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Box Automate is the next-generation workflow automation platform that replaces Box Relay. While Relay provides a straightforward approach to content-centric automation, Automate introduces a modern visual builder, AI-powered agentic capabilities, conditional logic, and a comprehensive suite of tools designed for end-to-end business process automation. This document highlights the key differences between the two products.

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Workflow builder

  • Box Relay uses a linear workflow builder where you add triggers and outcomes in a sequential list. You cannot branch workflows or create conditional paths. Each workflow follows a single, straight-line execution from start to finish.
  • Box Automate replaces this with a drag-and-drop visual builder in a flowchart format. Depending on your plan (see the matrix below), you can create conditional branching (synchronous, conditional, and parallel paths) for each loops to iterate over lists of users or files, and loop back steps that send the flow back to a previous point with a configurable maximum loop count. This enables you to build complex, multi-path workflows that respond dynamically to different conditions.

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AI and agentic capabilities

  • Box Relay has no AI or agent integration. All workflow outcomes are rule-based and static.
  • Box Automate introduces AI-powered agentic outcomes. This allows workflows to respond to what content actually means. You can embed Box Agents directly into workflows for tasks such as summarizing content, researching files, analyzing patterns, and extracting metadata. You can also create Custom Agents in AI Studio and use them as workflow steps.
  • AI and agent capabilities are available only on the Enterprise Advanced plan.
  • Agent outputs may be unpredictable. Add a human-in-the-loop review step to review and verify agent output as needed prior to triggering the next action.

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Variables and logic

  • Box Relay offers limited variables support with no conditional logic.
  • Box Automate provides an advanced variables framework that includes workflow variables, trigger variables, outcome variables, and custom variables. You can reference and pass data between steps, use variables in conditional branch routing, and build dynamic workflows that adapt based on real-time data.

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Collaboration and sharing

  • In Box Relay, workflows are locked to a single user. Only the workflow owner can view, edit, or monitor a workflow. There is no way to share or collaborate on workflow design.
  • Box Automate introduces workflow sharing and collaboration, allowing multiple participants to work on a single workflow. This makes it possible for teams to co-develop, review, and manage workflows together.

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Triggers

  • Both products support file and folder event triggers, metadata-driven triggers, Manual Start, Forms triggers, Sign completion triggers, and task completion triggers.
  • Box Automate adds a Metadata Event Trigger that enhances metadata-based triggering with the variables framework

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Outcomes and actions

  • Box Relay supports standard outcomes including file and folder operations (move, copy, rename, lock, unlock), metadata application, task assignment, notifications, collaborator management, watermarking, Box Sign, and Box DocGen.
  • Box Automate carries forward all Relay outcomes and adds:
  • Box Agent and Extract Agent outcomes
  • Extract outcome for structured metadata extraction
  • For each loop and loop back steps
  • Box Hubs support
  • Custom HTTPS workflow step with connection management (API Key, OAuth 2.0, Basic Auth)
Box Automate is turned on by default at GA. Your organization must manually disable Automate through the Admin Console if you do not want your users to use it regardless of your prior Relay settings.

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Automate plan availability

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Relay vs Automate known gaps

  • Add collaboration outcome doesn’t support “Co-owner” role.
  • Sign outcome does not support tracking status via metadata.
  • There is no support for current outcome metadata variables.
    • While the metadata may be available, Automate does not support referencing the metadata values from the outcome variables.
  • Hidden metadata templates not supported in Add Metadata outcome.
  • Sign outcome supporting only signers from email field in Forms trigger, not any text field.
  • There is no File Name variable from Sign outcome.
  • Workflow deactivation doesn’t terminate “In progress” workflows.
  • There are no Templates for Box Automate.
  • There is the ability to map form metadata fields with one-click to add a metadata outcome. Each form field should be mapped separately in the add metadata outcome.
Last modified on September 3, 2026