The job this category serves
A stable handoff between people or systems is repeatedly slow or missed. Document the trigger, required fields, destination and failure owner. Automate a known process only after the team can explain an exception.
What needs to exist first
- A specific trigger and a clear definition of successful completion.
- The authoritative record, identifier and duplicate rule.
- Permissions, a failure notification and a person able to recover the task.
Where this category stops
Automation does not decide who should own a record. An unclear task passed between systems becomes an unclear task that is harder to see. Do not build a multi-tool flow to avoid a missing decision.
A useful acceptance test
Run a normal handoff, a duplicate, a missing field and a disconnected destination. Confirm that the operator can detect and recover each failure without creating a second action.
Count correct handoffs, missed handoffs, retries and recovery effort. A run count includes errors and does not establish business value.
Illustrative situation
A qualified enquiry must reach a consultant with its source and context. A notification without a shared record and owner is not a complete handoff.
Capabilities to put in the requirements brief
Scroll horizontally to read all columns.
| Capability | Evidence to ask for | Exception to test |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | One defined event and its unique identifier | The same event arrives twice or arrives without required data |
| Transfer | An authoritative field map and destination owner | A destination rejects the record or becomes unavailable |
| Recovery | A visible failure state and a safe retry rule | A retry creates a second customer action |
A worked planning example
A qualified enquiry moves from a form to a sales record. The complete outcome is a correctly assigned record with its source and context. A connector reporting success while the enquiry is unassigned is a failed business handoff. Test against the destination record, not only a run log.
Set up a limited pilot
- Perform the task manually and document the decision made at each point.
- Choose the minimum fields and define how duplicate events are recognized.
- Exercise a missing field, a disconnected destination and a retry.
- Give the recovery operator access to the failed item and the authority to stop the flow.
How to approach a product shortlist
This site does not list a general workflow connector simply because an integration is available. Evaluate a missing handoff after its rule, record and recovery process are clear. A reviewed CSV transfer may be a useful first implementation.