Introduction
A workflow is a group of common tasks which collectively require completion in order to complete an overall task. It can be also used to predefine regularly occurring tasks which can be assigned to a client and a user quickly.
Creating a Workflow Template
From the Administrator module, select the Global tab and the menu option, Workflows - Edit.
Click the Add New Entry button immediately to the right of the Workflow field and enter the description of the workflow in the Description field. Click OK to save.
Any existing tasks set up in other workflows will be available for selection within the Tasks Available list on the left hand side. These are displayed in alphabetical order. The Tasks in Workflow list on the right hand side will be empty.
To set up a new task for inclusion in the workflow, click the Add New Entry button to the right of the Tasks Available list, and enter the following information about the task:
- Description – This is a free text field to record a description for the task.
- Deadline Interval – Select the period for the deadline of the task using the drop down list, choosing from a number of Days, Weeks, Months, Quarters, Years or the Last Day in the Month.
- Number – This is a numerical field to record the number of such intervals, used to calculate the deadline.
- Budget Time – This is a numerical field to record a time period that is budgeted for this task, if required.
- Warning Period – The Warning Period is the number of days in advance of any Deadline Date that a task will appear on a user's task/to-do list. Once a Reference Date is applied to a workflow, the Advance Warning Date of the task will automatically populate using the number of days entered as the Warning Period.
- Complete Workflow – Where the task being entered completes a workflow (i.e. is the last task which requires completion for the entire workflow to be completed), check the tick box.
If any actions are required on this task (i.e. a letter or telephone call), enter this within the Action tab.
Select the action type and priority using the drop down lists and make a selection for a Default Template which is to be used, if required.
Click OK to save the task entered. The task will now appear in the Tasks Available list on the left hand side.
To view the detail behind any of these tasks, highlight the task within the Tasks Available list, and click the Edit button immediately to the right of the list. This will display the General and Action detail relating to the task. Any amendments made here will not impact on any existing workflows already assigned to clients, but will update any future workflow entries which include this task.
Once all tasks have been entered for the workflow, select the first task from the Tasks Available list, and transfer to the Tasks in Workflow list using the right arrow. Repeat for each further task, ensuring the final task is correctly displaying a Completed radio selection button.
In the event tasks haven't been transferred to the Tasks in Workflow list in the correct order, use the yellow up arrows to move the order of tasks within the workflow. The order of tasks will ideally reflect the logical order in which they will require action or completing.
To make any further amendment to a task within the workflow, highlight the task within the Tasks in Workflow list, and click the edit button immediately to the right of the Tasks in Workflow list. This will display the General, Predecessors and Action detail relating to the task. Again, any amendments made here will not impact on any existing workflows already assigned to clients, but will update any future workflow entries which include this task.
Predecessor Tasks
Within this edit function, the Predecessors tab can be accessed. This is where requirements are set on the order in which tasks must be completed, and whether there is any time lag between the start/completion of one, and the start/completion of the next.
Given predecessors are individual to the workflow, and the tasks contained within that workflow, the predecessors tab is not available when entering the tasks within the Tasks Available list. Once entered, predecessors are only applicable to that workflow and not stored within the task record itself.
- Task – Select the task which must be completed prior to the task currently being edited using the drop down list.
- Type – Select whether it is the start or completion of the first task that impacts on either the start or completion of the next task using the drop down list.
- Lag/Interval – This is where the period of the lag is set, to a number of Days, Weeks, Months etc.
Click OK to update.
Repeat as necessary for other tasks within the workflow, and click Close once finished. The workflow will now be available for adding to a specific client.
Editing a Workflow's Template
From the Administrator module, select the Global tab and the menu option, Workflows – Edit.
Select the workflow template to be amended from the Workflow drop down list. The details relating to this workflow will be displayed on the right hand side.
To edit any of the workflow tasks, highlight the task, and click the Edit button immediately to the right of the Tasks in Workflow list. This will display the General, Predecessors and Action detail relating to the task. Any amendments made here will not impact on any existing workflows already assigned to clients using this template, but will update any future workflow entries using this template.
Amend each task as necessary, following instruction under the Creating Workflow Templates instructions.
Click Close to save changes.
Adding a Workflow to a Client
From the Administrator module, select the Client tab and the menu option, Client Details – Edit.
Navigate to the tasks tab.
The task tab stores details of all tasks/workflows assigned to the particular client being viewed. The option to add a new workflow is also within this screen.
Click the Add New Entry button immediately to the right of the Select Workflow field. This will open the 'Add Workflow to Client' window.
Select a workflow from the Workflow drop down list. In the event a new workflow needs to be set up, see ‘Creating a Workflow’s Template’.
The Workflow Description is a free text field in which a more descriptive title to the workflow can be given. In the instance that the same workflow may be used on a monthly/yearly basis, it may be beneficial to include the Month or Year in the description to make the workflow more easily identifiable.
The Assign To drop down list allows you to assign the entire workflow to another user. The field will automatically default to the current logged in user. The list is currently limited to those of the same reporting level, or lower.
The Workflow Reference Date is the date you wish the system to start its calculations from (for example, deadline purposes). This is specific only to this individual instance of the workflow being added. This may be today's date, but can be a date of death for example, where specific service level agreements based on this date may have already been agreed within the organisation.
The workflow chosen may or may not have been set up with dependency tasks. If you require the individual tasks within the workflow to be completed according to any dependencies entered, check the selection box to confirm.
Click OK to confirm.
The display of the screen will default to show only those tasks related to the workflow just entered. To view all tasks assigned to the client, or other workflow tasks, use the options available within the Select Workflow drop down list.
Deleting a Workflow from a Client
From the Administrator module, select the Client tab and the menu option, Client Details – Edit.
Navigate to the tasks tab.
Using the Select Workflow drop down list, select the workflow you wish to delete, and use the Delete button immediately to the right of the Select Workflow field.
Administrator will prompt to request confirmation that you wish to delete the workflow, and all tasks associated to it. If this is correct, click Yes to confirm.
If you do not wish to delete the selected workflow, click No to return to the tasks tab.
Complete a Workflow Task
Tasks can be marked as completed within the Edit task window, accessed from either the tasks tab within Client Details – Edit or as user’s task list.
To complete a task, click the edit button. For an incomplete single task, the task will display as ' Done 0 out of 1 entries (0%)' at the bottom of the Edit Task window. Click the right arrow button to mark the task as complete. This will amend the task bar to red and the display will amend to 'Done 1 out of 1 entries (100%)', both indicating the task has been completed.
Alternatively, within a Task List, check the 'done' tick box.
Once any task has been marked as complete, it currently remains included within the list of client tasks on the tasks tab within 'Client Details - Edit' for information purposes. It will however no longer display on the user's task list for completion as it has been completed.
These notes are applicable from Troika release 2.08.020.