> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.oration.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Start

> Entry point of every flow

The **Start** node is the entry point of every flow. When a call arrives, execution begins here and follows the single outgoing edge to the next node.

## Behavior

* Every flow must have exactly **one** Start node
* The Start node has a single output handle (`Start`) that emits the `START.NEXT` event
* It cannot receive incoming connections — it is always the first node

## Configuration

The Start node requires no configuration. It serves purely as the flow's entry point.

## Output handles

| Handle    | Description                                                         |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Start** | The single exit point — connect this to the first node in your flow |

## Use cases

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Simple greeting flow">
    Connect Start → Text to Speech (welcome message) → IVR Menu (department selection).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Business hours routing">
    Connect Start → Time Check to route callers differently during open vs. closed hours.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Hybrid AI flow">
    Connect Start → IVR Menu for language selection → AI Agent for the conversation.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>