Build Your Own Workflows

Every role has unique workflows. Here’s how to translate YOUR processes into automated workflows — no coding required.

The Simple Version

Building a workflow is just 3 steps:

  1. Describe what       2. Let Claude turn       3. Run it
     you do manually ──▶    it into a command ──▶    and refine

Step 1: Describe What You Do

Think of a task you do regularly. Write down:

• What triggers it (time of day? An event? Someone asks you?)
• What steps you follow
• What the end result looks like
• How long it takes manually

Step 2: Ask Claude to Build It

claude

I want to automate this workflow: [describe your process].
Here are the steps I follow manually: [list the steps].
The result should look like: [describe the output].
Create a reusable command for this at ~/.claude/commands/[name].md

Step 3: Run It and Refine

Use the command a few times. Each time, note what’s good and what’s missing. Then tell Claude: “Update the [command name] — add [what’s missing] and change [what needs adjusting].”

The key insight: You don’t need to get it perfect on the first try. Start rough, use it for a week, then refine. Each iteration makes it better.

The 6-Step Method (For Complex Workflows)

For more complex processes — especially when translating an entire role’s playbook into the system — there’s a structured 6-step methodology:

  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 1. Inventory                  │
  │    List every process         │
  └───────────────────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 2. Classify                   │
  │    Can it be automated?       │
  └───────────────────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 3. Map Tools                  │
  │    What tools exist?          │
  └───────────────────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 4. Prioritize                 │
  │    What to build first?       │
  └───────────────────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 5. Credentials                │
  │    What access is needed?     │
  └───────────────────────────────┘
                  │
                  ▼
  ┌───────────────────────────────┐
  │ 6. Schedule                   │
  │    When should it run?        │
  └───────────────────────────────┘

1. Inventory: List Every Process

Go through your typical week and list every repeating task:

2. Classify: Can It Be Automated?

For each process, ask three questions:

1. Can a computer access the information it needs? (Is it in email, calendar, or a tool you can connect?)
2. Are the rules clear? (Could you write instructions for someone else to follow?)
3. What happens if it makes a mistake? (Low cost = automate fully. High cost = have it draft, you review.)

Three categories:

• Fully automatable — Clear rules, low mistake cost, no judgment needed
• Semi-automatable — System drafts, you review and approve
• Human only — Requires physical presence, legal authority, or deep relationship nuance

3. Map Tools: What Exists Already?

Before building something new, check what the system already offers. You might find that a command or workflow already does what you need, or gets you 80% of the way there.

claude

List my available commands and agents. I'm looking for anything related to [your process].

4. Prioritize: What to Build First

Not everything needs to be automated at once. Start with the workflows that:

• Save the most time (daily tasks > monthly tasks)
• Have the lowest risk (email triage > financial decisions)
• Are most repetitive (routine tasks > creative work)

Rule of thumb: If you do it daily and it takes more than 15 minutes, automate it first.

5. Credentials: What Access Is Needed?

Each workflow might need access to different tools. Make a list:

6. Schedule: When Should It Run?

Example: Building an Invoice Forwarding Workflow

The manual process: When a receipt or invoice arrives in email, forward it to accounting with a note.

Step 1 - Describe it: “When I get an email with an invoice or receipt, I forward it to accounting@company.com with the subject ‘Invoice: [vendor name] - [amount]’.”

Step 2 - Ask Claude to build it:

Create a command called /forward-invoices that scans my recent emails for invoices and receipts, then drafts forwarding emails to accounting@company.com with the subject format "Invoice: [vendor] - [amount]". Show me the drafts for approval before sending.

Step 3 - Refine after using it: “Update /forward-invoices — also check for emails from these specific vendors: [list]. And add the date to the subject line.”

For the Full Technical Guide

The 6-step methodology is explained in complete detail in the Developer Guide: Workflow Mapping, including templates, scoring frameworks, and a worked example.

There’s also a blank Workflow Analysis Template you can fill in.

What’s Next?

• Daily Operations — See common daily workflows in action
• See It In Action — Watch complete workflow examples
• The 8 Primitives — Understand the building blocks behind every workflow