Creating Workflow Templates

When creating a workflow template, the Library Administrator determines which properties the initiator of the workflow can configure at time of initiation. In some cases, all properties may be pre-defined which does not allow for the initiator to customize any of the settings. Conversely, the Library Administrator may allow the initiator to define all of the properties of the activity.

You can have up to 20 activities (review or approve) in a workflow template with up to 50 users or groups participating in each activity. You can create workflow templates in both the Web Client and the FileHold Desktop Application (FDA).

WARNING: All workflows must contain at least one activity.

To create a workflow template

1. Log in as Library Administrator. In the Web Client, go to Workflow > Templates. In FDA, go to Administration > Workflows > Templates.

• In FDA, go to Administration > Workflows > Templates.

2. Click Add Workflow.

3. Enter a name for the workflow.

4. Enter a description for the workflow. It is recommended that you enter as many details as necessary so that users will know exactly what this workflow template is for. If the Initiator is to define the description, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

5. Select the Initiator can modify this workflow on initiation check box if the initiator can modify the workflow activities. Leave this check box clear if no modifications to the activities are to be made.

6. Select the Hide the document version until the workflow is approved check box to hide the version that is awaiting review or approval from all users except for the document owner, workflow participants, workflow observers, and designated Library Administrators until such time as it has gone through a workflow instance that contains at least one Approval activity and the result of this activity is that the document is signed off as "Approved". All other versions will be available for use. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

   NOTE: This setting is useful because the workflow does not check in or check out a documents. Selecting this setting will ensure no editing is taken place on the document during the review and approval process.

7. To send an email notification, enter the number of days before a task is overdue to send the email. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

8. To select a list of observers, click the … button.

9. In the Select Workflow Observers window, select the groups and/or users to the Current Observers list. Click OK when done. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

10. Select the Allow document version owner to observe the workflow check box to allow the document owner to see the workflow.

11. Click Add Activity to define the workflow activities.

12. In the Workflow Activity 1 area, select if this activity is an Approval or Review process.

13. In the Approvers/Reviewers field, click … to select the users who will be approving or reviewing the document.

• If you select an Approval activity, each one of the participants will be assigned the task of Approving and signing off on the document. The list of possible participants is limited to users that are able to access the document.

• Select the Review activity to solicit feedback on a given document version. As the participants in the activity (reviewers) complete their task, the initiator can collect comments and feedback on the document being reviewed.

• If this is a review activity, you can select a group to review the document. The members of the group are individually added to the workflow. You can then remove individuals from the workflow review activity.

13. In the Select Task Participants window, select the groups and/or users to the Current Participants list. Click OK when done. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

14. In the Due By field, enter the number of days after workflow initiation that the approval or review is due. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

• Due Date for the assigned task to be completed by the Approvers or Reviewers.

• Due date is calculated when the workflow is launched, so this field should be configured for the number of days from launch that the first task will be due.

• If a second or additional activity is added, an additional due date field is provided for that task, for setting the due date from the completion of the previous activity.

• Up to 50 users/groups can complete a single activity, and you can have up to 20 activities in a given workflow template.

• Use the Due By date text box using numeric values (1 or 2 or 3 or 4 etc) to specify the date for the first activity.

• In subsequent activities, you can enter the number of days after the previous activity is marked as complete for the next activity to be completed.

15. In the Task Instructions field, enter the instructions for the reviewer or approver. If the Initiator is to define this setting, select the Allow Initiator to Define check box.

16. Repeat the above step to add as many activities to the workflow as needed. You can have up to 20 workflow activities.

17. You can change the order of the workflow by changing the number in the activity area. You can also delete the activity by clicking the X.

18. Click Save when the template is complete.

For more information on document management system users and workflows see managing workflows in the FileHold desktop application.

To view the list of templates

1. In the Web Client, go to Library Admin > Workflow > Templates. The list of templates are shown.

2. In FDA, go to Administration > Workflows > Templates.

NOTE:  Users that have the role of Document Publisher and higher will have access to templates that are associated with the document schemas. For a workflow to be available for use in the system, the workflow must be associated with the appropriate document schema.

To edit an existing workflow template

1. In the Web Client, go to Library Admin > Workflow > Templates. The list of templates are shown.

2. Select the template to edit from the list of existing templates and click Edit.

• In FDA, go to Administration > Workflows > Templates and click on a template name.

3. Click Save.

To duplicate a workflow

Duplicating a workflow is handy when the administrators wants to use the same sequence of activities and tasks but for a different set of users. Once duplicated the workflow can easily be renamed and have the participants and observers changed.

1. In the Web Client, go to Library Admin >Workflow > Templates. The list of templates are shown.

2. Select the template to duplicate from the list of existing templates and click Duplicate.

3. Change name of template and any other properties that need editing.

4. Click Save.

See also:

Adding a Workflow Template to a Schema

Workflow Templates and Document Schemas

Configuring Workflows

Automatic Workflow Initiation