Best approach to managing workflows that keep changing?

[chickpeafilae]

I manage workflows that frequently evolve due to business needs. Constant changes sometimes break existing processes. How do you keep workflows flexible without becoming unstable?

[Matthew_13]

Hi Buddy,

The key is to design workflows assuming they will change, instead of trying to lock them down.

What usually causes instability is putting too much business logic directly into the workflow. When rules, exceptions, or org details are hard-coded, every business change turns into a risky workflow edit. A better approach is to keep workflows lightweight and let them orchestrate steps, while the actual decision logic lives elsewhere (rules, tables, configs, subflows).

Another big stabilizer is versioning. Instead of editing a live workflow, create a new version. Let anything already in progress finish on the old logic, and send new work through the new version. That alone prevents a lot of “it broke overnight” issues.

It also helps to build in clear extension points and safe failure paths. If something changes or goes wrong, the workflow should either fall back cleanly or stop in a visible way — not silently continue in a bad state.

In short, stable workflows stay flexible because:

• The workflow controls flow, not policy

• Business rules are configurable, not hard-coded

• Changes are isolated, not disruptive

That’s how you keep adapting without breaking what already works. 😉

@chickpeafilae - Please mark Accepted Solution and Thumbs Up if you found Helpful