "type": "CALL",
      "order": 1,
      "agentId": "agent-123",
      "leaveVoicemail": true,
      "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
    },
    {
      "type": "CALL",
      "order": 2,
      "delayInSecs": 3600,
      "agentId": "agent-123",
      "leaveVoicemail": true,
      "conditions": {
        "field": "previousDisposition",
        "operator": "equals",
        "value": "NO_ANSWER"
      },
      "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
    },
    {
      "type": "CALL",
      "order": 3,
      "delayInSecs": 86400,
      "agentId": "agent-123",
      "leaveVoicemail": false,
      "conditions": {
        "field": "previousDisposition",
        "operator": "in",
        "value": ["NO_ANSWER", "VOICEMAIL_DETECTED"]
      },
      "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
    }
  ]
}

Condition Operators:

equals: Exact match
in: Match any value in array
not_equals: Not equal to
not_in: Not in array

Scheduling

Business Hours

Define when the workflow can execute:

{
  "startHour": 9,    // 9 AM
  "endHour": 17,     // 5 PM
  "timezone": "America/New_York"
}

Steps scheduled outside these hours will wait until the next available time window.

Day-Specific Schedules

Control execution by day of week:

{
  "workflowSchedule": {
    "monday": [
      { "startHour": 9, "endHour": 12 },
      { "startHour": 13, "endHour": 17 }
    ],
    "tuesday": [
      { "startHour": 9, "endHour": 17 }
    ],
    "wednesday": [],  // No execution on Wednesdays
    "thursday": [
      { "startHour": 9, "endHour": 17 }
    ],
    "friday": [
      { "startHour": 9, "endHour": 15 }
    ],
    "saturday": [],
    "sunday": []
  }
}

TCPA Compliance

Feather includes built-in TCPA compliance scheduling:

{
  "tcpaSchedule": {
    "defaultSchedule": {
      "startHour": 8,
      "endHour": 21,
      "timezone": "LOCAL"  // Uses lead's timezone
    },
    "stateOverrides": {
      "CA": {
        "startHour": 8,
        "endHour": 20
      },
      "NY": {
        "startHour": 8,
        "endHour": 21
      }
    }
  }
}

TCPA Features:

State-specific calling hours
Automatic timezone detection
Holiday exceptions
DNC list integration

Workflow Executions

Creating an Execution

Start a workflow for a specific lead:

const execution = {
  workflowId: "workflow-123",
  customerLeadId: "lead-456",
  variables: {
    firstName: "John",
    companyName: "Acme Corp",
    productName: "Enterprise Plan"
  }
};

const response = await fetch('https://prod.featherhq.com/api/v1/workflow-execution', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-API-Key': API_KEY,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify(execution)
});

Execution States

Executions progress through these states:

CREATED → RUNNING → COMPLETED
              ↓
          PAUSED → RESUMED → RUNNING
              ↓
          CANCELLED
              ↓
          FAILED

Managing Executions

Pause an execution:

await fetch(
  `https://prod.featherhq.com/api/v1/workflow-execution/${executionId}/pause`,
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'X-API-Key': API_KEY }
  }
);

Resume an execution:

await fetch(
  `https://prod.featherhq.com/api/v1/workflow-execution/${executionId}/resume`,
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'X-API-Key': API_KEY }
  }
);

Cancel an execution:

await fetch(
  `https://prod.featherhq.com/api/v1/workflow-execution/${executionId}/cancel`,
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: { 'X-API-Key': API_KEY }
  }
);

Variables in Workflows

Use variables to personalize agent conversations and pass data: Variables are provided when creating the execution and can reference:

Lead data: {{firstName}}, {{lastName}}, {{email}}
Custom data: Any variables passed in execution creation
System data: Timestamps, execution IDs, etc.

Agents can access these variables during calls to personalize conversations based on lead information and workflow context.

