docs: add reliable taskflow workflow pattern

docs/automation/taskflow.md

@@ -20,6 +20,78 @@ Use Task Flow when work spans multiple sequential or branching steps and you nee
 | Observe externally created tasks      | Task Flow (mirrored) |
 | One-shot reminder                     | Cron job             |
 
+## Reliable scheduled workflow pattern
+
+For recurring workflows such as market intelligence briefings, treat the schedule, orchestration, and reliability checks as separate layers:
+
+1. Use [Scheduled Tasks](/automation/cron-jobs) for timing.
+2. Use a persistent cron session when the workflow should build on prior context.
+3. Use [Lobster](/tools/lobster) for deterministic steps, approval gates, and resume tokens.
+4. Use Task Flow to track the multi-step run across child tasks, waits, retries, and gateway restarts.
+
+Example cron shape:
+
+```bash
+openclaw cron add \
+  --name "Market intelligence brief" \
+  --cron "0 7 * * 1-5" \
+  --tz "America/New_York" \
+  --session session:market-intel \
+  --message "Run the market-intel Lobster workflow. Verify source freshness before summarizing." \
+  --announce \
+  --channel slack \
+  --to "channel:C1234567890"
+```
+
+Use `session:<id>` instead of `isolated` when the recurring workflow needs deliberate history, previous run summaries, or standing context. Use `isolated` when each run should start fresh and all required state is explicit in the workflow.
+
+Inside the workflow, put reliability checks before the LLM summary step:
+
+```yaml
+name: market-intel-brief
+steps:
+  - id: preflight
+    command: market-intel check --json
+  - id: collect
+    command: market-intel collect --json
+    stdin: $preflight.json
+  - id: summarize
+    command: market-intel summarize --json
+    stdin: $collect.json
+  - id: approve
+    command: market-intel deliver --preview
+    stdin: $summarize.json
+    approval: required
+  - id: deliver
+    command: market-intel deliver --execute
+    stdin: $summarize.json
+    condition: $approve.approved
+```
+
+Recommended preflight checks:
+
+- Browser availability and profile choice, for example `openclaw` for managed state or `user` when a signed-in Chrome session is required. See [Browser](/tools/browser).
+- API credentials and quota for each source.
+- Network reachability for required endpoints.
+- Required tools enabled for the agent, such as `lobster`, `browser`, and `llm-task`.
+- Failure destination configured for cron so preflight failures are visible. See [Scheduled Tasks](/automation/cron-jobs#delivery-and-output).
+
+Recommended data provenance fields for every collected item:
+
+```json
+{
+  "sourceUrl": "https://example.com/report",
+  "retrievedAt": "2026-04-24T12:00:00Z",
+  "asOf": "2026-04-24",
+  "title": "Example report",
+  "content": "..."
+}
+```
+
+Have the workflow reject or mark stale items before summarization. The LLM step should receive only structured JSON and should be asked to preserve `sourceUrl`, `retrievedAt`, and `asOf` in its output. Use [LLM Task](/tools/llm-task) when you need a schema-validated model step inside the workflow.
+
+For reusable team or community workflows, package the CLI, `.lobster` files, and any setup notes as a skill or plugin and publish it through [ClawHub](/tools/clawhub). Keep workflow-specific guardrails in that package unless the plugin API is missing a needed generic capability.
+
 ## Sync modes
 
 ### Managed mode