Design for the exception

Missing information

Decide whether to pause, ask for clarification, or send the item to a review queue. Do not fill important missing facts with guesses.

Duplicate events

Use a stable reference and decide how repeats are recognized. A retry must not create a second charge, duplicate order, or repeated customer message.

System failure

Record the failed step and assign a person to resolve it. A visible failure queue is more useful than a success notification that hides partial completion.

Recovery

Keep a documented manual route and a way to stop the workflow. Trial recovery with sample data before expanding the pilot.

Keep the conversation grounded.

Workflow planning and project enquiries. Integrations, software access, implementation, and support are scoped separately.

NIST: small business cybersecurity basics ↗

Official source for related background. The practical workflow suggestions above are original editorial guidance, not government endorsement.