Problem
Some agent runs should be easy to throw away. Others accumulate mailbox history, notes, and planning data over time. Mixing the two leads to messy cleanup and unclear ownership.
Short workflow
- Decide whether the workflow needs durable inbox and workspace history.
- Use a disposable identity for narrow experiments or one-off tests.
- Use a long-lived identity for production-like automations, customer-facing flows, or recurring operations.
- Retire the identity when the workflow no longer needs its own boundary.
Use disposable identities for
- Short experiments
- Temporary onboarding tests
- One-time outreach or import jobs
Use long-lived identities for
- Agents with ongoing inbox conversations
- Workflows that need notes and tasks over time
- Systems where stable auditability matters
Rule of thumb
If you expect to care about the mailbox state next week, keep the identity long-lived.