OpenAI Workflows Skill
Execute OpenAI hosted agents and workflows seamlessly within your WebAgents, with real-time streaming and automatic cost tracking.
Overview
The OpenAI Agent Builder skill allows you to integrate OpenAI's hosted workflows as handoff handlers, enabling you to leverage OpenAI's agent building capabilities while maintaining full integration with the WebAgents platform.
Key Features:
- 🌊 Real-time streaming - Word-by-word response streaming
- 💰 Automatic cost tracking - Token usage logged for accurate billing
- 🔄 Session support - Multi-turn conversations with memory
- 🔌 Seamless handoffs - Integrates as a standard handoff handler
- 📊 Tracing enabled - Built-in debugging and monitoring
- 🧠 Thinking support - Detects and wraps reasoning model thinking in
<think>tags
Installation
The OpenAI Workflows skill is included in the ecosystem skills package:
Configuration
Credential Sources (in order of precedence)
- KV Storage - Credentials stored via setup form or
update_openai_credentialstool (when KV skill available) - Config - Passed in skill configuration dictionary
- Environment -
OPENAI_API_KEYenvironment variable (.envfile)
Parameters
workflow_id: OpenAI workflow ID (optional if using KV storage)api_key: OpenAI API key (optional, defaults to KV storage orOPENAI_API_KEYenv var)api_base: OpenAI API base URL (default:https://api.openai.com/v1)version: Workflow version (default:None= latest)
Best Practice: Omit Version
Don't specify a version unless required. When omitted, the workflow uses its default version, which:
- ✅ Automatically uses the latest stable version
- ✅ Benefits from workflow improvements
- ✅ Reduces maintenance burden
Only specify version if you need a specific workflow structure or the default doesn't work.
Multitenancy Support
The OpenAI Workflows skill supports per-agent-owner credential storage when a KV skill is available. This allows agent owners to configure their own OpenAI credentials without requiring server-wide environment variables.
How It Works
With KV Skill Available:
- Agent owners can store their OpenAI API key and workflow ID securely in KV storage
- Credentials are scoped to the agent owner's namespace
- All users of the agent share the agent owner's configured credentials
- Fallback to environment variables if credentials not configured in KV
Without KV Skill:
- Credentials loaded from environment variables (
OPENAI_API_KEY) and config (workflow_id) - Traditional single-tenant behavior
Setting Up Credentials
Option 1: Setup Form (Recommended for Multitenancy)
When KV skill is available, visit the setup URL:
For example:
This displays a web form where you can enter:
- OpenAI API Key (sk-...)
- Workflow ID (wf_...)
Option 2: Programmatic Update
Use the update_openai_credentials tool:
# Update credentials
await skill.update_openai_credentials(
api_key="sk-proj-your-key-here",
workflow_id="wf_68...70"
)
Option 3: Remove Credentials
To remove stored credentials and fall back to environment variables:
Setup Guidance
When KV skill is available but credentials aren't configured, the skill automatically provides setup instructions:
- In prompt: Setup URL is included in the agent's system prompt
- In errors: If execution fails due to missing credentials, error message includes setup link
Example with KV Skill
from webagents.agents.core.base_agent import BaseAgent
from webagents.agents.skills.ecosystem.openai import OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill
from webagents.agents.skills.core.kv import KVSkill
agent = BaseAgent(
name="workflow-agent",
instructions="You are powered by OpenAI workflows",
skills={
"kv": KVSkill(), # Enable multitenancy
"openai_workflow": OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill({
# workflow_id and api_key now optional - can be configured via KV
})
}
)
Agent owner visits {base_url}/agents/workflow-agent/setup/openai to configure their credentials.
Credential Ownership
Credentials are stored per agent owner, not per end-user. All users interacting with the agent will use the agent owner's OpenAI account.
Basic Usage
With BaseAgent
from webagents.agents.core.base_agent import BaseAgent
from webagents.agents.skills.ecosystem.openai import OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill
agent = BaseAgent(
name="workflow-agent",
instructions="You are powered by OpenAI workflows",
skills={
"openai_workflow": OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill({
'workflow_id': 'wf_68e56f477fe48190ad3056eff9ad5e0200d2d26229af6c70'
})
}
)
# Run streaming
async for chunk in agent.run_streaming([
{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}
]):
print(chunk)
Environment Setup
Create a .env file:
The skill automatically loads this key at initialization.
