WorkDesk Navigation
WorkDesk uses a left sidebar for section navigation, a top bar for global actions (search, notification bell, user menu), and URL-based deep-linking for all views. Navigation is fully keyboard-accessible.
Navigation Anatomy
Sidebar Navigation
The left sidebar contains links to the four main sections. The active section is highlighted. Each link also shows live badge counts:
| Section Link | Badge | Badge Color | Update Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIL Inbox | Pending task count | Blue (normal) / Red (has overdue) | EdgeStream tasks.{userId} |
| Workflow History | Running count | Blue | Periodic refresh |
| Notifications | Unread count | Red | EdgeStream notifications.{userId} |
| Dashboard | None | — | — |
Global Search
The global search bar in the top navigation searches across tasks, workflow history, and notifications simultaneously. Results are grouped by section and ranked by relevance. Search is debounced (300ms) to avoid excessive API calls.
// Global search API
GET /api/workdesk/search?q=expense+approval&limit=10
// Response — results grouped by section
{
"tasks": [
{ "taskId": "...", "title": "Expense Report Approval — Q1", "type": "approval", "status": "pending" }
],
"executions": [
{ "executionId": "...", "workflowName": "Expense Approval Flow", "status": "completed" }
],
"notifications": [
{ "notificationId": "...", "title": "New Approval Task", "type": "hil_task_assigned" }
]
}Notification Bell
The bell icon in the top bar shows a red badge with the unread notification count. Clicking it opens a dropdown panel with the 10 most recent notifications. Clicking any notification navigates to the relevant resource and marks it read. A "View all" link opens the full Notification History page.
URL Structure and Deep-Links
| URL Pattern | View |
|---|---|
/workdesk | Personal Dashboard (default landing) |
/workdesk/inbox | HIL Task Inbox list |
/workdesk/inbox/task/{taskId} | Single task detail — act on approval/form/review |
/workdesk/history | Workflow History list |
/workdesk/history/{executionId} | Execution Observer Panel (read-only) |
/workdesk/notifications | Notification History |
/workdesk/dashboard | Personal Dashboard |
Any WorkDesk URL is a valid deep-link. Paste /workdesk/inbox/task/{taskId} in an email or Teams message and the recipient (if authenticated) lands directly on that task. Notifications include linkedUrl fields pointing to the relevant deep-link.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl+K | Focus global search bar |
Alt+I | Navigate to Inbox |
Alt+H | Navigate to History |
Alt+N | Open notification panel |
Alt+D | Navigate to Dashboard |
Esc | Close modal / dropdown |