# Use and create workflows

A workflow is a reusable research request with named inputs, methods, outputs, and optional run choices. Selecting a workflow prepares work for a project. It does not start a run.

## Find a workflow

1. Select **Workflows** in the main navigation.
2. Search by job, method, or output.
3. Filter by **Marvin** or **Yours**, or choose a category.
4. Select a workflow to review it.

Before using it, check:

- **Required to begin** and **Helpful context**
- **Methods** and **Outputs**
- optional choices and run options
- the **Reusable request** that will be added to project chat
- the recommendation and public source, when provided

## Use a workflow in a project

1. Select a workflow.
2. Select a writable project. Create a project first if you do not have one.
3. Select **Use in project**.
4. Review the workflow request in project chat. Add the target, notes, and optional choices you want.
5. Edit the request if needed.
6. Select **Queue work**.

Queued work remains pending until Marvin adopts it. If the project is idle, open **Start Marvin** and start a run separately. See [Chat with Marvin and guide research](/docs/guide-research).

You can also open the workflow picker from project chat. Choosing a workflow inserts the same editable request into the composer.

## Create a workflow

1. Open **Workflows**.
2. Select **Create workflow**.
3. Enter a name, purpose, and reusable request.
4. Add the required inputs, helpful context, expected outputs, methods, run options, and source information that users need to decide whether to use it.
5. Save the workflow.

For a built-in workflow, select **Save a copy** before editing it. Your copy appears under **Yours**.

## Edit and export a workflow

Select one of your workflows, then select **Edit**. Each saved edit creates a new revision.

Expand **Source and history**, then open **History & export** to see saved revisions. Select **Download vN JSON** to download that exact revision. Revision downloads are records of saved definitions; the interface does not roll the active workflow back to an earlier revision.

## Create a workflow from papers

Paper extraction and saving a reusable workflow are separate actions.

1. In **Marvin Atlas**, add papers to an evidence set.
2. Select **Extract workflow**.
3. Review the selected papers and choose a project you own.
4. Select **Confirm papers & review request**.
5. In project chat, edit the request and select **Queue work** when it is ready.

**Confirm papers & review request** creates the editable draft. **Queue work** submits it. If the project is idle, start a run separately. Extraction does not run an analysis or save a reusable workflow.

After Marvin records a Methods & Reasoning account, open it from **Threads** and select **Review as workflow**. Review and edit the proposed definition, then save it if it is reusable.

## Delete a workflow

Select one of your workflows, select **Delete**, and confirm.

Deletion removes the reusable definition. It does not change project runs or queued work that already used the workflow.

Learned skills are project research output, not workflow definitions. Review them under project **Settings**. See [Review research and export results](/docs/review-results).

If research produces a `docs/study_design_*.md` file and Litmus is connected, open the file under **Data** and follow [Prepare and submit a study with Litmus](/docs/litmus).