How It Works
Message Flow
- Input: Standard OpenAI chat format messages
- Filter: Only user messages sent to workflow (system/assistant filtered out)
- Convert: Transform to workflow input format
- Stream: SSE events from OpenAI workflows API
- Normalize: Convert to OpenAI completion chunks
- Yield: Real-time to client
Message Filtering
OpenAI workflows don't handle system or assistant roles. The skill automatically filters:
# Input
[
{"role": "system", "content": "You are helpful"},
{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"},
{"role": "assistant", "content": "Hi there!"},
{"role": "user", "content": "How are you?"}
]
# Sent to workflow (user messages only)
[
{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"},
{"role": "user", "content": "How are you?"}
]
Streaming Deltas
The skill extracts word-by-word deltas from workflow.node.agent.response events:
workflow.started → workflow.node.agent.response (delta: "Hello")
→ workflow.node.agent.response (delta: " there")
→ workflow.node.agent.response (delta: "!")
→ workflow.finished
Each delta is immediately yielded as a streaming chunk for real-time display.
Usage Tracking
Token usage is automatically tracked and logged to context.usage:
{
'type': 'llm',
'timestamp': 1759984808.392,
'model': 'gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07',
'prompt_tokens': 17,
'completion_tokens': 208,
'total_tokens': 225,
'streaming': True,
'source': 'openai_workflow'
}
This integrates with the Payment Skill for automatic cost calculation and billing.
Special Content Detection
The skill automatically detects and wraps special content types for proper UI rendering.
Thinking Content
Thinking/reasoning content is wrapped in <think> tags.
Type-Based Detection
Detection is based purely on the type field in OpenAI's SSE responses - no model name checking required:
- Type field monitoring - Checks
response_data.get('type')for keywords - Automatic wrapping - Opens
<think>tag whenreasoning,thinking, orsummarydetected - Smart closure - Closes
</think>tag when type changes to regular content - Guaranteed closure - Ensures tags are closed at workflow finish
Why this works: OpenAI workflows explicitly mark content types in their SSE responses, making detection reliable regardless of which model is used.
OpenAI Workflow Format
OpenAI workflows use specific type markers in their SSE responses:
{
"delta": "Let me think about this...",
"type": "response.reasoning_summary_text.delta", // Thinking content
...
}
Example Output
For any workflow that generates thinking content (e.g., gpt5-nano, o1, o3):
<think>
**Analyzing the problem**
I need to consider:
1. The core requirements
2. Potential edge cases
3. Performance implications
Let me work through this step by step...
</think>
Based on my analysis, I recommend approach B because...
Supported Type Markers
The skill wraps content when the delta type field contains:
- "reasoning" - Reasoning/chain-of-thought content
- "thinking" - Internal thought process
- "summary" - Reasoning summaries
Common OpenAI workflow types:
- response.reasoning_summary_text.delta → Wrapped in <think>
- response.text.delta → Regular output (not wrapped)
Widget Rendering
The skill automatically detects and wraps OpenAI ChatKit widgets in <widget> tags for interactive UI components.
Widget Detection
When a workflow emits workflow.node.agent.widget events:
The skill extracts the widget JSON and wraps it:
Supported Widget Types
Based on the OpenAI ChatKit Widget Spec:
- Card - Container with optional styling and background
- Row - Horizontal layout with flex alignment
- Col - Vertical layout with configurable gap
- Text - Display text with size and color options
- Caption - Small text for labels and metadata
- Image - Display images with configurable size
- Spacer - Flexible space for layout
- Divider - Horizontal separator line
- Box - Generic container with width/height/background/border-radius
- Button - Interactive button (click handlers supported)
Example Widget
Flight status card from your workflow:
{
"type": "Card",
"size": "md",
"background": "linear-gradient(135deg, #378CD1 0%, #2B67AC 100%)",
"children": [
{"type": "Row", "children": [
{"type": "Image", "src": "...", "size": 16},
{"type": "Caption", "value": "AA247"},
{"type": "Spacer"},
{"type": "Caption", "value": "2025-10-09", "color": "alpha-50"}
]},
{"type": "Divider", "flush": true},
{"type": "Col", "gap": 3, "children": [
{"type": "Row", "align": "center", "children": [
{"type": "Text", "value": "New York, JFK"},
{"type": "Spacer"},
{"type": "Text", "value": "Los Angeles, LAX"}
]}
]}
]
}
This renders as an interactive card showing flight information with proper styling, layout, and visual hierarchy.
