Box Developer Documentation
Latest version

Starts workflow based on request body

post
https://api.box.com/2.0
/workflows/:workflow_id/start

Initiates a flow with a trigger type of WORKFLOW_MANUAL_START.

You application must be authorized to use the Manage Box Relay application scope within the developer console.

Request

bearer [ACCESS_TOKEN]
application/json

Path Parameters

stringin pathrequired
12345

The ID of the workflow.

Request Body

stringin bodyoptional
"workflow_parameters"

The type of the parameters object

Value is always workflow_parameters

object arrayin bodyrequired

The array of files for which the workflow should start. All files must be in the workflow's configured folder.

stringin bodyoptional
"12345678"

The id of the file

stringin bodyoptional
"file"

The type of the file object

Value is always file

objectin body

The flow that will be triggered

stringin bodyrequired
"123456789"

The id of the flow

stringin bodyrequired
"flow"

The type of the flow object

objectin body

The folder object for which the workflow is configured.

stringin bodyrequired
"87654321"

The id of the folder

stringin bodyrequired
"folder"

The type of the folder object

Value is always folder

object arrayin bodyoptional

A configurable outcome the workflow should complete.

stringin bodyconditionally required
"17363629"

ID of a specific outcome

Lists collaborators affected by the workflow result.

stringin bodyoptional
"variable"

Collaborator object type.

Value is always variable

stringin bodyoptional
"user_list"

Variable type for the Collaborator object.

Value is always user_list

object arrayin bodyoptional

A list of user IDs.

stringin bodyconditionally required
"636281"

User's ID.

stringin bodyconditionally required
"user"

The object type.

Value is always user

Determines if an action should be completed by all or any assignees.

stringin bodyoptional
"variable"

Completion Rule object type.

Value is always variable

stringin bodyoptional
"task_completion_rule"

Variable type for the Completion Rule object.

Value is always task_completion_rule

stringin bodyoptional
"all_assignees"

Variable values for a completion rule.

Value is one of all_assignees,any_assignees

Determines if the workflow outcome for a file affects a specific collaborator role.

stringin bodyoptional
"variable"

Role object type.

Value is always variable

"collaborator_role"

The variable type used by the object.

Value is always collaborator_role

"editor"

Variable values you can use for the role parameter.

Value is one of editor,viewer,previewer,uploader,previewer uploader,viewer uploader,co-owner

objectin body

Determines if the workflow outcome affects a specific collaborator role.

stringin bodyoptional
"variable"

Role object type.

Value is always variable

stringin bodyoptional
"collaborator_role"

The variable type used by the object.

Value is always collaborator_role

stringin bodyoptional
"editor"

Variable values you can use for the role parameter.

Value is one of editor,viewer,previewer,uploader,previewer uploader,viewer uploader,co-owner

Lists collaborators affected by the task workflow result.

stringin bodyoptional
"variable"

Collaborator object type.

Value is always variable

stringin bodyoptional
"user_list"

Variable type for the Collaborator object.

Value is always user_list

object arrayin bodyoptional

A list of user IDs.

stringin bodyconditionally required
"636281"

User's ID.

stringin bodyconditionally required
"user"

The object type.

Value is always user

Response

none

Starts the workflow.

application/jsonClient error

Returns an error if some of the parameters are missing or not valid.

  • workflow_is_not_enabled when the workflow is not enabled
  • workflow_not_active_on_provided_folder when the workflow is not enabled for the specified folder id
  • parameters_provided_do_not_match_target_outcome when the provided parameters do not match the expected parameters
application/jsonClient error

Returns an error if there are insufficient permissions.

  • insufficient_access when the user does not have access rights to file or folder
  • missing_relay_full_access when the user does not have access to Relay Full
application/jsonClient error

Returns an error if the workflow could not be found, or the authenticated user does not have access to the workflow.

  • workflow_not_found when the workflow is not found
  • flow_missing_or_inaccessible when the flow is not a manual start flow
application/jsonClient error

An unexpected client error.

post
Starts workflow based on request body
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Request Example

cURL
curl -i -X POST "https://api.box.com/2.0/workflows/42037322/start" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>" \
     -d '{
       "type": "workflow_parameters",
       "flow": {
        "id": "8937625",
        "type": "flow"
       },
       "files": [{
          "type": "file",
          "id": "389047572"
        },
        {
          "type": "file",
          "id": "389047578"
        }],
       "folder": {
         "id": "2233212",
         "type": "folder"
       },
       "outcomes": [
          {
            "id": "34895783",
            "type": "outcome",
            "task_collaborators": {
                "type": "variable",
                "variable_type": "user_list",
                "variable_value": [{ "type": "user", "id": "890273642" }]
            },
            "completion_rule": {
                "type": "variable",
                "variable_type": "task_completion_rule",
                "variable_value": "all_assignees"
            },
            "file_collaborator_role": {
                "type": "variable",
                "variable_type": "collaborator_role",
                "variable_value": "viewer"
            }
          }
        ]
     }'
TypeScript Gen
await adminClient.workflows.startWorkflow(workflowToRun.id!, {
  type: 'workflow_parameters' as StartWorkflowRequestBodyTypeField,
  flow: {
    type: 'flow',
    id: workflowToRun.flows![0].id!,
  } satisfies StartWorkflowRequestBodyFlowField,
  files: [
    {
      type: 'file' as StartWorkflowRequestBodyFilesTypeField,
      id: workflowFileId,
    } satisfies StartWorkflowRequestBodyFilesField,
  ],
  folder: {
    type: 'folder' as StartWorkflowRequestBodyFolderTypeField,
    id: workflowFolderId,
  } satisfies StartWorkflowRequestBodyFolderField,
} satisfies StartWorkflowRequestBody);
Python Gen
admin_client.workflows.start_workflow(
    workflow_to_run.id,
    StartWorkflowFlow(type="flow", id=workflow_to_run.flows[0].id),
    [
        StartWorkflowFiles(
            type=StartWorkflowFilesTypeField.FILE.value, id=workflow_file_id
        )
    ],
    StartWorkflowFolder(
        type=StartWorkflowFolderTypeField.FOLDER.value, id=workflow_folder_id
    ),
    type=StartWorkflowType.WORKFLOW_PARAMETERS.value,
)
.NET Gen
await adminClient.Workflows.StartWorkflowAsync(workflowId: NullableUtils.Unwrap(workflowToRun.Id), requestBody: new StartWorkflowRequestBody(flow: new StartWorkflowRequestBodyFlowField() { Type = "flow", Id = NullableUtils.Unwrap(NullableUtils.Unwrap(workflowToRun.Flows)[0].Id) }, files: Array.AsReadOnly(new [] {new StartWorkflowRequestBodyFilesField() { Type = StartWorkflowRequestBodyFilesTypeField.File, Id = workflowFileId }}), folder: new StartWorkflowRequestBodyFolderField() { Type = StartWorkflowRequestBodyFolderTypeField.Folder, Id = workflowFolderId }) { Type = StartWorkflowRequestBodyTypeField.WorkflowParameters });