Workflows with Viete
Not every Excel task can be fully automated—but that doesn't mean you can't save massive amounts of time. Workflows let you create semi-automated processes that handle repetitive tasks requiring manual inputs, saving hours while maintaining flexibility and control.
When Full Automation Isn't Possible
While Viete's automation can connect to 8,000+ data sources, some scenarios inherently require human input or can't pull data directly:
Files That Can't Be Auto-Fetched
- • Client-submitted invoices and receipts
- • Uploaded expense reports from employees
- • One-off data files from external partners
- • Documents in varying formats
- • Manually collected survey responses
Processes Needing Manual Review
- • Data requiring human verification before processing
- • Custom client requests that vary each time
- • Proprietary formats without API access
- • Situations where you decide when to run the process
- • Tasks with variable inputs each execution
Workflows solve this gap perfectly.
They combine AI-powered processing with manual triggers and inputs. You provide the data when ready, and Viete handles all the heavy lifting—extraction, transformation, formatting, and Excel generation—instantly and consistently.
Workflows vs. Automation: Understanding the Difference
⚙️ Automation
Trigger:
Runs automatically on schedule (hourly, daily, weekly, etc.)
Data Source:
Connects directly to systems via MCP
Intervention:
None—runs completely hands-off
Best For:
Predictable, recurring data flows
🔄 Workflows
Trigger:
You run manually when needed, on-demand
Data Source:
User-provided files, text, or parameters
Intervention:
Requires input each run (files, data, parameters)
Best For:
Variable inputs, manual timing, file processing
How Workflows Work
Workflows are powered by two types of configuration that make them flexible yet consistent:
📥 Input Variables (Changes Every Run)
What you provide each time the workflow runs. These vary with every execution and make each run unique.
Common Input Variable Types:
Files:
- • PDFs to extract data from
- • DOCXs to convert to Excel
- • Images for OCR processing
- • CSVs to structure and format
Text & Parameters:
- • Client names or project IDs
- • Date ranges or periods
- • Custom descriptions or notes
- • Category selections
Example: When running an invoice processing workflow, you upload different invoice PDFs each time, but the workflow always extracts data the same way.
⚙️ Static Parameters (Set Once, Never Change)
Configuration that stays constant every time the workflow runs. Set during workflow creation, these define how the workflow behaves.
Common Static Parameters:
Structure & Format:
- • Excel output structure
- • Column organization
- • Formula templates
- • Chart configurations
Processing Rules:
- • Data extraction rules
- • Categorization logic
- • Style templates to apply
- • Validation requirements
Example: The invoice workflow always outputs in the same Excel structure with the same column headers and formulas—that's defined by static parameters.
Why This Separation Matters
You configure the workflow's behavior (static parameters) once during setup. Then, each time you run it, you only provide the variable inputs (files, dates, etc.). This means repetitive tasks become fast and consistent—you're not reconfiguring every time, just providing new data.
Three Types of Workflows
Like automation, workflows come in three distinct types based on how they handle Excel model creation and updates:
Create New Excel
New FilesCreates a new workbook and session each time you run the workflow. Perfect for converting documents, processing one-off requests, or generating fresh reports from uploaded data.
Example Use Case:
"Convert uploaded DOCX client reports to branded Excel format with data extraction and custom styling. Each client document becomes a separate Excel workbook."
Update Excel - Replace Data
RefreshUpdates an existing workbook by replacing its data with information from user-provided inputs. Perfect for monthly reports where you upload new data files to refresh the model.
Example Use Case:
"Upload monthly sales report PDF on the 1st of each month. Workflow extracts data and refreshes the sales dashboard, replacing last month's figures with current month's data."
Update Excel - Add Data
AccumulateAppends new data from uploaded files to an existing workbook, building comprehensive records over time. Essential for continuous logging and cumulative tracking where data can't be auto-fetched.
Example Use Case:
"Upload monthly bank statement PDFs as they arrive. Workflow extracts transactions and appends to master accounting workbook, building complete transaction history over time."
Setting Up a Workflow
Creating a workflow is straightforward. Here's the process:
Name & Describe Your Workflow
Give it a meaningful name like "Client DOCX to XLSX Conversion" or "Monthly Bank Statement Processing". Add an optional description explaining when and how to use it.
Choose Workflow Type
Select whether to create new Excel files each run, update an existing model by replacing data, or append new data to build historical records.
Select Session (if updating)
For Update workflows, choose which existing Viete session/workbook should be updated. This becomes the template that gets refreshed or appended to.
Define Input Variables
Specify what the user will provide each time they run the workflow. Choose which options should be runtime inputs:
- • file_upload: User uploads files (PDFs, DOCXs, images, etc.)
