Validations

Overview

Validations determine whether an automation should execute. They act as gatekeepers - if a validation fails, the automation’s actions are skipped entirely. This helps you create conditional logic without complex action blocks.

Pre-Execution Check

Validate before any actions run

Multiple Types

Expression, REST API, or Location checks

Short-Circuit

Skip all actions if validation fails

Custom Messages

Show user-friendly error messages

How Validations Work

Automation Triggered
        ↓
  ┌───────────────┐
  │  Validation   │
  └───────┬───────┘
          │
    ┌─────┴─────┐
    │  Passes?  │
    └─────┬─────┘
       /     \
     Yes      No
      ↓        ↓
  Execute   Skip All
  Actions   Actions
             + Show
             Error

Validations run before any action blocks. If the validation returns false, all action blocks are skipped and an optional error message is shown to the user.

Validation Types

1. Expression Validation

Write JavaScript expressions that return true or false. Use for:

Checking data field values
Comparing dates or numbers
Complex conditional logic

Example: Require minimum order amount

// Validation passes if order is $50 or more
task.data.order_amount >= 50

Example: Validate date is in future

// Validation passes if delivery date is after today
new Date(task.data.delivery_date) > new Date()

Example: Check user role

// Only allow managers to proceed
loggedInUser.role === "Manager"

2. REST API Validation

Call an external API to validate. The automation proceeds only if the API returns a successful response matching your criteria. Use for:

Verifying data with external systems
Credit checks or inventory availability
Third-party validation services

Configuration:

Field	Description
URL	API endpoint to call
Method	HTTP method (GET, POST, etc.)
Headers	Request headers (auth, content-type)
Body	Request payload with data field placeholders
Success Condition	Expression to evaluate the response

Example: Check inventory before order

// API Configuration
{
  "url": "https://api.inventory.com/check",
  "method": "POST",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer {{secrets.INVENTORY_API_KEY}}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  "body": {
    "product_id": "{{task.data.product_id}}",
    "quantity": "{{task.data.quantity}}"
  }
}

// Success Condition
response.data.available === true

Example: Verify customer credit

// API Configuration
{
  "url": "https://api.credit.com/verify/{{task.data.customer_id}}",
  "method": "GET"
}

// Success Condition
response.data.credit_limit >= task.data.order_total

3. Location Validation

Verify the user is at or near a specific location before allowing the automation to proceed. Use for:

Ensuring field workers are on-site
Geo-fenced task completion
Delivery verification

Configuration:

Field	Description
Target Location	Data field containing the expected location
User Location	Current user’s GPS coordinates
Radius	Maximum allowed distance (meters)

Example: Verify user is at delivery location

Target: task.data.delivery_address
User: loggedInUser.location
Radius: 100 meters

Adding a Validation

Open Automation

Navigate to the automation you want to add validation to

Click Add Validation

In the automation editor, click Add Validation

Select Type

Choose Expression, REST API, or Location

Configure

Enter your validation logic based on the type

Set Error Message

Enter the message to show users when validation fails

Save

Save the automation

Error Messages

When validation fails, you can display a custom error message to the user:

// Validation
task.data.quantity <= task.data.stock_available

// Error Message
"Insufficient stock. Only {{task.data.stock_available}} items available."

Error messages support data field placeholders using {{field}} syntax.

Best Practices

Keep Validations Simple

Complex logic is better handled in action block conditions. Validations should be clear pass/fail checks.

Use Descriptive Error Messages

Help users understand why the validation failed and what they can do about it.

Consider Performance

REST API validations add network latency. Use expression validations for local checks.

Handle API Failures

Decide whether API errors should fail validation (safe default) or pass through.

Validation vs Conditions

Aspect	Validation	Condition
Scope	Entire automation	Single action block
On Failure	Skip all actions	Skip that block only
Error Message	Can show to user	Silent skip
Use Case	Pre-flight checks	Branching logic

Use validations when you want to prevent the entire automation from running. Use conditions when you want to selectively run different action blocks.

Common Validation Patterns

Required Fields

// Ensure required data is present
task.data.customer_name && task.data.customer_phone

Business Hours Only

// Only allow during 9 AM - 6 PM
const hour = new Date().getHours();
hour >= 9 && hour < 18

User Permission Check

// Only supervisors or managers
['Supervisor', 'Manager'].includes(loggedInUser.role)

Data Format Validation

// Validate email format
/^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/.test(task.data.email)

For AI Agents

Validation Structure

interface AutomationValidation {
  type: 'expression' | 'rest_api' | 'location';
  config: ExpressionConfig | RestApiConfig | LocationConfig;
  errorMessage?: string;
}

interface ExpressionConfig {
  expression: string;  // JavaScript expression returning boolean
}

interface RestApiConfig {
  url: string;
  method: 'GET' | 'POST' | 'PUT' | 'PATCH' | 'DELETE';
  headers?: Record<string, string>;
  body?: any;
  successCondition: string;  // JavaScript expression
}

interface LocationConfig {
  targetLocation: string;  // Data field path
  userLocation: string;    // Usually "loggedInUser.location"
  radiusMeters: number;
}

Available Variables

Variable	Description
`task`	Current task object with all data fields
`task.data`	User-defined data field values
`loggedInUser`	Current user information
`loggedInUser.role`	User’s role
`loggedInUser.team`	User’s team
`loggedInUser.location`	User’s current GPS location
`response`	REST API response (for API validations)
`secrets`	Stored secret values

UI Components

Component	Location	Purpose
ValidationEditor	`/src/views/automations/ValidationEditor/`	Validation configuration
ExpressionEditor	`/src/components/LowCode/`	JavaScript editor
ApiConfigEditor	`/src/views/automations/ApiConfig/`	REST API setup
LocationPicker	`/src/components/LocationPicker/`	Location selection

Event Tracking

// Validation events
AutomationEvents.VALIDATION_STARTED
AutomationEvents.VALIDATION_PASSED
AutomationEvents.VALIDATION_FAILED
AutomationEvents.VALIDATION_ERROR

Workflows

Data Fields

Workflow Nodes

Automations

Going to Production

Validations

Overview

Pre-Execution Check

Multiple Types

Short-Circuit

Custom Messages

How Validations Work

Validation Types

1. Expression Validation

2. REST API Validation

3. Location Validation

Adding a Validation

Error Messages

Best Practices

Validation vs Conditions

Common Validation Patterns

For AI Agents

Validation Structure

Available Variables

UI Components

Event Tracking

Workflows

Data Fields

Workflow Nodes

Automations

Going to Production

​Overview

Pre-Execution Check

Multiple Types

Short-Circuit

Custom Messages

​How Validations Work

​Validation Types

​1. Expression Validation

​2. REST API Validation

​3. Location Validation

​Adding a Validation

​Error Messages

​Best Practices

​Validation vs Conditions

​Common Validation Patterns

​For AI Agents

​Validation Structure

​Available Variables

​UI Components

​Event Tracking

Overview

How Validations Work

Validation Types

1. Expression Validation

2. REST API Validation

3. Location Validation

Adding a Validation

Error Messages

Best Practices

Validation vs Conditions

Common Validation Patterns

For AI Agents

Validation Structure

Available Variables

UI Components

Event Tracking