> Source: https://builder-docs.ema.ai/api-reference/workflows/action-data-model > Title: Action Data Model # Action Data Model This page defines the protobuf data structures for action types, their inputs, outputs, and the Value system used across the workflow engine. ## ActionType The definition of a registered action type. Field Type Description `type_name` RegisteredActionName Unique identifier for the action type `lifecycle` ActionLifecycleStatus Lifecycle status of the action `is_asynchronous` bool Whether the action may not immediately return `uses_tool` bool Whether the action uses an external tool `human_interaction_config` HumanInteractionConfig HITL settings for external actions `inputs` InputDefMap Map of input parameter definitions `outputs` OutputDefMap Map of output parameter definitions `display_name` string User-friendly display name `description` string Description of the action's behavior `category` ActionCategory Category classification `type_parameters` TypeParams Type parameters for generic actions `dependencies` repeated RegisteredActionName Prerequisite actions `external_action_info` ExternalActionInfo External action metadata `supported_enums` repeated ResolvedType Enum types supported by the action `is_prerequisite_action` bool Whether this is a prerequisite action `documentation` Documentation Documentation for the action ### ActionCategory Enum Value Integer Description `UNSPECIFIED` 0 Default/unspecified `TRIGGER` 1 Entry point into a workflow `GENERATION` 2 LLM-based data generation `PUBLISH_RESPONSE` 3 Final step / workflow termination `RESOURCES` 4 Data resource management (read/write) `EXTERNAL_ACTION` 5 External API integrations `ANALYTICS` 6 Data analysis and reasoning `EVALUATION` 7 Response evaluation and formatting `FINANCE` 8 Finance actions `HEALTHCARE` 9 Healthcare actions `TECHNOLOGY` 10 Technology actions `LEGAL` 11 Legal actions `SALES` 12 Sales actions `FREQUENTLY_USED` 13 Commonly used actions (highlighted) `AGENT_ASSIST` 14 Agent assist actions `PERSONA_BACKED` 15 Actions backed by a persona `CUSTOMER_SUPPORT` 16 Customer support actions `SECURITY` 17 Security actions `FINANCE_AND_ACCOUNTING` 18 Finance and accounting actions `PRODUCT_DEVELOPMENT` 19 Product development actions `HUMAN_RESOURCES` 20 Human resources actions `UTILITIES` 21 General-purpose utility actions `APP_NAVIGATION` 22 Browser automation and web navigation `INTERNAL_TOOL` 23 Internal tool-calling agent actions Complete list of ActionCategory values from the proto definition. ### ActionLifecycleStatus Enum Value Integer Description `ACTIVE` 0 Action is active `DEPRECATED` 1 Action is deprecated `EXPERIMENTAL` 2 Action is experimental Complete list of ActionLifecycleStatus values. ## InputDef Definition of an action input parameter. Field Type Description `arg_type` ArgumentType The type of the input argument `display_name` string User-friendly name `description` string Description of the input `required` bool Whether the input is required `default_value` Value Default value if not provided ### ArgumentType Field Type Description `static` TypeReference A fixed type reference `type_parameter_ref` string Reference to a type parameter ## OutputDef Definition of an action output parameter. Field Type Description `type` TypeReference The data type of the output `display_name` string User-friendly name `description` string Description of the output ## InputDefMap / OutputDefMap Field Type Description `inputs` map Map of parameter name to InputDef `outputs` map Map of parameter name to OutputDef ## WellKnownType Enum Primitive types supported by the workflow engine's type system. Value Integer Description `UNSPECIFIED` 0 Default/unspecified `STRING` 1 Text string `INT` 2 Integer number `FLOAT` 3 Floating-point number `BOOL` 4 True/false `DOCUMENT` 5 Document reference `DATASTORE_CONNECTION` 7 Datastore connection configuration `FUSION_LLM_CONFIG` 8 Fusion LLM configuration `SEARCH_RESULT` 9 Search result `BOOST_TERM` 10 Boost term for reranking `TEXT_WITH_SOURCES` 11 Text with associated sources `CHAT_MESSAGE` 12 Chat message (deprecated, use CHAT\_CONVERSATION) `CHAT_CONVERSATION` 13 Chat conversation or conversational context `STRUCT` 14 Untyped key-value dictionary `GLOSSARY_ITEM` 15 Glossary item (term and definition) `EXTRACTION_COLUMN` 16 Extraction column in a table `RULESET` 17 Rule set `TAG_EXTRACTION_CONFIG` 18 Tag extraction configuration `DATA_PROTECTION_CONFIG` 19 Data protection configuration `CHART` 20 Chart visualization `DATE` 21 Date value `DATETIME` 22 Date and time value `DOCUMENT_TEMPLATE` 23 Document template `ANY` 24 Any type (untyped) `THREAD` 25 Ticketing thread `JSON_MAPPER_CONFIG` 26 JSON mapper configuration `DOCUMENT_VERSION_ID` 27 Document version identifier `EMAIL_ACCOUNT_CONFIG` 28 Email account configuration `HUMAN_COLLABORATION_CONFIG` 29 Human collaboration (HITL) configuration `TOOL_CONFIG` 30 Tool configuration for tool workflows Complete list of WellKnownType values from the proto definition. Note that value 6 is not assigned. ## Value The universal value type used throughout the workflow engine. A Value can hold any supported data type. Field Type Description `string_value` string String value `int_value` int64 Integer value `float_value` double Floating-point value `bool_value` bool Boolean value `json_value` string JSON string value `list_value` ListValue List of Values `null_value` NullValue Null Only one field is set at a time (oneof semantics). ### ListValue Field Type Description `values` repeated Value List of Value elements ## HumanInteractionConfig Configuration for human-in-the-loop interactions. Field Type Description `enabled` bool Whether HITL is enabled for this action `message_type` MessageType Type of message to present to the human `timeout_seconds` int32 Timeout before auto-proceeding ## ExternalActionInfo Metadata for actions provided by external integrations. Field Type Description `provider` ActionProvider The external action provider `integration_id` string Integration identifier `action_id` string Action identifier within the integration ### ActionProvider Enum Value Integer Description `UNSPECIFIED` 0 Default/unspecified `EMA_BACKEND` 1 Internal Ema backend service `DATAINGEST` 2 Data ingestion service `PARAGON` 3 Paragon integration `WORKATO` 4 Workato integration `WORKFLOW_ENGINE` 5 Workflow engine `COMPOSIO_MCP` 6 Composio via MCP (Model Context Protocol) `EMA_PERSONA` 7 Ema persona-backed action `COMPOSIO_TOOL` 8 Composio via native API `EMA_EXTERNAL_TOOL` 9 Ema external tool (tool workflows) `EMU` 10 EMU connector Complete list of ActionProvider values from the proto definition. ## Related - [Workflow Overview](/legacy-docs/api-reference/workflows/overview) -- Concepts and architecture - [Workflow Data Model](/legacy-docs/api-reference/workflows/workflow-data-model) -- Workflow-level structures - [Workflow API](/legacy-docs/api-reference/workflows/workflow-api) -- API endpoints