Decision connector

A decision connector drops a Poppi decision node into the workflow flow between two steps and routes the rest of the work onto a Yes branch or a No branch. Poppi reads the upstream workflow context, evaluates the question you have written, and picks the branch at run time.

What a decision connector is for

A decision connector is the third type of link you can place between two steps. Where a parallel connector lets staff do both steps in any order and a sequential connector hides the next step until the first is done, a decision connector splits the workflow in two and follows only one path.

The branches go down the main column. Each branch starts empty, and you can add as many downstream steps to each branch as you need. Only one branch runs in any given workflow run — Poppi picks.

Good fits include:

• Routing a complaint check onto a "minor" or "major" path based on the photo and the worker's note
• Splitting an opening procedure into "open as normal" or "open with reduced staff" paths based on yesterday's chat handover
• Branching after an inspection so the No branch runs an escalation sequence and the Yes branch runs a sign-off sequence
• Picking between two genuinely different chains of work based on live context, not just on a yes / no answer

How to pick a decision connector

You pick the connector type when you add a step below an existing step.

1. Click the + button below the step you want to connect from
2. The connector picker opens with three options: Parallel, Sequential, and Decision
3. Click Decision (the third option, shown with a target icon)
4. A Poppi decision node is added below the step, with empty Yes and No branches ready to be filled in

The decision node sits in the main column. Its top connects up to the step you came from. Its bottom shows a green Yes handle on the left and a pink No handle on the right, each with its own + button to start building out the branch.

Decision connector vs Poppi decisions attached to a step

A decision connector and a Poppi decision attached to a step are not the same thing, even though they both use the same kind of node.

• A decision connector sits BETWEEN steps. It routes the main workflow onto a Yes or No branch. You add it from the connector picker when you click the + below a step. This is the focus of this page.
• A Poppi decision (right satellite) attaches to a single step and routes a follow-up Poppi action Yes or No. It sits off to the side of a step, not in the main column. See Poppi decisions for this placement.
• A Poppi decision (left gate) attaches to a single step and decides whether the step runs at all. It sits to the left of a step. Also covered in Poppi decisions.

The connector is the option for "the rest of the workflow forks". The right-satellite is for "after this step, do one of two things". The left-gate is for "should this step run at all".

How to fill in the decision question

Click the new Poppi decision node to focus it and fill in the prompt field.

• What should Poppi decide? (textarea, required) -- the yes or no question for Poppi to answer. The placeholder reads e.g. Were all critical items ticked?

Write the question so the Yes branch is the "happy path". Poppi reads the worker's answers from the step above and any other upstream context, then picks Yes or No based on your prompt.

The header reads Poppi (AI) decision. The test button (the play icon in the header) is disabled until you have written a prompt. Hover the disabled button for the tooltip Add a question first.

How to build out the Yes and No branches

Each branch starts empty. To start adding steps to a branch:

1. Click the + button on the bottom of the Yes or No handle of the decision node
2. A small picker opens with two options: Action and Element
3. Action adds a Poppi action node (a Slack message, calendar event, and so on)
4. Element opens a submenu of element types to pick from (text input, photo input, choices, and so on)
5. Once you pick something, the new node spawns on the branch already connected

From there, you can keep adding to that branch using the same connector picker on the new step.

How to delete a branch

To clear a branch back to empty, click the line between the decision node and the first step on the branch, then click the delete (trash) icon in the line's toolbar. The + button on the decision node reappears and you can add a different first step.

Plan requirements

Decision connectors are available on the Pro plan and higher. On Basic and Standard, the Decision button in the picker is greyed out and the tooltip reads Upgrade to Pro to use.

The same Pro plan rule applies to right-satellite Poppi decisions that use external integration data sources. The Poppi decision evaluation itself runs on Pro and Enterprise.

Tips

• Use a decision connector when the rest of the workflow truly forks. If you only need a single different follow-up action, a right-satellite Poppi decision is lighter
• Phrase the Yes branch as the happy path. It makes a quick scan of the canvas easier to follow
• Both branches can be as long as you like, but each branch only sees the steps on its own path on mobile. Staff never see the other branch
• Test the decision with the play button in the header before publishing, so you can see how Poppi answers on real upstream context
• A decision can be deleted like any other step. The branches and their downstream chains are removed with it, so be deliberate before deleting one in a published template