---
title: Workflow Actions
slug: turbine-user-guide/workflow-actions
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-01-09T06:49:53.967Z
---

## Configuring Actions

### Using the Form Layout Dialog (Select Fields)

Several workflow actions use the **Form Layout Dialog** to select fields and layout items. This dialog provides a visual representation of your application's form structure.

**Actions That Use Form Layout Dialog:**

- **Set Field Read/Write** - Uses "Select Fields" button
- **Set Field Required/Optional** - Uses "Select Fields" button
- **Modify Layout (Show/Hide)** - Uses "Select Layout Items" button

**How to Access:**

1. Configure a workflow action (Read/Write, Required/Optional, or Show/Hide)
2. Click the **Select Fields** or **Select Layout Items** button
3. The Form Layout dialog opens in a modal window

**Dialog Structure:**

The Form Layout dialog displays:

- **Dialog Header**:
  - Application/applet icon and acronym
  - Application/applet name
  - **Apply** button (saves selections and closes dialog)
- **Form Layout Section**:
  - Shows all fields and sections as they appear in your application form
  - Maintains hierarchical structure (sections, tabs, nested sections)
  - Fields display with their type icons
  - Sections show their names and structure
- **Hidden Fields Section** (if applicable):
  - Shows fields that exist but are not currently in the form layout
  - Useful for selecting fields that aren't visible in the main layout

**Interaction:**

- **Click a field or section** to toggle its state
- Fields cycle through available states (e.g., Lock → Edit → Unselected)
- Selected items are highlighted and show state icons
- Unselectable items are grayed out
- Click **Apply** to save your selections

**State Indicators:**

Each action type shows different state icons:

- **Read/Write**: 🔒 Lock (read-only), ✏️ Edit (write)
- **Required/Optional**: ✓ Required, ? Optional
- **Show/Hide**: 👁️ Show, 👁️‍🗨️ Hide, ⬇️ Collapse, ⬆️ Expand

**Field Restrictions:**

Some fields cannot be selected (grayed out):

- History/tracking fields
- System fields (Created Date, Updated Date, Created By, Updated By)
- Certain field types depending on the action (Reference, Comments, Attachments for Required action)

**Best Practices:**

- Use the visual layout to understand field organization
- Select multiple fields by clicking each one
- Fields maintain their state until you change it
- Click Apply only when you've finished selecting all fields

***

## Workflow Action Types

### Set Field Value

This workflow action updates a field value.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Set Field Value** action type
2. Choose the target field
3. Set the value based on field type:
   - **Text fields**: Enter a value or use Mustache templating with `{{fieldName}}` to reference other fields
   - **Date fields**: Select a date modifier (previous, current, next, or specific date) and configure offset if needed. Values will be relative to dates and times.
   - **Numeric fields**: Enter a numeric value
   - **Selection fields**: Select from available options. You will see the defined values (e.g., incident types) as multiple values.
   - **User/Group fields**: Select users or groups
   - **List fields**: Add items to the list

The value for the field you select changes according to the inputs available for the field type.

**Use Cases:**

- Auto-populate fields based on other field values
- Set default values for new records
- Set user/group assignments automatically

### Set Field Read/Write

Use this workflow action to set a field as read-only or as an editable field.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Set Field Read/Write** action type
2. Click **Select Fields** button to open the Form Layout dialog
3. In the Form Layout dialog:
   - View the application's form layout structure with a view of the fields in the application
   - Click on a field to set it to read-only status
   - Click it again to set it to an editable status
   - You can see the existing status of the field by hovering over the field
   - Fields cycle through states: Lock (read-only) → Edit (write) → Unselected
   - Selected fields show an icon indicating their state
4. Click **Apply** to save your selections

**Form Layout Dialog Features:**

- **Form Layout Section**: Shows all fields organized by sections and tabs as they appear in the application form
- **Field Icons**: Each field displays its type icon (text, numeric, date, etc.)
- **State Indicators**: Selected fields show their current state:
  - 🔒 Lock icon = Read-only (field cannot be edited)
  - ✏️ Edit icon = Write (field can be edited)
- **Visual Feedback**: Selected fields are highlighted, unselectable fields are grayed out
- **Layout Structure**: Maintains the same hierarchical structure as your form (sections, tabs, nested sections)

**Restrictions:**

- Cannot be applied to: History, JSON, Created Date, Updated Date, Created By, Updated By fields
- These fields are automatically grayed out and cannot be selected

**Use Cases:**

- Lock fields after record reaches a certain state
- Make fields editable only under specific conditions
- Prevent editing of calculated or system fields

### Set Field Required/Optional

Use this workflow action to specify whether a field is required or optional.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Set Field Required/Optional** action type
2. Click **Select Fields** button to open the Form Layout dialog
3. In the Form Layout dialog:
   - View the application's form layout structure with a view of the fields in the application
   - Click on a field to set it to required status
   - Click it again to set it to an optional status
   - You can see the existing status of the field by hovering over the field, or by the checkmark or question mark icon on the field upon update
   - Fields cycle through states: Required → Optional → Unselected
   - Selected fields show an icon indicating their state
4. Click **Apply** to save your selections

