1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions to: supply, by an action framework to a client, a graphical user interface element with an embedded control, which when activated, invokes an action with an associated workflow performed by executable instructions, the workflow comprising a plurality of actions, the action framework being interposed between the client and a business intelligence (BI) platform; identify, by the action framework, activation of the embedded control in the client by receiving a request from the client; augment, by the action framework, the action with an action context characterizing a set of conditions under which the action is requested; receive, by the BI platform from the action framework, the action context; search, a metadata repository of the BI platform, a set of metadata for metadata corresponding to the action, wherein the search is limited by the action context; insert, by the action framework, selected metadata for the action from the BI platform into a collection of graphical user interface elements, wherein: the selected metadata results from searching the set of metadata, the selected metadata includes: a reference to the set of executable instructions that implements the action, and a description of the action; return, to the action framework to the client, the collection of graphical user interface elements; and receive, by the action framework from the client, an interaction with the collection of graphical user interface elements that invokes the set of executable instructions to perform the workflow.
10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein: the action is included in a plurality of actions; and the plurality of actions form an action set of related actions.