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Conditional Task

Overview

Conditional Tasks enable workflow branching based on defined rules and conditions. Each rule evaluates output parameters from previous tasks, allowing for dynamic workflow execution paths. This feature lets you create intelligent workflows that respond to data variations and task outcomes.

Visual Example

Conditional Task Example

Configuration Structure

{
    "type": "CONDITIONAL_TASK",
    "block": {
        "name": "Route Customer Request",
        "type": "CONDITIONAL_TASK",
        "rules": [
            {
                "conditions": [
                    {
                        "task": "Analyze Request",
                        "parameter": "sentiment_score",
                        "parameter_type": "FLOAT",
                        "operator": "LESS_THAN",
                        "value": "0.3"
                    },
                    {
                        "task": "Analyze Request",
                        "parameter": "urgency",
                        "parameter_type": "STRING",
                        "operator": "EQUAL",
                        "value": "high"
                    }
                ],
                "then_block": "Escalate Request"
            },
            {
                "conditions": [
                    {
                        "task": "Analyze Request",
                        "parameter": "category",
                        "parameter_type": "STRING",
                        "operator": "EQUAL",
                        "value": "refund"
                    }
                ],
                "then_block": "Process Refund"
            }
        ],
        "dependencies": ["Analyze Request"],
        "error_policy": "RAISE"
    }
}

Required Fields

Field Type Description Required
name string Task identifier Yes
rules array Array of condition rules Yes
dependencies array Task dependencies No
error_policy string Error handling strategy No

Rules Configuration

Each conditional task must have one or more rules. Rules are evaluated in the order they appear in the configuration.

{
    "rules": [
        {
            "conditions": [...],
            "then_block": "Task ID"
        }
    ]
}

Rule Structure

Each rule contains:

  • conditions: Array of conditions that must ALL be satisfied (AND operation)
  • then_block: The task to execute if all conditions are met (defaults to "END" if not specified)

Condition Configuration

{
    "conditions": [
        {
            "task": "Previous Task Name",
            "parameter": "output_parameter_name",
            "parameter_type": "STRING",
            "operator": "EQUAL",
            "value": "expected_value"
        }
    ]
}

Condition Fields

Field Type Description Required
task string Source task (must be a dependency) Yes
parameter string Output parameter from the source task Yes
parameter_type enum Data type of the parameter Yes
operator enum Comparison operator Yes
value any Value to compare against Yes*

* Not required for operators like IS_NULL, IS_NOT_NULL, IS_EMPTY, IS_NOT_EMPTY

Parameter Types

The following parameter types are supported:

Type Description Example Values
STRING Text values "approval", "high", "rejected"
INTEGER Whole numbers 1, 42, -10
FLOAT Decimal numbers 0.5, 3.14, -2.5
BOOLEAN True/false values true, false
DATETIME Date and time values "2024-03-15 14:30:00"
ARRAY Lists of values [1, 2, 3], ["red", "green"]
ENUM Predefined set of values "APPROVED", "REJECTED"

Available Operators

The available operators depend on the data type of the selected parameter:

String Operators

  • EQUAL: Exact match
  • NOT_EQUAL: Not an exact match
  • CONTAINS: String contains value
  • STARTS_WITH: String starts with value
  • ENDS_WITH: String ends with value
  • IS_NULL: Value is null
  • IS_NOT_NULL: Value is not null

Numeric Operators (INTEGER, FLOAT)

  • EQUAL: Equal to
  • NOT_EQUAL: Not equal to
  • GREATER_THAN: Greater than
  • LESS_THAN: Less than
  • GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL: Greater than or equal to
  • LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL: Less than or equal to
  • IS_NULL: Value is null
  • IS_NOT_NULL: Value is not null

Boolean Operators

  • EQUAL: Equal to (true/false)
  • NOT_EQUAL: Not equal to (true/false)
  • IS_NULL: Value is null
  • IS_NOT_NULL: Value is not null

DateTime Operators

  • EQUAL: Equal to
  • NOT_EQUAL: Not equal to
  • GREATER_THAN: Later than
  • LESS_THAN: Earlier than
  • GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL: Later than or equal to
  • LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL: Earlier than or equal to
  • IS_NULL: Value is null
  • IS_NOT_NULL: Value is not null

Array Operators

  • IS_EMPTY: Array has no elements
  • IS_NOT_EMPTY: Array has at least one element

Enum Operators

  • EQUAL: Exact match
  • NOT_EQUAL: Not an exact match

Then Block Configuration

The then_block field specifies which task to execute if all conditions in the rule are satisfied.