- • style: User selects which style to apply at runtime
- • template: User chooses template at runtime
- • prompt: User provides additional instructions or context
- • mcp_connectors: User selects which MCP servers to fetch data from
Note: Any option not marked as an input variable becomes a static parameter configured during setup and remains constant across all runs.
Configure Static Parameters
Set parameters that stay constant across all workflow executions:
- • Output Excel structure and format
- • Data extraction and transformation rules
- • Style templates to apply
- • Formula templates and calculations
- • Validation rules and data checks
Test & Activate
Run a test with sample inputs to verify everything works correctly. Once confirmed, save the workflow for repeated use.
Running a Workflow
Once configured, running a workflow is simple and fast:
Navigate to Workflows Dashboard
See all your saved workflows in one place
Select Workflow to Run
Click on the workflow you want to execute
Provide Input Variables
Upload files, enter text, select dates—whatever the workflow requires
Click Run
Viete processes your inputs using the configured parameters
Review Output
Generated or updated Excel model is ready—download, open directly, or continue editing
Technical Details
Supported File Types
Workflows accept a wide range of file formats for upload:
File type restrictions can be customized per workflow during setup to limit which formats users can upload.
Model Selection
Choose which AI model powers your workflow execution:
VieteMax
Advanced model for complex data extraction, intricate formulas, and sophisticated analysis. Best for challenging tasks requiring high accuracy.
VieteLight
Fast model for straightforward conversions and simple extractions. Best for high-volume, repetitive tasks where speed matters.
Optional MCP Integration
Workflows can optionally integrate with MCP servers to fetch additional data:
- • Configure static MCP servers that run automatically
- • Allow users to select MCP connectors at runtime as input variable
- • Combine uploaded files with live data from databases or APIs
- • Perfect for enriching uploaded data with real-time information
Real-Time Streaming Execution
When you run a workflow, it navigates to a chat session with real-time SSE (Server-Sent Events) streaming. You see the AI working in real-time: thinking, reading files, extracting data, and building the Excel model step-by-step. This provides full transparency and lets you intervene if needed.
Templates & Styles
Templates and styles (for formatting consistency) are available only for "Create New Excel" workflows. For "Update" workflows, formatting comes from the source workbook being modified.
Real-World Workflow Examples
Expense Report Processing
Input Variables:
- • Receipt images/PDFs
- • Employee name
- • Expense category
- • Date range
Static Parameters:
- • OCR extraction rules
- • Expense categories list
- • Company expense policy rules
- • Approval workflow structure
Workflow Type: Update - Add Data
Team members upload receipts as incurred. Workflow uses OCR to extract amounts, dates, and vendors, then appends to master expense tracker. Builds complete expense history with automatic categorization and totaling.
Client Proposal to Budget Conversion
Input Variables:
- • Client proposal DOCX
- • Client name
- • Project start date
Static Parameters:
- • Budget template structure
- • Cost extraction rules
- • Client branding style
- • Profitability formulas
Workflow Type: Create New Excel
Upload client proposal, workflow extracts project scope and costs, generates branded budget spreadsheet with timelines, resource allocation, and profitability analysis. Each client proposal becomes a separate Excel budget.
Monthly Accounting Close
Input Variables:
- • Bank statement PDF
- • Statement month/year
- • Account name
Static Parameters:
- • Transaction categorization
- • Chart of accounts mapping
- • Running balance formulas
- • Reconciliation structure
Workflow Type: Update - Add Data
Upload monthly bank PDF, workflow extracts all transactions, categorizes automatically, and appends to year-to-date accounting workbook. Builds complete transaction log with running totals and budget variance tracking.
Workflows + Automation: Complete Coverage
For maximum efficiency, use workflows and automation together strategically:
Example: Complete Financial Tracking
Automation handles:
- • Daily sales data automatically pulled from Shopify API
- • Recurring subscription revenue from Stripe API
- • Fixed operational costs from internal database
Workflows handle:
- • Monthly bank statement PDFs (uploaded manually)
- • One-off vendor invoices (received via email)
- • Employee expense receipts (submitted as incurred)
Result:
Comprehensive financial tracking with both automated revenue data and semi-automated expense processing. Complete visibility without being fully manual or fully automated. Best of both worlds.
This hybrid approach gives you automation where possible, workflows for everything else. Together, they cover virtually every Excel scenario, saving massive amounts of time regardless of whether data can be auto-fetched or requires manual input.
Unlimited Workflows
- Create as many workflows as you need—no limits
- Each workflow can have completely different inputs and processing rules
- Share workflows with team members for standardized processes
- Organize workflows by department, client, or task type
- Run multiple workflows simultaneously with parallel processing
- Track execution history for every workflow run
Choose Your Workflow Type
Create New Excel
Generate new workbooks from uploaded files or user inputs
Update - Replace Data
Refresh existing models with new data from uploads
Update - Add Data
Build cumulative records by appending uploaded data