Quick Summary
Choose Decisional when:
- •Spreadsheets are central to your operations
- •Workflows involve batch processing rows
- •You need AI to execute entire workflows autonomously
- •Focus is on operations (finance, sales, data)
Choose Relay when:
- •You need general-purpose AI automation
- •Workflows span many different apps
- •Human-AI collaboration is primary need
- •You prefer traditional workflow builders with AI enhancement
| Feature | Decisional | Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Core Paradigm | Spreadsheet-native AI agents | AI-enhanced workflow builder |
| AI Role | Executes entire workflows autonomously | Assists at specific steps |
| Configuration | Natural language instructions | Visual builder + AI steps |
| Data Interface | Native spreadsheet workspace | App-to-app data flow |
| Processing Model | Row-by-row batch execution | Event-triggered workflows |
| Human-in-the-Loop | Approval checkpoints when needed | Core feature for collaboration |
| Target User | Operations teams | Teams needing human-AI collab |
| Primary Use Cases | Quote gen, invoicing, data entry | Content, summaries, approvals |
The Core Difference: AI-Native vs AI-Assisted
Relay enhances traditional workflow automation with AI capabilities. You still build workflows visually, but you can add AI steps for tasks like summarization, content generation, or classification. The workflow structure is pre-defined; AI helps at specific points.
Decisional is AI-native from the ground up. The AI agent doesn't just assist—it interprets your instructions, reasons about the task, and executes the entire workflow. There's no visual builder because the AI figures out the workflow from your description.
"Relay adds AI capabilities to workflows you build. Decisional uses AI to build and execute the workflow for you."
Spreadsheet-Native: A Key Differentiator
Decisional was built specifically for teams that work in spreadsheets. Your spreadsheet isn't just a data source—it's the workspace where agents operate:
- Input: Upload a spreadsheet with tasks (invoices to process, quotes to generate, leads to contact)
- Processing: Agent works through each row, executing your instructions
- Output: Results populate directly in your spreadsheet
- Visibility: Track progress row by row in a familiar interface
Relay, like most automation platforms, treats spreadsheets as one of many integration endpoints. Data flows between apps, with spreadsheets being a potential source or destination but not the native workspace.
How Each Platform Uses AI
Relay's AI Steps
AI is integrated as specific step types within workflows:
- • Generate content (emails, summaries, responses)
- • Extract data from text
- • Classify or categorize items
- • Transform data formats
Decisional's AI Agent
AI powers the entire execution:
- • Interprets natural language instructions
- • Determines what steps are needed
- • Executes steps with runtime reasoning
- • Adapts to variations in input data
- • Handles edge cases without pre-programming
When Relay is the Better Choice
Relay works well for:
- Human-AI collaboration: Workflows where humans review AI outputs
- Content workflows: Generating drafts, summaries, responses
- Teams wanting AI enhancement: Adding AI to existing workflow patterns
- Diverse app ecosystem: Workflows spanning many different platforms
When Decisional is the Better Choice
Decisional excels for:
- Spreadsheet-centric teams: Finance, ops, sales using Excel/Sheets daily
- Batch operations: Processing lists of invoices, quotes, or leads
- End-to-end automation: Tasks that should run fully autonomously
- Document processing: Reading PDFs, contracts, and unstructured data
- Quick configuration: Natural language vs. visual builder setup
Use Case Fit
| Use Case | Decisional | Relay |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice processing | Excellent - native document reading | Possible - needs integration |
| Quote generation | Excellent - spreadsheet native | Possible - workflow builder |
| Email content generation | Good - part of workflows | Excellent - core AI feature |
| Human approval workflows | Good - checkpoint feature | Excellent - core focus |
| Data entry from documents | Excellent - AI extraction | Possible - limited |
| Multi-app orchestration | Good - via browser/API | Excellent - many integrations |
By the Numbers
Summary
Both Decisional and Relay leverage AI for automation, but for different purposes. Relay adds AI capabilities to traditional workflow building, excellent for human-AI collaboration and content workflows.
Decisional is built for operations teams who work in spreadsheets and need AI to handle entire workflows autonomously. If your work involves processing documents, generating outputs, and managing operations through spreadsheets, Decisional's approach will feel more natural.