Advanced Configuration
Pin to Specific Version
OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill({
'workflow_id': 'wf_68e56f477fe48190ad3056eff9ad5e0200d2d26229af6c70',
'version': '3' # Pin to version 3
})
Custom API Base
OpenAIAgentBuilderSkill({
'workflow_id': 'wf_68e56f477fe48190ad3056eff9ad5e0200d2d26229af6c70',
'api_base': 'https://custom-api.example.com/v1'
})
Testing
Test the workflow directly with curl:
curl 'https://api.openai.com/v1/workflows/wf_YOUR_WORKFLOW_ID/run' \
-H 'authorization: Bearer YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY' \
-H 'content-type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"input_data": {
"input": [{
"role": "user",
"content": [{"type": "input_text", "text": "hi"}]
}]
},
"state_values": [],
"session": true,
"tracing": {"enabled": true},
"stream": true
}'
Handoff Integration
The skill registers itself as a streaming handoff handler:
agent.register_handoff(
Handoff(
target=f"openai_workflow_{workflow_id}",
description=f"OpenAI Workflow handler",
metadata={
'function': self.run_workflow_stream,
'priority': 10,
'is_generator': True # Streaming enabled
}
)
)
This allows the agent to use OpenAI workflows as its primary completion handler.
Architecture
graph LR
A[User Message] --> B[BaseAgent]
B --> C[OpenAI Workflows Skill]
C --> D[OpenAI Workflows API]
D --> E[SSE Stream]
E --> F[Normalize Format]
F --> G[Stream to Client]
Error Handling
- HTTP Errors: Captured and returned as error messages
- Malformed SSE: Logged and skipped
- Connection Timeouts: 120s default timeout
- Workflow Failures:
workflow.failedevents converted to error responses
Limitations
- User Messages Only: System and assistant messages are filtered out
- No Tool Calling: Workflows don't support external tool integration
- Workflow-Specific Versions: Each workflow has its own versioning scheme
Best Practices
- ✅ Use
OPENAI_API_KEYfrom environment, not config - ✅ Omit
versionunless you need a specific structure - ✅ Test workflows with curl before integration
- ✅ Monitor usage logs to verify cost tracking
- ✅ Enable session support for multi-turn conversations
API Reference
Bases: Skill
Skill for running OpenAI hosted agents/workflows via streaming handoffs
Source code in webagents/agents/skills/ecosystem/openai/skill.py
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__init__
Initialize OpenAI Agent Builder Skill
Parameters:
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
config
|
Optional[Dict[str, Any]]
|
Configuration dictionary with: - workflow_id: OpenAI workflow ID (optional, can be stored in KV) - api_key: OpenAI API key (optional, can be stored in KV or OPENAI_API_KEY env var) - api_base: OpenAI API base URL (defaults to https://api.openai.com/v1) - version: Workflow version (optional, defaults to None = use workflow default) |
None
|
Source code in webagents/agents/skills/ecosystem/openai/skill.py
initialize
async
Register as streaming handoff handler
Source code in webagents/agents/skills/ecosystem/openai/skill.py
run_workflow_stream
async
run_workflow_stream(messages: List[Dict[str, Any]], tools: Optional[List[Dict[str, Any]]] = None, **kwargs) -> AsyncGenerator[Dict[str, Any], None]
Run OpenAI workflow and stream normalized responses
Parameters:
| Name | Type | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
messages
|
List[Dict[str, Any]]
|
OpenAI format chat messages |
required |
tools
|
Optional[List[Dict[str, Any]]]
|
Optional tools (not used by workflows currently) |
None
|
**kwargs
|
Additional parameters |
{}
|
Yields:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
AsyncGenerator[Dict[str, Any], None]
|
OpenAI chat completion streaming chunks |
Source code in webagents/agents/skills/ecosystem/openai/skill.py
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