Operators are built-in logic nodes that control the flow of an automation — branching on conditions, iterating over lists, pausing execution, and grouping steps for shared error handling — without requiring any custom code.
Overview
Operators are built-in logic nodes that control the flow of an automation — branching on conditions, iterating over lists, pausing execution, and grouping steps for shared error handling — without requiring any custom code.
Operators appear in the Logic tools section of the node picker. They work on the automation's internal data (data pills from earlier steps, variables, and literal values) and determine which path the run takes next. Each operator is configured through a visual editor; no scripting is needed.
Operators are the primary way to express decision logic and control flow in Unify Automations. Well-placed operators replace entire classes of custom code and make an automation's intent visible on the canvas to any reviewer.
Note: Operators are distinct from app action steps. An app action step calls an external service; an operator acts on the automation's own data and execution path. You can combine them freely in any sequence.
Available Operators
Operator | What It Does |
|---|---|
Condition | Evaluates a true/false expression and routes the run down a Yes or No path. Use when two distinct branches of logic need to execute based on whether a data value meets a criterion. |
Branch | Evaluates multiple conditions in order and routes to the first branch whose condition is true, with an optional default path. Use when there are three or more possible outcomes, replacing a chain of nested Condition nodes. |
For Loop | Iterates over every item in a list, executing the nodes inside the loop body once per item. Use when processing a collection returned by an earlier node — rows, tickets, or array items. |
While Loop | Repeats the loop body as long as a condition remains true, re-evaluating the condition before each iteration. Use when the number of iterations is not known in advance, such as a polling pattern. |
Continue in Loop | Skips the remaining nodes in the current loop iteration and moves to the next item. Use inside a For Loop or While Loop to bypass items that do not meet a criterion without stopping the whole loop. |
Break in Loop | Exits the loop immediately, skipping all remaining iterations. Use when a condition is met that means further iteration is unnecessary. |
Delay | Pauses the automation run for a specified duration before continuing to the next node. Use to rate-limit downstream API calls, wait for an external process, or space out notifications over time. |
Scope | Groups steps together so they share error handling and can be retried or managed as a block. Use to isolate a risky sequence — an external call, a write, a parse — and define a consistent failure response for the whole group. |
How to Add an Operator
In the flow builder, click the dashed + add button below the last step, or click the add affordance between two existing steps.
The node picker opens. Navigate to the Logic tools section, or search by operator name.
Select the operator you want. It is added to the canvas and connected to the step above it.
Select the new operator node to open its properties panel. Configure its conditions, iteration source, duration, or grouping as required — each operator's settings are described on its own page.
Note: The add button only appears when you have edit access to the automation. A read-only automation shows the canvas but no add control.
Notes
Keep the following in mind when using operators in an automation:
Each operator executes synchronously — the next node runs only after the operator and all its nested nodes complete.
Use the Scope operator to group related nodes and apply shared error handling, rather than configuring error handling on each individual node.
Nested operators work (for example, a Loop inside a Branch path), but deeply nested structures are harder to debug; keep nesting shallow when possible.
After adding a Branch or Loop, run a test with data that exercises each path to confirm conditions resolve as expected before deploying.
Operators appear in the same node picker as action nodes; search by name (Loop, Branch, Delay, Scope) to find them quickly.