---
title: "Best Practices: Node Configuration"
slug: "best-practices-node-configuration"
updated: 2025-09-26T04:25:41Z
published: 2025-09-26T04:25:41Z
canonical: "docs.unqork.io/best-practices-node-configuration"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unqork.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Best Practices: Node Configuration

## Overview

As you configure applications in Unqork, you'll notice that some build methods work better than others.

To set you up for success, here are some best practices.

## Node Naming

- Keep your Label and Path names unique for each node in your workflow.
- Develop a node-naming convention and use it throughout your building process.
- Use descriptive Labels rather than generic ones. It's easier for your team to know what the nodes are doing with descriptive Labels identifying the node's purpose.
- Keep Label and Path names short for a cleaner display and smaller JSON payloads.
- Always label nodes.

## General Configuration Best Practices

Build automated lane tasks to complete operations in five minutes to prevent timeouts. User input modules can complete operations as long as needed. The five-minute limitation does not apply to QA or Staging environments. However, workflows promoted to the Production environment are affected by the five-minute operation limit.

- Create modules in the Automated Workflow lane with the following settings:
  - Enable **Server-side Execution Only** in module settings for external API service endpoints that are configured in server administration. SSE prevents external services from seeing sensitive information such as financial data or PII (Personal Identifiable Information).
  - Enable **Customize RBAC for this** **Module** in the module permissions.

## Node Configuration

Below is a glossary of nodes and best practices when using them.

### Message Node

Amazon SES Service Limitations:

- If sending more than 3,000 emails in a single day, inform your CSM (customer success manager) of this requirement.
- If sending more than 6,000 emails in a single day, discuss best practices with your CSM.

### Start, Signal Start, and Timer Start Node

- Build workflows to complete operations in five minutes to prevent timeouts. The five-minute limitation doesn't apply to QA or Staging environments. However, workflows promoted to the Production environment are affected by the five-minute operation limit.
- Do not use Start, Signal Start, or Timer Start nodes to initiate nodes that are in a Parallel Gateway process.

### Gateway Nodes

Gateway Nodes refer to Exclusive, Inclusive, and Parallel Gateway nodes.

- Paths from Gateway nodes cannot connect to End, Handoff, or Gateway Split nodes.
- Configure Gateway Nodes to have at least two paths. A validation error occurs if a Gateway node has only one path.
- Nodes outside of a Gateway process cannot connect to nodes inside of a Gateway process.

#### Exclusive Gateway Node

- Exclusive Gateway Node Links must have a logic formula unless they are the default link. There can only be one default link for each Exclusive Gateway node.

#### Inclusive Gateway Split Node

- Build Inclusive Gateway Node Links to use a logic formula for each link path.

#### Inclusive/Parallel Gateway Split and Join Node Behavior

- You must have an equal number of Gateway Split and Gateway Join nodes.
- All Gateway Split nodes must end at a Gateway Join node.
- All output paths from a Gateway Split node must reach the same Gateway Join Node

### Timed Event Node

- Timed Event nodes can only be added to Task and Sub-Process nodes.
- The Duration of Timer must be greater than or equal to the durations set for the node's messages. Once the workflow moves onto a new task, the Timed Event is no longer valid and is unable to send the messages.
- You cannot add a Timed Event node to the Automated swimlane. But, it can trigger a node that exists in the Automated swimlane.
- You can add Timed Event nodes onto a Sub-Process node. The countdown timer starts if the optional condition is true and when the workflow navigates to any node in the Sub-Process node.
- To a trigger event to occur, the submission data must be available to the Task or Sub-Process node where the Timed Event node is connected.