Lazy evaluation
Deferring computation until the result is actually needed. In automation, lazy evaluation means not fetching enrichment data or running AI classification until a workflow branch is actually entered avoiding wasted API calls on records that won't be processed.
Expert insight
Lazy evaluation (only computing a value when it's actually needed, not upfront) can meaningfully improve a workflow's performance by skipping expensive operations on branches that never execute, but it can also hide a bug where a value is expected to have side effects that never actually run because nothing forced its evaluation.
In a real workflow
A workflow only calls the enrichment API when the lead passes the first filter.
Common mistakes
- Evaluating expensive steps for every record.
- Unexpected side effects when evaluation is deferred.
Complexity level
Technical term used in production automation systems.
Related terms
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