Available with any of the following subscriptions, except where noted:
🟢 Starter (up to the plan’s step limit) | 🔵 Builder | 🟣 Optimizer |
⚫ Enterprise
Complex processes can quickly become overwhelming if they are not clearly defined and organized. Puzzle's Steps provide the building blocks for breaking down these intricate processes into clear, manageable workflows.
Each step visually represents a specific action or task, helping your team easily understand, manage, and execute daily operations.
By using Steps, you can simplify the visualization of complex tasks and improve collaboration, communication, and overall productivity. This will ensure that everyone remains aligned on responsibilities and operational goals.
Benefits of Using Steps
✅ Clarity: Easily break down complex processes into manageable, clearly defined workflows.
⚡ Execution: Quickly locate and execute individual steps, improving operational efficiency.
🧠 Understanding: Visually represent your processes, making it easy for teams to understand workflows at a glance.
Video Guide: Using Step & Section Sidebars - Tips & Best Practices
Step-by-Step Guide
1️⃣ Adding a Step
1️⃣ Adding a Step
➕ Add Step: Click the Step button on the toolbar.
✏️ Provide Details: Name your step clearly by clicking the Step name field. Quickly associate relevant roles and tools by using the “@” function.
2️⃣ Enabling Additional Step Inputs
2️⃣ Enabling Additional Step Inputs
By default, new workspaces have a minimal sidebar with only Step Name, Tool, and Notes to ensure a simple and intuitive experience. However, teams that require more detailed tracking can enable additional inputs based on their workflow needs.
🛠 How to Enable Additional Inputs
Go to Workspace Settings in Puzzle.
Navigate to "Step Sidebar Configuration."
Toggle ON the inputs you want to use (Step Status, Step Type, Executor, Roles, Attributes, Cost, Tasks, Sync).
Click Save, and your Step Sidebar will update automatically.
💡 Now, when you open a step, the newly enabled inputs will be visible in the sidebar.
3️⃣ Configuring Additional Inputs
3️⃣ Configuring Additional Inputs
Once additional inputs are enabled, you can configure them for each step. Below is a breakdown of how to use each input based on its category.
📈 Process Tracking Inputs
📈 Process Tracking Inputs
Step Status – Set the progress of the step:
Live – Currently in use.
Archived – No longer active but kept for reference.
Testing – Being tested before deployment.
In Progress – Under development.
Draft – Not yet finalized.
Step Type – Categorize the kind of work in this step:
🧰 Standard Types: These represent typical workflow actions and data-handling steps:
Audio – Plays or triggers an audio-based action.
Chat – Represents conversations or chatbot interactions.
Database – Connects to, retrieves, or modifies structured data.
Delay – Adds a pause before the next step.
Delegate – Assigns responsibilities to a person or team.
Document – Links to or generates files or reports.
Email – Automates or tracks emails.
Form – Captures user input via structured fields.
Link – Embeds an external URL.
Meeting – Logs or schedules meetings or calls.
Notification – Sends updates or alerts.
Payment – Tracks or initiates payments or invoices.
Phone – Logs or initiates phone calls.
Research – Represents research or investigation.
Sequence – Runs a timed series of actions (e.g., drip emails).
Signal – Flags a trigger or intent event (e.g., a new hire).
SMS – Sends text messages.
Tag – Categorizes steps for organization.
Task – Represents an action item to complete.
Video – Displays or links to video content.
Webpage – Opens an internal or external page.
Workflow – Connects to another Puzzle workflow.
🧩 Special Types: These involve advanced logic, automation, or data syncing:
🔁 Use Alias Steps for Shared Actions: If a step is repeated in multiple parts of your process, use an Alias to avoid duplicating effort. This keeps updates in sync and improves maintainability.
🔀 Use Conditional Steps for Logic-Based Branching: Add Conditional steps to introduce if-then logic into your workflow. These help you split processes based on specific outcomes—perfect for approvals, alternate paths, or decision-based actions.
➡️ Use Go To Steps for Smart Navigation: Add a Go To step when you want to jump directly to another step, section, or workflow. This is useful for linking paths together, looping actions, or simplifying navigation across complex workflows.
🙋 Execution Inputs
🙋 Execution Inputs
Executor/Step Method – Defines who performs the step:
Person – A team member executes the step.
System – A tool or software executes the step automatically.
AI Agent – Artificial intelligence handles execution.
🧑🤝🧑 Roles Input
🧑🤝🧑 Roles Input
Puzzle Steps make it easier to assign and visualize team responsibilities using RACI-based role pills.
