Workflow

Starting a workflow

In the repository, you can launch a workflow from one or more selected content items, whether they are files or folders. Starting a workflow generates a workflow task for the users assigned to the task.

  • Navigate the library’s folder structure to locate the item(s) you want to work with. These can be documents and/or folders

  • Select the relevant item(s)

  • Click Start Workflow

  • The Start Workflow tab appears

  • Expand the Workflow list and select the type of workflow you want to define

The following preconfigured workflows are available:

Ad-hoc

Allows you to assign a task to a single user.

Group Review & Approve

Allows you to set up, review and approve content, whilst assigning the workflow task to a single group.

Parallel Review & Approve

Allows you to set up, review and approve content, whilst assigning the workflow task to multiple users.

Pooled Review & Approve

Allows you to set up, review and approve content, whilst assigning the workflow task to multiple users. One user can take ownership of the task at a time, completing it or returning it to the pool, to then be claimed by another user associated with the task.

Review & Approve

Allows you to set up, review and approve content, whilst assigning the workflow task to a single user,

The appropriate workflow form is displayed when you enter the details of the workflow task being initiated. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).

  • Provide the basic details for the workflow task in the Information section

    • In the Description field, describe what you want the recipient of the task to do, such as: “Please review the attached content”. This text displays in the My Tasks table of the workflow overview for this workflow task. This content should clearly explain to the user what they are expected to do with the related content item(s)

    • Click the icon to the right of the Workflow Due field to specify the completion date for the task

    • Select a Priority setting for the task

  • You assign the task to either a user or a user group, depending on the type of workflow selected

    • In the Assignee section, type in the name of the user or group and press Enter. Fred will present you with a selection of users and groups that match your search criteria

    • Click Select to the left of a user or group to select it

    • For tasks with groups and multiple users, you must complete the Required Approval Percentage field. Indicate the percentage of reviewers that must approve the task in order for the entire workflow task to be considered complete

  • Enable the Send Email Notifications setting in the Other Options section to have the application automatically send an email each time a task is assigned to a user as part of this workflow

    Tasks generated by the workflow will appear in the user’s My Tasks list in the Workflow Overview. An email is sent to the email address listed in the user’s profile. If an address is not provided, no email will be sent.

    For group and pooled tasks, every member of the selected group will receive the email notification:

  • Click Start Workflow

  • The workflow task is created. A record will appear in the My Tasks list and the Workflows I’ve Started list of the appropriate users

Workflow overview

The workflow overview provides you with a view of the Tasks assigned to you and the workflows you have started.

The left upper pane is a list of all actions that are assigned to you.

The left lower pane is a list of all workflows you have launched.

The right pane provides a detailed view of the task or the workflow you have selected on the left-hand side.

My Tasks

The My Tasks list lets you view and manage the tasks that are assigned to you. You can sort the list of tasks by clicking on the column header. Selecting a task will show the details of the task in the right-hand pane.

The summary provided for each task includes:

  • Current status of the task

  • Task type

  • Task name

  • Due date

  • Priority

Editing a task

Each task is your responsibility, and remains assigned to you until you manage it.

In the task list, locate the task you want to perform and select it. In the right-hand pane, the details of the task are presented. The actions available on this page depend on the task type.

Manage the selected task in one or more of the following ways:

Update: If the task is in progress but not yet complete, you can change the task status and add a comment indicating your progress, then click Save and Close. The task remains assigned to you.

Approve or Reject: When you have completed a task, you can update the task status, add a comment indicating the work performed, and then click either Approve or Reject. The task returns to the user who started the workflow and no longer appears in your task list.

Claim: Click Claim to take responsibility for a pooled task. This action is available only for pooled tasks that are not yet assigned.

Release to Pool: Click Release to Pool to place a task back in the pool. The task then appears in the task list as Unassigned and can be claimed by another user. This action is available only for pooled tasks that are currently owned by you.

Task Done: Once a task has been completed, it is returned to the user who started the associated workflow. Click Task Done to finish a task and remove it from your task list.

Once the selected action is complete, the task will be removed from the user’s My Task list. A new task will appear in the My Task list of the person that launched the workflow, to confirm that the workflow has been completed.

Overview of the documents

It is possible to configure the metadata columns in the Items list and group linked documents based on a metadata field value. In the below example, an invoice and related purchase orders are presented to the person who needs to approve the invoice. You can, for example, show the Total Amount related to the documents.

The system administrator can configure the columns and the groupings.

Workflows I’ve started

From the Workflows I’ve Started list, you can view the full details of a workflow, including: a workflow summary, details on the most recently completed task, and a summary of all tasks generated by the workflow.

The summary provided for each workflow includes:

  • Workflow type

  • Workflow name

  • Date started

  • Due date

Viewing a workflow allows you to confirm that you have selected the correct one before you cancel it.

In the list Workflows I’ve Started, select the workflow you want to review in detail.

The Details page appears, displaying information for the selected workflow.

Current Tasks:

Overview of the open tasks related to this workflow. Clicking on a task in this list will provide you with a detailed view of the task.

To return to the Workflow Detail view, click on .

History:

Overview of the tasks that have been executed to date. Clicking on a task will provide you with a detailed view of the task.

To return to the Workflow Detail view, click on .

Cancelling a workflow

Cancel an existing workflow when it is no longer required. This deletes all tasks related to the workflow.

In the workflow list, locate the workflow you wish to cancel. In the Workflow Details pane, click Cancel Workflow.

The selected workflow will be cancelled and removed from the workflow list. All tasks related to the workflow will be deleted, which removes them from the assignees’ task lists.