{
    "then_block": "Next Task Name"
}
  • If no then_block is specified, or if it is set to "END", the workflow will terminate
  • Only tasks that have been connected to the conditional task in the workflow editor will appear in the dropdown

Common Use Cases

1. Content Routing

{
    "name": "Route Content",
    "rules": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Analyze Content",
                    "parameter": "toxicity_score",
                    "parameter_type": "FLOAT",
                    "operator": "GREATER_THAN",
                    "value": "0.7"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Human Review"
        },
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Analyze Content",
                    "parameter": "toxicity_score",
                    "parameter_type": "FLOAT",
                    "operator": "LESS_THAN",
                    "value": "0.2"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Publish Content"
        }
    ],
    "dependencies": ["Analyze Content"],
    "error_policy": "RAISE"
}

2. Customer Support Triage

{
    "name": "Triage Support Request",
    "rules": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Classify Request",
                    "parameter": "priority",
                    "parameter_type": "STRING",
                    "operator": "EQUAL",
                    "value": "high"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Urgent Support"
        },
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Classify Request",
                    "parameter": "category",
                    "parameter_type": "STRING",
                    "operator": "EQUAL",
                    "value": "billing"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Billing Department"
        }
    ],
    "dependencies": ["Classify Request"],
    "error_policy": "RAISE"
}

3. Data Validation

{
    "name": "Validate Data",
    "rules": [
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Extract Data",
                    "parameter": "records",
                    "parameter_type": "ARRAY",
                    "operator": "IS_EMPTY"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Handle Empty Dataset"
        },
        {
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "task": "Extract Data",
                    "parameter": "validation_score",
                    "parameter_type": "FLOAT",
                    "operator": "LESS_THAN",
                    "value": "0.8"
                }
            ],
            "then_block": "Clean Data"
        }
    ],
    "dependencies": ["Extract Data"],
    "error_policy": "RAISE"
}

Task Flow

graph TD
    A[Previous Task] --> B[Conditional Task]
    B -- "Rule 1 Matches" --> C[Task 1]
    B -- "Rule 2 Matches" --> D[Task 2]
    B -- "No Rules Match" --> E[END]

    style A fill:#d4e6ff,stroke:#0066cc,color:#000000
    style B fill:#ffd6d6,stroke:#cc0000,color:#000000
    style C fill:#d6ffda,stroke:#009900,color:#000000
    style D fill:#d6ffda,stroke:#009900,color:#000000
    style E fill:#e0d6ff,stroke:#6600cc,color:#000000

Flow Execution Logic

  • Rules are evaluated in sequential order (top to bottom)
  • The first rule with all conditions satisfied determines the execution path
  • If multiple rules could match, only the first matching rule is executed
  • If no rules match, the workflow proceeds to END unless a default path is configured

Error Policies

The error_policy field defines how errors are handled during rule evaluation:

Policy Description
RAISE Stop workflow execution and raise an error (default)
RETRY Retry the condition evaluation after a delay
SKIP Skip the failing condition and continue evaluation 
{
    "error_policy": "RETRY",
    "retry_count": 3,
    "retry_delay": 5
}

Best Practices

1. Rule Organization

✅ Do:

  • Order rules from most specific to most general
  • Group related conditions
  • Use descriptive names for tasks and parameters
  • Test rule evaluation with sample data

❌ Don't:

  • Create overlapping rules without clear precedence
  • Use complex nested conditions when simpler rules would work
  • Add unnecessary conditions
  • Create circular dependencies

2. Condition Design

✅ Do:

  • Use appropriate operators for each data type
  • Validate input values
  • Consider edge cases
  • Keep conditions simple and clear

❌ Don't:

  • Mix data types in comparisons
  • Use hardcoded values that may change
  • Create impossible conditions
  • Overcomplicate conditions

3. Workflow Integration

✅ Do:

  • Ensure all referenced tasks exist in the workflow
  • Verify parameter names and types
  • Use clear task names for easy reference
  • Document rule logic for other users

❌ Don't:

  • Reference tasks outside the workflow
  • Use parameters that may not exist
  • Create dead-end paths
  • Assume parameters will always have values

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue Solution
Rules Never Match Check condition values and operators
Wrong Branch Selected Review rule order and specificity
Missing Parameters Verify task dependencies and output structure
Type Errors Ensure parameter values match expected data types
Workflow Dead Ends Connect all possible branches to appropriate tasks
Parameter Changed Update conditions if output parameter names change
No Next Node Options Connect edges to destination nodes in the workflow