Workflow SuiteWorkflow Suite

Build workflows with an AI assistant over MCP

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard way for AI assistants to use tools. Workflow Suite has an MCP server, so an assistant can look up triggers and actions, draft a workflow, check it, try it against a sample event and read the run history, in a conversation with you.

Connect an AI client

  1. Open Developer, tab API keys, and select Create API key. For building workflows choose Read & write. See the levels in Developer API and MCP.
  2. Copy the key. It is shown once, together with ready setup commands for AI clients, with the key already filled in.
  3. Or open the tab MCP. It shows the MCP server (Streamable HTTP) URL and, under Connect an AI client, a command or a config snippet for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and OpenAI Codex.

The server URL is https://shopify.workflow-suite.app/api/mcp. Any client that speaks MCP over Streamable HTTP with a Bearer token can connect:

Authorization: Bearer bwk_your_key_here

The key's level decides the tools

An assistant only sees the tools its key allows. A read-only key cannot even see the tools that change something.

Level Tools, for example
Read only list_workflows, get_workflow, list_triggers, list_actions, list_workflow_templates, list_shopify_mutations, list_shopify_queries, get_trigger_sample, validate_workflow, get_permissions, get_workflow_requirements, list_workflow_runs, get_workflow_run, get_plan
Read & write also create_workflow, update_workflow, use_workflow_template, enable_workflow, disable_workflow, simulate_workflow, test_workflow, test_workflow_step, restore_workflow_version, create_secret, kv_set, write_file, create_smtp_sender
Read, write & execute also run_workflow, rerun_workflow_run, send_test_email

The full list with each tool's level is on the Developer page.

How an assistant builds a workflow

The tools are made for this loop, and the server tells the assistant about it:

  1. Look up the trigger and the steps: list_triggers, get_trigger_sample for the fields of the event, list_actions, and for anything else list_shopify_mutations and get_shopify_mutation, which returns a ready step.
  2. Validate the draft with validate_workflow. Nothing is stored. It returns problems, missing permissions and the secrets the draft names.
  3. Save with create_workflow. A workflow is always created turned off.
  4. Check what is still needed with get_workflow_requirements: permissions only you can grant, and secrets to create.
  5. Simulate with simulate_workflow and a realistic event. It is a preview by default: reads and conditions run, changes are only reported. The result shows the path taken and every step's result.
  6. Turn on with enable_workflow, then watch list_workflow_runs and get_workflow_run.

Prompts that work well

Say what should happen in your store, and what should start it. Let the assistant look the details up.

  • "When an order above 500 comes in, tag it high-value and post it to Slack. The webhook URL is in the secret SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL. Validate and simulate before you save."
  • "Which of my workflows failed in the last week, and why?"
  • "Take the template for archiving completed orders, change it to 30 days and show me a simulation."
  • "My workflow Low stock alert never starts. Check its requirements and the last runs."

What an assistant cannot do

Some things need you, in the app. The tools say so when they come up:

  • Grant a permission. get_permissions returns what is missing and the link to the Permissions page.
  • Read a secret. An assistant can create a secret with a value you give it, and use secrets by name. No tool returns a value. Better still: create secrets yourself in the app, and only tell the assistant their names.
  • Create API keys, choose a plan, turn on paid extra runs, add alert recipients and phone numbers.
  • Use the step debugger. simulate_workflow and test_workflow_step give the same insight.

Functions too

The same server has tools for saved functions: list, create, update, test unsaved code and read function runs. An assistant can write the JavaScript for a Run function step and try it before it goes into a workflow. See Run code and functions.