Workflows that Work.

The possibilities are endless, even though everything doesn't necessarily snap together. This is a good place to start.

Background Sound This one is a popular request. I think the appeal is that it's one of the more fun utilities you can make with Automator. This creates a unique background for your desktop each time you run it. The workflow is a little complex. Download the app version and drag the icon onto Automator on your dock. This will reveal all the actions.

Email Selected Images from iPhoto Since the Mail option in iPhoto only sends full-size images, this is useful for when you want to send email-quality photos from iPhoto. Highlight images in iPhoto and then run this workflow. They'll be shrunk to 600 pixels, inserted in a premade message ready to be sent to the address of your choosing.
Get Selected Photo Items (iPhoto)
Scale Images (Preview) To size (pixels): 600
New Mail Message (Mail) Account: Default, Subject: "New Photos", Message: "Thought you might like to see these."
Send Outgoing Message

Folder Indexer This application creates a text document that lists the path and filenames of each item in the folder. If there are folders within that folder, it lists them too. This shows another trick Automator can do. Since we've summoned up a new TextEdit document it takes the names of the files, not the files themselves, and lists them in it. To use this application, just drop a folder onto its icon.
Get Folder Contents (Finder) Repeat for each subfolder found: checked
New TextEdit Document (TextEdit)
Save this workflow as an Application.

Group Mailer (with attachments) There's been a lot of confusion about using the Group Mailer action. It works. It's just clumbsy, quirky and has some limitations. The most important thing to remember is that Automator can only send new messages. It can't take an existing item from the Drafts folder and send it. Also, the Group Mailer action will send an individual email to each person in the group.
New Mail Message (Mail) Options: Show action when run: checked
Ask For Finder Items (Finder) Prompt: "Choose Mail Attachments", Allow Multiple Selection: checked
Add Attachments to Front Message (Mail)
Find Address Book Items (Address Book) Find: Groups, Address Book Groups: Ignore results from previous action, Options: Show action when run: checked
Group Mailer (Address Book) Add Greeting: checked (optional)
Send Outgoing Messages (Mail)
How to use it: Run the workflow. A New Mail Message box will appear. Do not add an address. Add a subject line and type or paste in your message. Most likely you will leave the Mail Account as Default. Click on Continue. A new mail message will pop up. A Choose Mail Attachments dialog will pop up behind it. Click on the Choose Mail Attachment box to bring it to the front. Pick your document and click the Choose button. The Find Groups in Address Book dialog will appear behind your mail message. Click it to bring it to the front. Type in the name of the group you want to send to. Click Continue. A mail message for each recipients will pop up and then disappear. You're left with an unaddressed mail message. exit it and don't save, unless you want to keep a copy of what you sent in your drafts folder. Seems very "unautomated." But if you're sending an email with attachments to a dozen people, it's a real timesaver. The stubborn message that keeps blocking your view is required to make the process work. It may be possible to hide this, but this workflow was complex enough without adding any AppleScript actions that hide the message at the appropriate times. If you don't want attachments, just delete the Ask For Finder Items and Add Attachments to Front Message actions from the workflow.

Quick Audio Recorder (requires registered version of QuickTime 7) This uses the record feature added to the full version of QuickTime. When you start it, it starts recording audio from the selected input: line input or internal mike, whichever you have on your machine. It's handy for those who want to jot down a quick audio not to email or for musician who don't want to wait forever for GarageBand to start. The actions listed below will not appear until QuickTime 7 is registered. Though not required, if this workflow is saved as an application, you can drag its icon to the dock for easy access.
New Audio Capture (QuickTime)
Start Capture (QuickTime)

TrackWhacker (requires added action Convert Tracks.) This workflow shows the power of Automator. TrackWhacker does for iTunes what iPhoto Diet does for iPhoto. It goes through you iTunes library and finds and errant AIFF CD tracks and GarageBand mixes and turns these into standard AAC files used by iPods. Near-CD-quality AAC files are about about 90% smaller than AAC files. These will appear in a Playlist named "Whacked Tracks". One caution: you might want to drag any Garageband mixes to your desktop first, so you can keep the original copy. If you've made changes in the original GarageBand file since you exported to iTunes, the AAC file in iTunes is the only higher quality copy. You'll also want to make sure your encoder is set to AAC in your iTunes Preferences. You'll need to download and install the Convert Tracks action from Doug's iTunes actions to create the workflow.
Find Songs in iTunes (iTunes)Whose Kind Contains "AIFF"
Convert Tracks (iTunes) Delete original selected tracks: checked, Delete original files of selected tracks: checked
Add Songs to Playlist (iTunes) New Playlist: Checked named "Whacked Tracks"