## Start a workflow

`POST /v1/workflows/start`

Starts a workflow instance from a template for a CRM entity, a list element or another Bitrix24 document. The document is given in one of two shapes: a type and ID for a deal, lead, contact or company, or an explicit Bitrix24 document identifier for everything else.

## Request fields (body)

Pass `templateId` and exactly one document shape. A body that carries `entityType` or `entityId` together with `documentId` is rejected with `400 CONFLICTING_PARAMS`.

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|------|-----|:-----:|---------|
| `templateId` | number | yes | Workflow template ID. Source: `GET /v1/bizproc-templates` |
| `entityType` | string | no | CRM entity type: `deal`, `lead`, `contact`, `company`. Required together with `entityId` when `documentId` is not passed |
| `entityId` | number | no | CRM entity ID. Required together with `entityType` when `documentId` is not passed. Source: `GET /v1/deals`, `GET /v1/leads`, `GET /v1/contacts`, `GET /v1/companies` |
| `documentId` | array | no | Bitrix24 document as an array of three non-empty strings `[module, class, identifier]`. Required when `entityType` and `entityId` are not passed. The module is `crm`, `lists` or `disk`. Pass the identifier as a string: a number in the third element is rejected. Values for CRM and lists are in the table below |
| `parameters` | object | no | Template parameter values. The set of fields is defined by the specific template in Bitrix24 |

`documentId` values by module:

| Module | Class | Identifier | Example |
|--------|-------|------------|---------|
| `crm` | `CCrmDocumentDeal`, `CCrmDocumentLead`, `CCrmDocumentContact`, `CCrmDocumentCompany` | Type prefix plus entity ID: `DEAL_5141`, `LEAD_12` | `["crm", "CCrmDocumentDeal", "DEAL_5141"]` |
| `lists` | `Bitrix\Lists\BizprocDocumentLists` | Element ID of an ordinary list. Source: [`GET /v1/lists/:iblockId/elements`](/docs/lists/elements/list) | `["lists", "Bitrix\\Lists\\BizprocDocumentLists", "7147"]` |
| `lists` | `BizprocDocument` | Element ID of a process in the Feed, infoblock type `bitrix_processes`. Source: [`GET /v1/lists/:iblockId/elements?iblockTypeId=bitrix_processes`](/docs/lists/elements/list) | `["lists", "BizprocDocument", "7171"]` |

The class is the second element of the template's `documentType` in the [`GET /v1/bizproc-templates`](/docs/entities/bizproc-templates/list) response, and the `iblockId` for the element source is the number in the third element, `iblock_<id>`. Pass the class as is: an ordinary list and a process in the Feed share the module `lists`, but their classes differ. Templates can be read only with an OAuth app key. If your template request passes `select`, include `moduleId` and `entity` in it, otherwise the first two elements of `documentType` come back as `null`.

The class and the identifier are passed to Bitrix24 unchanged. In JSON, escape the backslash in the class name by doubling it, as in the `Bitrix\Lists\BizprocDocumentLists` example.

## Examples

### curl — personal key

```bash
curl -X POST https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/workflows/start \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"templateId":713,"entityType":"deal","entityId":5141}'
```

### curl — OAuth application

```bash
curl -X POST https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/workflows/start \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_APP_KEY" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"templateId":713,"entityType":"deal","entityId":5141}'
```

### JavaScript — personal key

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/workflows/start', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    templateId: 713,
    entityType: 'deal',
    entityId: 5141,
  }),
})
const data = await res.json()
console.log(data.data.workflowId)
```

### JavaScript — OAuth application

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/workflows/start', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_APP_KEY',
    'Authorization': 'Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    templateId: 713,
    entityType: 'deal',
    entityId: 5141,
  }),
})
const data = await res.json()
```

## Response fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| `success` | boolean | `true` on a successful start |
| `data.workflowId` | string | Unique identifier of the started workflow instance |

## Response example

`HTTP 201 Created`

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "workflowId": "69f0c2d5ade389.22457798"
  }
}
```

## Error response example

400 — both document shapes in one body:

```json
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "CONFLICTING_PARAMS",
    "message": "Pass either { entityType, entityId } OR { documentId }, not both. Pick the shape that matches your target document namespace."
  }
}
```

## Errors

| HTTP | Code | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| 400 | `MISSING_PARAMS` | `templateId` was not provided |
| 400 | `MISSING_PARAMS` | `documentId` was not provided and the CRM shape is incomplete: `entityType` or `entityId` is missing |
| 400 | `CONFLICTING_PARAMS` | `entityType` or `entityId` was passed together with `documentId` |
| 400 | `INVALID_DOCUMENT_ID` | `documentId` is not an array, does not have three elements, or one of the elements is empty or not a string |
| 400 | `INVALID_DOCUMENT_ID` | The module in `documentId` is not `crm`, `lists` or `disk` |
| 400 | `INVALID_ENTITY_TYPE` | `entityType` is not `deal`, `lead`, `contact` or `company`. For other documents, use `documentId` |
| 401 | `MISSING_API_KEY` | The `X-Api-Key` header was not provided |
| 401 | `INVALID_API_KEY` | The key is not recognized — no such key exists on the platform |
| 401 | `TOKEN_MISSING` | The key has no connected Bitrix24 tokens |
| 401 | `TOKEN_EXPIRED` | The OAuth user session expired — re-authorize via `/v1/oauth/authorize` |
| 403 | `SCOPE_DENIED` | The key is missing the `bizproc` scope |
| 403 | `BITRIX_ACCESS_DENIED` | Bitrix24 denied access |
| 409 | `BIZPROC_MODULE_NOT_ENABLED` | Business Processes are not available on the account: the module is not included in the plan, or it is switched off in account settings. Ask an account administrator to enable Business Processes — until then the method answers the same way for any number of retries |
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | No template with the given `templateId` was found. `message` is `Template not found` |
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | The class in `documentId` does not match the template's document type. `message` is `Template type and DOCUMENT_ID mismatch!` |
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | There is no document with the identifier from the third element of `documentId`: the document does not exist, or a value other than its ID was passed, for example `iblock_<id>` from the template's `documentType`. `message` is `Wrong DOCUMENT_ID!` |
| 429 | `RATE_LIMITED` | Request limit exceeded. Retry in 1–2 seconds |
| 502 | `BITRIX_UNAVAILABLE` | Bitrix24 is unavailable |

Full list of common API errors — [Errors](/docs/errors).

## Known specifics

- **One template — multiple instances.** The same `templateId` can be started for different entities simultaneously. Each start receives its own unique `workflowId`.
- **A repeated call starts another instance.** A request with the same body is not rejected and does not return the already running workflow: every `201` means a new instance on the same document. If a request may have gone through but the response was lost, check the [list of running workflows](/docs/automation/workflows/list) before retrying. It shows only active instances: a workflow that has already finished does not appear there. No Vibecode API method returns finished instances, so an empty list does not prove that the workflow was never started.

## See also

- [List of running workflows](/docs/automation/workflows/list)
- [Terminate a workflow](/docs/automation/workflows/terminate)
- [Workflows](/docs/automation/workflows)
- [Business process templates](/docs/entities/bizproc-templates)