fix(input-format): resolution for blocks with input format fields (#3012)

* fix input format

* fix tests

* address bugbot comment

apps/sim/executor/constants.ts

@@ -275,6 +275,26 @@ export function isTriggerBlockType(blockType: string | undefined): boolean {
   return blockType !== undefined && (TRIGGER_BLOCK_TYPES as readonly string[]).includes(blockType)
 }
 
+/**
+ * Determines if a block behaves as a trigger based on its metadata and config.
+ * This is used for execution flow decisions where trigger-like behavior matters.
+ *
+ * A block is considered trigger-like if:
+ * - Its category is 'triggers'
+ * - It has triggerMode enabled
+ * - It's a starter block (legacy entry point)
+ */
+export function isTriggerBehavior(block: {
+  metadata?: { category?: string; id?: string }
+  config?: { params?: { triggerMode?: boolean } }
+}): boolean {
+  return (
+    block.metadata?.category === 'triggers' ||
+    block.config?.params?.triggerMode === true ||
+    block.metadata?.id === BlockType.STARTER
+  )
+}
+
 export function isMetadataOnlyBlockType(blockType: string | undefined): boolean {
   return (
     blockType !== undefined && (METADATA_ONLY_BLOCK_TYPES as readonly string[]).includes(blockType)

apps/sim/executor/execution/block-executor.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   DEFAULTS,
   EDGE,
   isSentinelBlockType,
+  isTriggerBehavior,
 } from '@/executor/constants'
 import type { DAGNode } from '@/executor/dag/builder'
 import { ChildWorkflowError } from '@/executor/errors/child-workflow-error'
@@ -346,12 +347,7 @@ export class BlockExecutor {
       return filtered
     }
 
-    const isTrigger =
-      block.metadata?.category === 'triggers' ||
-      block.config?.params?.triggerMode === true ||
-      block.metadata?.id === BlockType.STARTER
-
-    if (isTrigger) {
+    if (isTriggerBehavior(block)) {
       const filtered: NormalizedBlockOutput = {}
       const internalKeys = ['webhook', 'workflowId']
       for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(output)) {

apps/sim/executor/handlers/trigger/trigger-handler.ts

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { createLogger } from '@sim/logger'
-import { BlockType } from '@/executor/constants'
+import { BlockType, isTriggerBehavior } from '@/executor/constants'
 import type { BlockHandler, ExecutionContext } from '@/executor/types'
 import type { SerializedBlock } from '@/serializer/types'
 
@@ -7,15 +7,7 @@ const logger = createLogger('TriggerBlockHandler')
 
 export class TriggerBlockHandler implements BlockHandler {
   canHandle(block: SerializedBlock): boolean {
-    if (block.metadata?.id === BlockType.STARTER) {
-      return true
-    }
-
-    const isTriggerCategory = block.metadata?.category === 'triggers'
-
-    const hasTriggerMode = block.config?.params?.triggerMode === true
-
-    return isTriggerCategory || hasTriggerMode
+    return isTriggerBehavior(block)
   }
 
   async execute(

apps/sim/executor/utils/block-data.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { normalizeName } from '@/executor/constants'
+import { normalizeInputFormatValue } from '@/lib/workflows/input-format'
+import { isTriggerBehavior, normalizeName } from '@/executor/constants'
 import type { ExecutionContext } from '@/executor/types'
 import type { OutputSchema } from '@/executor/utils/block-reference'
 import type { SerializedBlock } from '@/serializer/types'
@@ -11,25 +12,73 @@ export interface BlockDataCollection {
   blockOutputSchemas: Record<string, OutputSchema>
 }
 
