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Action Groups

Action Groups help you organize complex workflows by grouping related nodes together. Groups can be collapsed to simplify your canvas view and expanded when you need to edit the contained nodes.

Why Use Action Groups?​

Visual Organization​

Complex workflows can become difficult to navigate. Action Groups let you:

  • Bundle related operations into logical sections
  • Label sections with meaningful names
  • Collapse sections you're not actively working on

Documentation​

Groups serve as inline documentation:

  • "Data Validation" group shows what's being validated
  • "CRM Sync" group indicates external system integration
  • "Error Handling" group identifies failure recovery logic

Focus​

When editing large workflows:

  • Collapse all groups to see the high-level flow
  • Expand only the group you're working on
  • Reduce visual clutter and cognitive load

Creating Action Groups​

From Selected Nodes​

  1. Select multiple nodes you want to group:
    • Click and drag to draw a selection box, or
    • Hold Cmd/Ctrl and click each node
  2. Right-click on any selected node
  3. Choose Group Selection from the context menu
  4. Enter a name for your group

From the Canvas​

  1. Right-click on an empty area of the canvas
  2. Select Add Group
  3. A new empty group appears
  4. Drag nodes into the group

Working with Groups​

Collapsing and Expanding​

To Collapse:

  • Click the collapse icon (▼) in the group header
  • Or double-click the group header

To Expand:

  • Click the expand icon (▶) on the collapsed group
  • Or double-click the collapsed group

When collapsed:

  • The group shows as a single node
  • Connections into and out of the group remain visible
  • The group name and color are displayed

Renaming Groups​

  1. Double-click the group name in the header
  2. Type your new name
  3. Press Enter or click away to save

Choose names that describe the group's purpose:

  • "Validate Customer Data"
  • "Export to SAP"
  • "Handle Missing Records"
  • "Send Notifications"

Changing Colors​

Groups support color themes for visual distinction:

  1. Right-click on the group header
  2. Select Change Color
  3. Choose from available themes:
ThemeUse Case Suggestion
Emerald (default)General processing
VioletData transformations
AmberWarnings, validation
CyanExternal integrations
RoseError handling

Moving Groups​

  • Click and drag the group header to reposition
  • All contained nodes move together
  • Connections automatically adjust

Resizing Groups​

  • Drag the edges or corners of an expanded group
  • The group boundary adjusts to your size
  • Nodes inside are not affected

Adding and Removing Nodes​

Adding Nodes to a Group​

Drag into Group:

  1. Select node(s) outside the group
  2. Drag them into the group boundary
  3. Release to add them

Create Inside Group:

  1. With the group expanded
  2. Drag a new node from the Element Panel
  3. Drop it inside the group boundary

Removing Nodes from a Group​

Drag out of Group:

  1. Select node(s) inside the group
  2. Drag them outside the group boundary
  3. Release to remove them

Delete from Group:

  1. Select node(s) inside the group
  2. Press Delete to remove them
  3. The group remains (unless empty)

Deleting Groups​

Delete Group Only​

To remove the group but keep the nodes:

  1. Right-click on the group header
  2. Select Ungroup
  3. Contained nodes remain on the canvas

Delete Group and Contents​

To remove everything:

  1. Select the group
  2. Press Delete
  3. The group and all contained nodes are removed

Connections with Groups​

External Connections​

Groups maintain connections to external nodes:

  • Connections into the group go to specific nodes inside
  • Connections out of the group come from specific nodes inside
  • When collapsed, these appear as group-level connections

Internal Connections​

Nodes inside a group can connect to each other:

  • These connections are visible when expanded
  • They're hidden when collapsed
  • Data flows normally through internal connections

Creating Connections​

To a collapsed group:

  • The connection attaches to the group
  • When expanded, you can adjust which internal node receives it

To an expanded group:

  • Connect directly to the specific node inside
  • The group boundary doesn't interfere

Best Practices​

Bundle operations that work together:

Good groupings:

  • "Load and Validate Data" - Entity + Filters
  • "Calculate Totals" - Transform + Group By
  • "Update External System" - API calls + Error handling

Avoid:

  • Grouping unrelated nodes
  • Groups that are too large (20+ nodes)
  • Single-node groups (usually unnecessary)

Use Consistent Colors​

Establish a color scheme for your team:

  • Cyan for external integrations
  • Amber for validation/warnings
  • Rose for error handling
  • Emerald for general processing

Name Descriptively​

Good names explain what the group does:

BadGood
Group1Validate Order Data
ActionsExport to Warehouse System
StuffCalculate Shipping Costs

Keep Groups Focused​

Each group should have a single responsibility:

  • One external system integration per group
  • One logical processing step per group
  • Easier to understand and maintain

Don't Over-Group​

Not everything needs to be in a group:

  • Single nodes don't need groups
  • Simple linear flows may not benefit
  • Use groups when they add clarity

Example: Order Processing Flow​

A well-organized order processing flow might have:

  1. Load Order Data (Emerald)

    • Order Entity
    • Order Items Entity
    • Merge node

  2. Validate Orders (Amber)

    • Filter invalid orders
    • Check inventory availability
    • Flag issues

  3. Calculate Pricing (Violet)

    • Transform for discounts
    • Lookup shipping rates
    • Calculate totals

  4. Update Systems (Cyan)

    • Write to fulfillment database
    • Call inventory API
    • Update CRM

  5. Handle Errors (Rose)

    • Log failed orders
    • Send alert notifications
    • Write to error queue

Troubleshooting​

Can't Add Nodes to Group​

  • Make sure the group is expanded
  • Verify you're dropping inside the group boundary
  • Check that the node type is valid for the position

Group Won't Collapse​

  • Ensure there are no configuration errors in contained nodes
  • Check for broken connections
  • Try saving and refreshing

Connections Broken After Grouping​

  • Verify nodes are properly positioned in the group
  • Check that input/output handles are accessible
  • Reconnect if necessary

Next Steps​