**Form Layout Dialog Features:**

- **Form Layout Section**: Shows all fields organized by sections and tabs as they appear in the application form
- **Field Icons**: Each field displays its type icon (text, numeric, date, etc.)
- **State Indicators**: Selected fields show their current state:
  - ✓ Checkmark icon = Required (field must have a value)
  - ? Question icon = Optional (field can be empty)
- **Visual Feedback**: Selected fields are highlighted, unselectable fields are grayed out
- **Layout Structure**: Maintains the same hierarchical structure as your form (sections, tabs, nested sections)

**Restrictions:**

- Cannot be applied to: History, Reference, Comments, Attachments, JSON, Created Date, Updated Date, Created By, Updated By fields
- These fields are automatically grayed out and cannot be selected

**Use Cases:**

- Make fields required based on other field values
- Conditionally require fields in multi-step forms
- Enforce data completeness based on record state

### Modify Layout (Show/Hide)

Use this workflow action to specify whether a field displays in the record.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Modify Layout** action type
2. Click **Select Layout Items** button to open the Form Layout dialog
3. In the Form Layout dialog:
   - View the application's form layout structure that displays the fields available in the application
   - Click on a field to have a field exposed to view, or hidden from view
   - **For Fields**: Cycle through states: Show → Hide → Unselected
   - **For Sections**: Cycle through states: Show → Hide → Collapse → Expand → Unselected
   - **For Tabs**: Cycle through states: Show → Hide → Collapse → Expand → Unselected
   - You can use this action on sections, tabs, and HTML elements
   - Selected items show an icon indicating their state
4. Click **Apply** to save your selections

**Form Layout Dialog Features:**

- **Form Layout Section**: Shows all fields and sections organized as they appear in the application form
- **Field Icons**: Each field displays its type icon (text, numeric, date, etc.)
- **Section Indicators**: Sections show their hierarchical structure
- **State Indicators**: Selected items show their current state:
  - 👁️ Eye icon = Show (visible)
  - 👁️‍🗨️ Eye-disabled icon = Hide (invisible)
  - ⬇️ Shrink icon = Collapse (sections only)
  - ⬆️ Expand icon = Expand (sections only)
- **Visual Feedback**: Selected items are highlighted
- **Layout Structure**: Maintains the same hierarchical structure as your form (sections, tabs, nested sections)

**State Options by Item Type:**

- **Fields**: Show, Hide
- **Sections**: Show, Hide, Collapse, Expand
- **Tabs**: Show, Hide, Collapse, Expand

**Use Cases:**

- Show relevant fields based on record type
- Hide fields that aren't applicable
- Organize forms with collapsible sections
- Progressive disclosure of information

### Filter Selection Options

Use this workflow action to specify the values to update on a field that has multiple values available.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Filter Selection Options** action type
2. Choose the target selection field
3. Configure filter criteria based on other field values

**Use Cases:**

- Show only relevant options based on record context
- Filter options based on user permissions
- Dynamically update dropdown options

### Trigger Notification

Send notifications when workflow conditions are met.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Trigger Notification** action type
2. Configure notification template and recipients
3. Set notification subject and message content

**Use Cases:**

- Alert users when records reach specific states
- Notify stakeholders of important changes
- Send automated updates based on record data

### Trigger Integration

Execute integration actions as part of workflow execution.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Trigger Integration** action type
2. Choose the integration task to execute
3. Configure input mappings and parameters

**Use Cases:**

- Automate external system updates when records change
- Sync data with external systems based on conditions
- Trigger API calls or webhooks from workflow

**Note:** Trigger Integration is available within Repeat stages, allowing you to execute integrations iteratively over collections of data.

### Export and Email Record

Export a record using a formatted export template and email it to recipients.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Export and Email Record** action type
2. Choose an export template to format the record
3. Configure email recipients, subject, and message
4. Set export format options

**Use Cases:**

- Generate and email reports when records are created or updated
- Send formatted record data to external stakeholders
- Automate report distribution based on record state

### Toggle Time Tracking

Enable or disable time tracking for records.

**Configuration:**

1. Select **Toggle Time Tracking** action type
2. Choose to enable or disable time tracking

**Use Cases:**

- Enable time tracking for billable work
- Disable time tracking for certain record types
- Control time tracking based on record state

***

## Related Documentation

- [Workflow Overview](./workflow-overview.md) - Introduction to workflow concepts
- [Getting Started with Workflow](./getting-started-with-workflow.md) - How to access and use the workflow builder
- [Creating Conditions](./creating-conditions.md) - Detailed guide on creating conditions
- [Advanced Workflow Topics](./advanced-workflow-topics.md) - Execution details and advanced concepts