# Trigger Workflow

<!-- meta: type=trigger-workflow; location=Workflow; category=Step (action); platforms=Joomla and WordPress (where applicable) -->

## Overview

Trigger Workflow is a **Step (action)** in **Workflow**. Runs a workflow transition on a content item (com_content.article).

When the flow reaches this step, JOrchestrator executes **Trigger Workflow** against your linked site or an external integration, using the field values you set on **General** and **Design**. Downstream steps can read the output payload fields defined for this node.

## Why use this node

Trigger Workflow is a **action step** in the **Workflow** group. Action steps run in the middle or end of a flow. They perform work on your CMS, call external services, or transform data for the next step.

Typical reasons teams add **Trigger Workflow** to a flow:

- Automate "Trigger Workflow" as part of a larger Joomla or WordPress workflow
- Replace manual workflow work with a repeatable, logged flow step
- Chain with triggers, logic, and messaging nodes on the same canvas

## Example workflows

Common patterns on the canvas:

1. **Trigger or Webhook** → upstream steps → **Trigger Workflow** → **Send Email** or CMS update
2. **Scheduled trigger** → **Trigger Workflow** → **Debug** (while testing) → production action

## How to set it up

Content item id and transition id from your workflow stages on Design.

## Good to know

Transition ids come from com_workflow configuration — pick from the designer list when linked.

## Properties panel

The designer shows these tabs for this node:

| Tab | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| **Info** | Plain-language description and output payload fields for downstream steps |
| **General** | Canvas label and read-only node ID |
| **AI** | Optional assistant to help draft settings from plain language |
| **Design** | Node-specific configuration fields |

### System (automatic — not edited by the user)

These fields are managed by the designer or runtime — you do not type into them directly:

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `_nodeId` | Node ID | `node-id` | No | — | — |
| `_payloadFields` | Available Fields | `payload-panel` | No | — | — |

### User-configured — General tab

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `label` | Label | `text` | No | — | Node label |

### CMS-backed (options from the linked site)

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `itemId` | Content Item ID | `content-item-select` | **Yes** | — | Article ID or drag {{node.id}} from upstream |
| `transitionId` | Transition ID | `transition-select` | **Yes** | — | Workflow transition ID |

### CMS site configuration (not on this node's properties panel)

Credentials, API keys, mailers, SMTP, and integration defaults are configured in the CMS plugin under **Node Configuration**, not per step on this node. Link the flow to a domain before testing CMS-backed fields.

## Output payload fields

After this step runs, later nodes can reference these fields using placeholders such as
`{{trigger_workflow.success}}`.

| Field key | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| `success` | boolean | Whether the operation completed successfully. |
| `workflowState` | string | Resulting Joomla workflow state. |
| `itemId` | string | Content item ID affected by workflow action. |
| `transitionId` | string | Workflow transition that was triggered. |

## Related nodes

Other steps in the same area of the palette:

- **Approve Content** (`approve-content`) — Workflow
- **Reject Content** (`reject-content`) — Workflow