Best Practices

Workflow Design

Start simple - Begin with 2-3 steps and expand based on results
Set clear exit conditions - Define when the workflow should stop
Respect recipient preferences - Honor DNC requests immediately
Test thoroughly - Run executions with test leads before production

Timing and Delays

Space out touchpoints - Don’t overwhelm leads with rapid contacts
Consider time zones - Use TCPA schedule with LOCAL timezone
Allow response time - Give leads time to respond between steps
Respect business hours - Configure appropriate start/end hours

TCPA Compliance

Always enable TCPA checks - Set needsTCPACompliance: true
Configure state overrides - Different states have different rules
Handle DNC immediately - Include DNC in finishOn conditions
Document consent - Track when and how consent was obtained

Performance Monitoring

Track disposition rates - Identify patterns in call outcomes
Measure completion rates - How many executions complete successfully
Monitor execution times - Ensure steps execute on schedule
A/B test sequences - Try different messaging and timing

Common Patterns

The Follow-Up Sequence

{
  "name": "Standard Follow-Up",
  "definition": {
    "steps": [
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 1,
        "delayInSecs": 0,
        "agentId": "sales-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": true,
        "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
      },
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 2,
        "delayInSecs": 7200,
        "agentId": "sales-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": true,
        "conditions": {
          "field": "previousDisposition",
          "operator": "in",
          "value": ["NO_ANSWER", "VOICEMAIL_DETECTED"]
        },
        "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"]
      },
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 3,
        "delayInSecs": 86400,
        "agentId": "sales-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": false,
        "finishOn": ["CALENDLY", "NOT_INTERESTED", "DNC"],
        "conditions": {
          "field": "previousDisposition",
          "operator": "equals",
          "value": "NO_ANSWER"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

The Appointment Reminder

{
  "name": "Appointment Reminder Series",
  "definition": {
    "steps": [
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 1,
        "delayInSecs": 0,
        "agentId": "reminder-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": true
      },
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 2,
        "delayInSecs": 86400,
        "agentId": "reminder-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": true
      },
      {
        "type": "CALL",
        "order": 3,
        "delayInSecs": 3600,
        "agentId": "reminder-agent",
        "leaveVoicemail": true
      }
    ]
  }
}

Next Steps

Agents

Learn how to configure agents for your workflow call steps

Phone Numbers

Set up phone numbers for outbound workflow calls

Leads

Understand lead management and workflow execution tracking

API Reference

Explore the complete workflows API

Getting Started

Core Concepts

​What Are Workflows?

​Common Use Cases

Sales Sequences

Appointment Reminders

Lead Nurturing

Re-engagement Campaigns

​Workflow Architecture

​Workflows vs Executions

​Creating a Workflow

​Basic Workflow Structure

​Workflow Steps

​Call Steps

​Step Ordering & Delays

​Call Dispositions

​Workflow Exit Conditions

​Conditional Logic

​Scheduling

​Business Hours

​Day-Specific Schedules

​TCPA Compliance

​Workflow Executions

​Creating an Execution

​Execution States

​Managing Executions

​Variables in Workflows

​Best Practices

​Workflow Design

​Timing and Delays

​TCPA Compliance

​Performance Monitoring

​Common Patterns

​The Follow-Up Sequence

​The Appointment Reminder

​Next Steps

Agents

Phone Numbers

Leads

API Reference

What Are Workflows?

Common Use Cases

Workflow Architecture

Workflows vs Executions

Creating a Workflow

Basic Workflow Structure

Workflow Steps

Call Steps

Step Ordering & Delays

Call Dispositions

Workflow Exit Conditions

Conditional Logic

Scheduling

Business Hours

Day-Specific Schedules

TCPA Compliance

Workflow Executions

Creating an Execution

Execution States

Managing Executions

Variables in Workflows

Best Practices

Workflow Design

Timing and Delays

TCPA Compliance

Performance Monitoring

Common Patterns

The Follow-Up Sequence

The Appointment Reminder

Next Steps