+/**
+ * Block types where inputFormat fields should be merged into outputs schema.
+ * These are blocks where users define custom fields via inputFormat that become
+ * valid output paths (e.g., <start.myField>, <webhook1.customField>, <hitl1.resumeField>).
+ *
+ * Note: This includes non-trigger blocks like 'starter' and 'human_in_the_loop' which
+ * have category 'blocks' but still need their inputFormat exposed as outputs.
+ */
+const BLOCKS_WITH_INPUT_FORMAT_OUTPUTS = [
+  'start_trigger',
+  'starter',
+  'api_trigger',
+  'input_trigger',
+  'generic_webhook',
+  'human_in_the_loop',
+] as const
+
+function getInputFormatFields(block: SerializedBlock): OutputSchema {
+  const inputFormat = normalizeInputFormatValue(block.config?.params?.inputFormat)
+  if (inputFormat.length === 0) {
+    return {}
+  }
+
+  const schema: OutputSchema = {}
+  for (const field of inputFormat) {
+    if (!field.name) continue
+    schema[field.name] = {
+      type: (field.type || 'any') as 'string' | 'number' | 'boolean' | 'object' | 'array' | 'any',
+    }
+  }
+
+  return schema
+}
+
 export function getBlockSchema(
   block: SerializedBlock,
   toolConfig?: ToolConfig
 ): OutputSchema | undefined {
-  const isTrigger =
-    block.metadata?.category === 'triggers' ||
-    (block.config?.params as Record<string, unknown> | undefined)?.triggerMode === true
+  const blockType = block.metadata?.id
+
+  // For blocks that expose inputFormat as outputs, always merge them
+  // This includes both triggers (start_trigger, generic_webhook) and
+  // non-triggers (starter, human_in_the_loop) that have inputFormat
+  if (
+    blockType &&
+    BLOCKS_WITH_INPUT_FORMAT_OUTPUTS.includes(
+      blockType as (typeof BLOCKS_WITH_INPUT_FORMAT_OUTPUTS)[number]
+    )
+  ) {
+    const baseOutputs = (block.outputs as OutputSchema) || {}
+    const inputFormatFields = getInputFormatFields(block)
+    const merged = { ...baseOutputs, ...inputFormatFields }
+    if (Object.keys(merged).length > 0) {
+      return merged
+    }
+  }
+
+  const isTrigger = isTriggerBehavior(block)
 
-  // Triggers use saved outputs (defines the trigger payload schema)
   if (isTrigger && block.outputs && Object.keys(block.outputs).length > 0) {
     return block.outputs as OutputSchema
   }
 
-  // When a tool is selected, tool outputs are the source of truth
   if (toolConfig?.outputs && Object.keys(toolConfig.outputs).length > 0) {
     return toolConfig.outputs as OutputSchema
   }
 
-  // Fallback to saved outputs for blocks without tools
   if (block.outputs && Object.keys(block.outputs).length > 0) {
     return block.outputs as OutputSchema
   }

apps/sim/lib/workflows/comparison/compare.test.ts

@@ -557,7 +557,8 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
   })
 
   describe('InputFormat SubBlock Special Handling', () => {
-    it.concurrent('should ignore value and collapsed fields in inputFormat', () => {
+    it.concurrent('should ignore collapsed field but detect value changes in inputFormat', () => {
+      // Only collapsed changes - should NOT detect as change
       const state1 = createWorkflowState({
         blocks: {
           block1: createBlock('block1', {
@@ -578,8 +579,8 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
             subBlocks: {
               inputFormat: {
                 value: [
-                  { id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'Jane', collapsed: false },
-                  { id: 'input2', name: 'Age', value: 30, collapsed: true },
+                  { id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'John', collapsed: false },
+                  { id: 'input2', name: 'Age', value: 25, collapsed: true },
                 ],
               },
             },
@@ -589,6 +590,32 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
       expect(hasWorkflowChanged(state1, state2)).toBe(false)
     })
 
+    it.concurrent('should detect value changes in inputFormat', () => {
+      const state1 = createWorkflowState({
+        blocks: {
+          block1: createBlock('block1', {
+            subBlocks: {
+              inputFormat: {
+                value: [{ id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'John' }],
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        },
+      })
+      const state2 = createWorkflowState({
+        blocks: {
+          block1: createBlock('block1', {
+            subBlocks: {
+              inputFormat: {
+                value: [{ id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'Jane' }],
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        },
+      })
+      expect(hasWorkflowChanged(state1, state2)).toBe(true)
+    })
+
     it.concurrent('should detect actual inputFormat changes', () => {
       const state1 = createWorkflowState({
         blocks: {
@@ -1712,15 +1739,15 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
   })
 
