Repository navigation
.NET Workflows - Workflow as Agent how to respond to external input requests #3029
Description
Hi,
Trying to follow the documentation https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/user-guide/workflows/as-agents?pivots=programming-language-csharp#handling-external-input-requests.
My intent is to get user input (just console right now) for my workflow that is converted to Agent.
The document above stops with a statement: "Provide response in the next message".
The docs don't cover how to do it.
The expectation for the docs from me would be to give complete guidance how to achieve a described outcome. In this case how to provide response in the next message.
I assumed that i must ensure the following things:
- get a thread from the agent and use it in all calls
- configure checkpointing
- In a second call to agent.RunStreamingAsync, provide a new ChatMessage(ChatRole.User, [new FunctionResultContent(callId, userInput)]). Since the ExternalRequest is handled as FunctionCallContent.
I failed to progress past my RequestPort.
Stepping through code with a debugger and searching in repo i was expecting that something converts the FunctionResultContent into a different type, such as ExternalResponse, that is used by Workflow to work with responses to requests. I could not find such a place.
It is also not obvious how to create an ExternalResponse myself or if this is the right idea.
Please advise, Regards, Antero
Metadata
Metadata
Assignees
Type
Projects
- Status
Activity
nca-pel commentedon Jan 26, 2026
I run in the same problems. AsyncRunHandle checks within EnqueueMessageAsync whether the message is ExternalResponse, but from the WorkflowHostAgent it is always ChatMessage. Thus the Workflow cannot start from a stored Checkpoint after a HitL request. It always starts from the beginning.
lokitoth commentedon Feb 4, 2026
There is an additional bit of work to do here: We need to check the incoming messages and properly unwrap incoming responses (whether FunctionCall or user input)
VladislavAntonyuk commentedon Feb 26, 2026
antero-lukkonen have you found a solution how to pass user input back to the conversation?
markwallace-microsoft commentedon Mar 20, 2026
antero-lukkonen, friendly reminder — this issue is waiting on your response. Please share any updates when you get a chance. (This is an automated message.)