User Input
The User Input block pauses a workflow and presents the user with one or more prompts, collecting data that gets saved into named variables for use later in the workflow.
Collect text, files, or choices from users
The User Input block pauses a workflow and presents the user with one or more prompts, collecting data that gets saved into named variables for use later in the workflow. Each prompt has a type — longText for multiline responses, shortText for single-line entries, multipleChoiceText for option selection, uploadFile for documents, uploadImage for images, or uploadAudio for audio files. Every prompt maps its collected value to an outputVariable, making that data available to downstream blocks.
Key configuration options include marking prompts as required, setting placeholder text, enabling input validation (email, URL, or password formats on shortText prompts), and configuring file processing. For file and audio uploads specifically, you can choose between no processing — which stores a URL to the uploaded file — or automatic text extraction (for documents) and transcription (for audio), which stores the extracted content directly in the output variable. Multiple choice prompts support both single and multi-select configurations with a defined list of labeled options.
This block fits into manually invoked workflows where a human is present to interact with the interface. It is commonly placed at the start of a workflow to gather all necessary inputs at once using multiple prompts in a single block, though it can also appear mid-workflow — for example, after a menu selection — with an optional cancel transition that routes the user to a different step if they choose to go back.
What you can build
Real-world workflows powered by the User Input block.
Document Summarization Tool
Prompt the user to upload a PDF or DOCX file with text extraction enabled, then pass the extracted text to an AI block for summarization.
Customer Intake Form
Collect a user's name, email address, and a long-form description of their issue in a single multi-prompt block at the start of a support workflow.
Image Analysis Workflow
Ask the user to upload an image, then route that image to a vision-capable AI block to generate a description or extract information.
Survey or Quiz Builder
Present users with multiple-choice questions and capture their selections as variables to drive conditional branching later in the workflow.
Audio Transcription Pipeline
Accept an audio file upload with transcription processing enabled, storing the transcript text in a variable for downstream analysis or summarization.
Multi-Step Menu Navigation
Use a User Input block reached via a menu with a cancel transition configured, allowing users to go back to the previous step if needed.
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Get Started FreeCommon questions about User Input
What input types does this block support?
The block supports six prompt types: longText (multiline), shortText (single-line), multipleChoiceText (single or multi-select from a defined list), uploadFile (documents in formats including PDF, CSV, XLSX, DOCX, TXT, and HTML), uploadImage, and uploadAudio.
What does the block return, and how do I access the collected values?
Each prompt in the block has an outputVariable field. Whatever the user enters or uploads is stored in that named variable, which becomes available to all subsequent blocks in the workflow. The block itself has no single combined output — each prompt writes independently to its own variable.
What happens when a file or audio upload is configured without text extraction or transcription?
When processing is set to 'none' for a file upload, the output variable contains a URL pointing to the uploaded file rather than its contents. To use the actual text content of a document in downstream blocks, the processing option must be set to 'extractText'. For audio, setting processing to 'transcribe' stores the transcript text instead of a file URL.
Can I mark prompts as required, and is there input validation?
Yes. Each prompt has a required flag. When set to true, the workflow will not proceed until the user provides a value. ShortText prompts additionally support validation modes — email, url, or password — which enforce format correctness before the workflow continues.
Can this block be used in API-triggered or scheduled workflows?
No. The User Input block is only compatible with manually invoked workflows where a human is present to interact with the prompts. Workflows triggered via API or on a schedule must use Launch Variables instead to supply input data.
Related capabilities
Start
Specifies how the workflow is invoked
Run Function
Execute a custom JavaScript or Python function
Chat
Start a chat session with an LLM.
End
End the workflow. Optionally return a structured output (for API) or send notifications.
Jump
Transition to another workflow, maintaining the same scope
Menu
Present the user with a menu and transition to the next step based on their choice
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