Box Automate is the next-generation workflow automation platform that replaces Box Relay. Relay offers a straightforward approach to content-centric automation; Automate adds a modern visual builder, AI-powered agentic capabilities, conditional logic, and tools for end-to-end business process automation.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.box.com/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Workflow builder
- Box Relay uses a linear builder: triggers and outcomes are added in a sequential list. You cannot branch or add conditional paths; execution is a single straight line from start to finish.
- Box Automate uses a drag-and-drop flowchart-style builder. Depending on your plan (see the matrix below), you can add conditional branching (including parallel paths), for each loops over users or files, and loop back steps with a configurable maximum loop count, so workflows can follow multiple paths based on conditions.
AI and agentic capabilities
- Box Relay has no AI or agent integration; outcomes are rule-based and static.
- Box Automate adds AI-powered agentic outcomes so workflows can respond to what content means. You can embed Box agents for summarization, research, pattern analysis, and metadata extraction, and use custom agents from AI Studio 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 when needed.
Variables and logic
- Box Relay offers limited variables and no conditional logic in the same way as Automate.
- Box Automate provides workflow, trigger, outcome, and custom variables so you can pass data between steps, drive conditional branches, and build dynamic workflows.
Collaboration and sharing
- Box Relay workflows are tied to a single owner; only the owner can view, edit, or monitor a workflow. Workflows cannot be shared for co-editing.
- Box Automate supports workflow sharing so teams can co-develop, review, and manage workflows together.
Triggers
Both support file and folder events, metadata-driven triggers, manual start, forms, sign completion, and task completion triggers. Box Automate adds a metadata event trigger that works with the variables framework.Outcomes and actions
Box Relay supports standard outcomes: file and folder operations (move, copy, rename, lock, unlock), metadata, tasks, notifications, collaborators, watermarking, Box Sign, and Box Doc Gen. Box Automate carries those forward 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 steps with connection management (API key, OAuth 2.0, basic auth)
Automate plan availability
| Feature | Business and Business+ | Enterprise and Enterprise+ | Enterprise Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core workflow builder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional and parallel branching | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Workflow sharing and collaboration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced variables | No | Yes | Yes |
| AI agents in workflows | No | No | Yes |
| Extract | No | No | Yes |
| Forms | No | No | Yes |
| Doc Gen | No | No | Yes |
| Box Hubs support | No | No | Yes |
| Box Sign | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Relay vs Automate known gaps
- Add collaboration outcome does not support the Co-owner role.
- Groups with permission type Admin are not available for selection in the outcome in Automate.
- Sign outcome does not support tracking status via metadata.
- There is no support for current-outcome metadata variables.
- Hidden metadata templates are not supported in the Add Metadata outcome.
- Sign outcome supports only signers from the email field in Forms, not from text fields.
- There is no file name variable from the Sign outcome.
- Workflow deactivation does not terminate in-progress workflows.
- Add/Remove Collaborator does not support external emails.
- There are no workflow templates for Box Automate.
- Form metadata fields must be mapped individually in the add metadata outcome (no one-click map of all fields).