Workflow anatomy
Operationally, this is a Microsoft-native decision pipeline. Each stage is small enough to inspect, yet together they turn a mailbox into a governed queue.
01 ยท Capture
Trigger event starts the workflow
An email arrives, a webhook fires, a schedule triggers, or a form is submitted. The workflow engine captures the event and extracts the structured fields needed for the next decision.
02 ยท Classify
Rules first, AI where it helps
Deterministic rules handle the obvious paths โ sender domain, keyword match, form field values. When rules aren't enough, AI classification adds intent and confidence scoring. The goal is consistency, not intelligence for its own sake.
03 ยท Route
Auto-handle vs. review decision
High-confidence classifications trigger automatic routing: write to the destination, send the notification, update the record. Low-confidence or sensitive items go to a human review queue with the proposed classification and relevant context.
04 ยท Record
Every action is auditable
Status, owner, timestamps, classification confidence, and supporting data are stored in a visible system โ SharePoint list, database, or spreadsheet. The queue is inspectable, the history is traceable, and the workflow is extendable.