Sharing custom automation workflows

Custom automation workflows are what make OpenClaw powerful for your day: morning briefs, meeting prep, document triage, and task routing. When you build something that works, sharing it helps others and strengthens the ecosystem. This guide covers how to share custom automation workflows—packaging, documentation, permissions, and how document pipelines like iReadPDF fit in for US professionals.

Summary Package your workflow as a skill or a documented graph; include a clear README, permission list, and dependency list. Share via GitHub, community forums, or a marketplace. When your workflow uses document data, state the format (e.g. document summary v1) and that it works with iReadPDF or compatible pipelines so others can adopt it without guesswork.

Table of Contents

• Why Share Your Workflows
• What to Package
• Documentation That Others Need
• Permissions and Dependencies
• Document and PDF in Shared Workflows
• Where and How to Share
• Keeping Shared Workflows Maintainable
• Conclusion

Why Share Your Workflows

Sharing benefits you and the community. Others get a starting point instead of building from scratch; you get feedback, reuse in other contexts, and visibility. For the OpenClaw ecosystem, shared workflows bootstrap new users and show what’s possible—including document-aware flows that use iReadPDF or similar pipelines. US professionals looking for “morning brief with doc queue” or “meeting prep from attachments” can find and adapt your workflow instead of reinventing it.

What to Package

Package enough so someone can run or adapt your workflow without hunting for pieces.

1. Skill or graph definition. The workflow itself: skill code (if it’s a skill) or automation graph (nodes, edges, triggers). Use the standard formats the community and OpenClaw expect so install and import work.
2. Config and env. Document required env vars, config keys, and any external services (calendar, email, document pipeline). For document workflows, note the expected summary format and where it comes from (e.g. iReadPDF export).
3. Sample or minimal setup. A minimal example (e.g. one trigger, one doc) or a sample config so others can test quickly. If the workflow consumes document summaries, include a sample summary JSON or link to the format spec.
4. License. Pick a license (MIT, Apache 2.0, etc.) so others know if they can use, modify, and redistribute.

Documentation That Others Need

Good docs make the difference between “it works” and “I can’t get it to run.”

• README. One-page overview: what the workflow does, what it needs (OpenClaw version, permissions, document pipeline), and how to install and run. Mention document integration explicitly: “Consumes document summaries from your pipeline (e.g. iReadPDF in format v1).”
• Step-by-step setup. Numbered steps: install dependencies, set env, connect calendar/email/doc pipeline, run once. For doc-aware workflows, add a step like “Export summaries from iReadPDF in format v1 and point this workflow at that output.”
• Inputs and outputs. What the user (or upstream skill) must provide and what the workflow produces. For document flows: “Input: list of document summaries (summary, key_points, doc_id). Output: prioritized list and optional brief snippet.”
• Troubleshooting. Common failures (missing permission, wrong doc format, wrong path) and how to fix them. Link to the document summary spec or iReadPDF docs when relevant.

Permissions and Dependencies

Be explicit so others can trust and run your workflow.

• Permission list. List every permission the workflow needs (read_calendar, read_document_summaries, etc.). Users should see this before they install; the runtime uses it for sandboxing. If the workflow only reads document summaries (not raw PDFs), say so—that’s a smaller permission surface and aligns with tools like iReadPDF.
• Dependencies. Other skills or contracts the workflow depends on (e.g. get_calendar ^2.0, document summary format v1). Version ranges help. Note: “Requires document summaries in format v1; compatible with iReadPDF export.”
• External services. Any third-party APIs, webhooks, or pipelines. For document data, state whether users must run iReadPDF (or another compliant pipeline) and how to point the workflow at that output.

Document and PDF in Shared Workflows

Many valuable workflows use document data. Make that clear and portable.

1. Use a standard contract. Prefer the community document summary format (e.g. v1) so your workflow works with iReadPDF and any other tool that produces that format. Avoid hardcoding a single tool name in the logic; depend on “document summaries from your pipeline.”
2. Document the contract in the README. State: “This workflow expects document summary format v1 (summary, key_points, doc_id, status). You can produce it with iReadPDF or any compatible pipeline.”
3. Optional doc pipeline in setup. In your setup steps, add an optional section: “To include a document queue in your brief: run iReadPDF (or your pipeline), export in format v1, and set DOC_SUMMARY_PATH (or the relevant config) in this workflow.”
4. Templates and examples. If you share a workflow that’s document-heavy, consider sharing a one-page “how to connect iReadPDF to this workflow” snippet or a template config. US professionals often search for “OpenClaw + PDF” or “document brief”; clear docs help them find and use your workflow.

Where and How to Share

Choose channels that match how your audience discovers content.

• GitHub. Repo with README, skill or graph files, and optional sample data. Great for versioning and pull requests. Tag with openclaw, workflow, and document or pdf so others can find it.
• Community forums or Discord. Post the link plus a short description and “works with document summary format / iReadPDF.” Threads can turn into Q&A and improvements.
• Marketplace or skill index. If your project has a marketplace, publish there with full metadata (permissions, dependencies, document compatibility). Use tags like “document triage” or “works with iReadPDF” for discovery.
• Blog or tutorial. Write a short post: “How I built a morning brief with calendar + document queue using OpenClaw and iReadPDF.” Link to the repo and to iReadPDF so readers can replicate.

Keeping Shared Workflows Maintainable

Shared workflows stay useful if they’re maintained.

• Changelog. When you change inputs, permissions, or dependencies, note it in a CHANGELOG or release notes. If the document format changes, say what’s new and how to migrate.
• Version compatibility. State which OpenClaw (and document contract) versions you test against. When you bump support, update the README so users don’t hit silent breakage.
• Feedback channel. Provide a way for users to report issues or suggest changes (GitHub issues, Discord). Document-related questions (e.g. “Does this work with my iReadPDF setup?”) can be answered once and added to the README.

Conclusion

Sharing custom automation workflows helps the OpenClaw community grow and helps US professionals get value faster. Package the workflow with clear docs, permissions, and dependencies; when document data is involved, use a standard summary format and state compatibility with iReadPDF or similar pipelines. Share via GitHub, forums, or marketplace, and keep the workflow maintainable with changelog and version notes. The more shareable and doc-aware your workflows are, the easier it is for others to adopt them and build on top.

Ready to build a workflow that uses your document pipeline? Use iReadPDF for consistent PDF summarization in the standard format, then share your automation so others can run the same briefs, triage, and meeting prep on their own docs.