Design Principles
BXNode is designed to execute, not to impress. The architecture reflects this.
Execution happens locally
Your data never leaves your environment. Execution happens where your business lives.
Rules are explicit
No probabilistic decisions. Every execution path is defined, testable, and auditable.
Boundaries are enforced
The system knows when to stop. Human-in-the-loop is a feature, not a limitation.
Everything is logged
Every action, every decision, every skip. Complete audit trail.
Failures are visible
No silent failures. If something can't execute, you know why.
Visibility is optional
Cloud control plane provides visibility. Execution continues without it.
Components
Local Execution Node
The core of BXNode. Runs in your environment—on-premise server, private cloud, or dedicated VM.
Responsibilities
- —Monitors configured event sources (email, folders, APIs)
- —Executes workflow rules against incoming events
- —Integrates with local systems (ERP, CRM, databases)
- —Generates execution logs and audit trails
- —Manages human-in-the-loop checkpoints
Data Handling
- —All business data stays local
- —Document content never transmitted externally
- —Only execution metadata shared with control plane (optional)
Cloud Control Plane
Optional visibility and configuration layer. Provides monitoring, rule management, and multi-node coordination.
Capabilities
- —Execution dashboard and monitoring
- —Rule configuration and deployment
- —Aggregated execution logs
- —Alerting and notification management
- —Multi-node coordination (enterprise)
Important
- —No execution happens in the cloud
- —Execution continues if control plane is unreachable
- —Completely optional—local-only deployment supported
Event-Driven Execution
BXNode reacts to events. Email arrives, document uploaded, timer fires, API called. Events trigger execution.
Event Sources
- —Email (IMAP, Exchange, Gmail)
- —File system (folder monitoring)
- —Webhooks (incoming API calls)
- —Scheduled triggers (cron-style)
- —Database triggers (change detection)
Event Processing
- —Events queued for reliable processing
- —Rules evaluated against each event
- —Matching rules trigger workflow execution
Deterministic Rules
Explicit conditions and actions. No probabilistic decisions. Same input always produces same output.
Rule Structure
WHEN event.type == "rfq_received"
AND customer.tier != "blocked"
THEN
parse_document(event.attachment)
IF parsing.confidence > 0.90
THEN generate_quote()
ELSE require_human("Low confidence parsing")Properties
- —Explicit conditions (no implied logic)
- —Testable in isolation
- —Version controlled
- —Rollback supported
Human-in-the-Loop
System knows its boundaries. When a decision requires judgment, it stops and asks. No autonomous risk-taking.
Checkpoint Types
- —Approval required (e.g., new customer, low margin)
- —Validation required (e.g., low-confidence parsing)
- —Exception handling (e.g., rule conflict)
- —Manual override requested
Escalation
- —Configurable timeout escalation
- —Multi-level approval chains
- —Notification via email, Slack, SMS
Explainable Execution Logs
Every action logged with full context. Readable by business users, not just developers.
Log Entry Structure
{
"timestamp": "2024-01-15T14:31:02Z",
"workflow": "RFQ-2024-0847",
"step": "quote_generated",
"action": "EXECUTE",
"result": "success",
"context": {
"customer": "ACME Corp",
"total": 14820.00,
"margin": "18.2%"
},
"rule": "R-142: generate_quote_standard",
"reason": "All validation passed"
}Properties
- —Every action timestamped
- —Rule that triggered execution identified
- —Reason for action or skip explained
- —Full context preserved for audit
This Is Not
Pre-empting common misconceptions.
Not "AI agents"
No autonomous decision-making. No probabilistic reasoning. AI assists with parsing. Rules execute decisions.
Not a workflow builder
We don't give you a canvas to drag and drop. We deliver execution systems configured for your workflows.
Not cloud-dependent
Execution happens locally. If the cloud control plane goes down, your workflows continue running.
Not black-box automation
Every decision is traceable. Every action has a reason. You can always answer "why did this happen?"