   describe('Input Format Field Scenarios', () => {
-    it.concurrent('should not detect change when inputFormat value is typed and cleared', () => {
-      // The "value" field in inputFormat is UI-only and should be ignored
+    it.concurrent('should not detect change when only inputFormat collapsed changes', () => {
+      // The "collapsed" field in inputFormat is UI-only and should be ignored
       const deployedState = createWorkflowState({
         blocks: {
           block1: createBlock('block1', {
             subBlocks: {
               inputFormat: {
                 value: [
-                  { id: 'field1', name: 'Name', type: 'string', value: '', collapsed: false },
+                  { id: 'field1', name: 'Name', type: 'string', value: 'test', collapsed: false },
                 ],
               },
             },
@@ -1738,7 +1765,7 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
                     id: 'field1',
                     name: 'Name',
                     type: 'string',
-                    value: 'typed then cleared',
+                    value: 'test',
                     collapsed: true,
                   },
                 ],
@@ -1748,10 +1775,40 @@ describe('hasWorkflowChanged', () => {
         },
       })
 
-      // value and collapsed are UI-only fields - should NOT detect as change
+      // collapsed is UI-only field - should NOT detect as change
       expect(hasWorkflowChanged(currentState, deployedState)).toBe(false)
     })
 
+    it.concurrent('should detect change when inputFormat value changes', () => {
+      // The "value" field in inputFormat is meaningful and should trigger change detection
+      const deployedState = createWorkflowState({
+        blocks: {
+          block1: createBlock('block1', {
+            subBlocks: {
+              inputFormat: {
+                value: [{ id: 'field1', name: 'Name', type: 'string', value: '' }],
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        },
+      })
+
+      const currentState = createWorkflowState({
+        blocks: {
+          block1: createBlock('block1', {
+            subBlocks: {
+              inputFormat: {
+                value: [{ id: 'field1', name: 'Name', type: 'string', value: 'new value' }],
+              },
+            },
+          }),
+        },
+      })
+
+      // value changes should be detected
+      expect(hasWorkflowChanged(currentState, deployedState)).toBe(true)
+    })
+
     it.concurrent('should detect change when inputFormat field name changes', () => {
       const deployedState = createWorkflowState({
         blocks: {

apps/sim/lib/workflows/comparison/normalize.test.ts

@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ describe('Workflow Normalization Utilities', () => {
       expect(sanitizeInputFormat({} as any)).toEqual([])
     })
 
-    it.concurrent('should remove value and collapsed fields', () => {
+    it.concurrent('should remove collapsed field but keep value', () => {
       const inputFormat = [
         { id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'John', collapsed: true },
         { id: 'input2', name: 'Age', value: 25, collapsed: false },
@@ -379,13 +379,13 @@ describe('Workflow Normalization Utilities', () => {
       const result = sanitizeInputFormat(inputFormat)
 
       expect(result).toEqual([
-        { id: 'input1', name: 'Name' },
-        { id: 'input2', name: 'Age' },
+        { id: 'input1', name: 'Name', value: 'John' },
+        { id: 'input2', name: 'Age', value: 25 },
         { id: 'input3', name: 'Email' },
       ])
     })
 
-    it.concurrent('should preserve all other fields', () => {
+    it.concurrent('should preserve all other fields including value', () => {
       const inputFormat = [
         {
           id: 'input1',
@@ -402,6 +402,7 @@ describe('Workflow Normalization Utilities', () => {
       expect(result[0]).toEqual({
         id: 'input1',
         name: 'Complex Input',
+        value: 'test-value',
         type: 'string',
         required: true,
         validation: { min: 0, max: 100 },

apps/sim/lib/workflows/comparison/normalize.ts

@@ -156,10 +156,10 @@ export function normalizeVariables(variables: unknown): Record<string, Variable>
 }
 
 /** Input format item with optional UI-only fields */
-type InputFormatItem = Record<string, unknown> & { value?: unknown; collapsed?: boolean }
+type InputFormatItem = Record<string, unknown> & { collapsed?: boolean }
 
 /**
- * Sanitizes inputFormat array by removing UI-only fields like value and collapsed
+ * Sanitizes inputFormat array by removing UI-only fields like collapsed
  * @param inputFormat - Array of input format configurations
  * @returns Sanitized input format array
  */
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ export function sanitizeInputFormat(inputFormat: unknown[] | undefined): Record<
   if (!Array.isArray(inputFormat)) return []
   return inputFormat.map((item) => {
     if (item && typeof item === 'object' && !Array.isArray(item)) {
-      const { value, collapsed, ...rest } = item as InputFormatItem
+      const { collapsed, ...rest } = item as InputFormatItem
       return rest
     }
     return item as Record<string, unknown>