Assign Roles – Add team members to a step and define their responsibilities using the RACI framework:
R – Responsible
A – Accountable
C – Consulted
I – Informed
Clickable RACI Tags – Roles display as pill-shaped labels with a visible RACI tag. Click the tag to cycle through R, A, C, or I—no dropdowns needed.
Sorted by Type – Puzzle automatically organizes roles by RACI category so you can quickly scan who’s doing what.
💡 This input ensures every step has clearly defined ownership and helps teams stay aligned with less effort.
🔗 Attributes Inputs
🔗 Attributes Inputs
Connect your workflow visually to structured data by linking steps with specific Attributes from your Entities & Attributes library.
In the Attributes section of the step sidebar, choose an Entity to filter available fields. You can then:
Select specific attributes relevant to the step, or
Use “Add All” to assign every attribute from the chosen Entity in one click—ideal when working with full records like invoices, user profiles, or product entries.
After assigning attributes, you can click on any of them to view their details in the step’s bottom-right panel—making it easier to understand context and data relationships at a glance.
Learn more in the Entities & Attributes here!
🔁 Sync Inputs: Automate with External Tools
🔁 Sync Inputs: Automate with External Tools
Enable automation by connecting your steps to external systems like HubSpot, Make, and Zapier.
🎯 Select a step in your workflow that corresponds to an automation in Zapier, Make, or HubSpot
🔄 Click the purple sync icon on the sidebar, then click the blue 🔄 icon to fetch available live automations.
➕ Choose the matching automation by clicking the blue plus icon to sync it to the step.
🌐 A Visit Workflow link will appear in the step, allowing quick access to the external automation in a new tab.
Once connected, this step will serve as a live trigger or reference point for actions managed outside of Puzzle—making your processes more integrated and automated.
Want more details? Check out the Integrations Guide to learn how to use Sync with Zapier, Make, and HubSpot.
📊 Cost & Performance Tracking Inputs
📊 Cost & Performance Tracking Inputs
Step Cost Calculator – Tracks time and cost estimates for the step.
Tasks – List action items related to this step.
4️⃣ Step Management
4️⃣ Step Management
To keep workflows clear and efficient, consider these best practices:
➕ Use Notes for Additional Context: Add supporting details, reference links, or instructions directly into the Notes area. You can also embed media for richer documentation—Loom videos render automatically when linked, and any iframe embed code will display videos from any platform directly within step notes.
🤖 Automated Notes with AI: Utilize Puzzle’s AI-powered note automation to capture important details in each step effortlessly. Learn more about Automated AI Notes →
➕ Duplicate Steps for Efficiency: Quickly copy steps and their details using keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V on Windows, ⌘+C/⌘+V on Mac) or directly from the Quick Action Menu when selecting a step.
💬 Add Comments for Collaboration – Keep discussions relevant by adding comments directly to steps. Use @"mentions" to notify teammates. Learn more about Comments →
❌ Remove Unnecessary Steps: Click the 🗑️ icon, use the Backspace key, or quickly remove a step directly from the Quick Action Menu upon selection.
💡 Best Practices and Tips
🥇 Naming Steps:
✂️ Keep it Brief: Use concise titles of 2-3 words beginning with actionable verbs for clarity (e.g., “Review Proposal,” “Send Invoice”).
🚫 Avoid Redundancy: Exclude information already shown in step details, such as the associated roles or tools, to maintain simplicity.
🥇 Arranging Steps:
➡️ Left to Right: Organize steps horizontally from left to right to clearly show sequential dependencies. For instance, if step 1 must precede step 2, place them accordingly along the X-axis.
⬇️ Top-Down: Arrange steps vertically if they can occur simultaneously, visually differentiating parallel processes from sequential ones.
⏹️ Clearly Break Down Processes: Define each step explicitly and distinctly for easier execution, management, and clarity.
🔄 Regularly Review and Update: Continuously review your steps to ensure they accurately reflect current processes, responsibilities, and requirements—keeping workflows relevant and precise.
➡️ Keep Your Step Sidebar Focused and Relevant: To maintain a clean and efficient workspace, enable only the inputs your team actively needs and regularly review your sidebar settings to ensure they align with evolving workflows and team priorities.
Conclusion
Puzzle’s Steps transform complex processes into clear, actionable workflows that empower your team to execute tasks efficiently and accurately. By adopting clear naming conventions and logical arrangements and leveraging additional features like the Step Sidebar Configuration and Conditional Step Coloring, you'll improve collaboration, reduce confusion, and maintain operational clarity.
Start refining your workflows today using these best practices and tips—ensuring your team stays aligned, productive, and confident in managing processes.