Create and Configure a Workflow

A workflow is built in SmartSimple by creating the workflow, then adding tasks and connectors. Additional settings support recurring workflows, branching conditions, and each task type's specific configuration fields. For workflow types, settings, and syntax, see Workflow Types, Settings, and Syntax Reference.

Who: System administrators

When to Use Workflows

Use workflows when:

• Automatically routing review forms to the right people and notifying them by email when a review is needed.
• Sending scheduled reminders for recurring deadlines, such as staggered reminders leading up to a grant report due date.

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Create a Workflow

The process for building a workflow follows three stages: first create and configure the workflow, then add tasks, then add connectors.

Create the Workflow

To create a new workflow:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the New Workflow [+] button.
3. Click the Name field and add a name for the workflow.
   • If desired, click the Description field and add a description for the workflow.
4. Select a Workflow Object from the drop-down menu.
   • The workflow object determines which objects the workflow applies to, which trigger options are available, and which task types the workflow supports.
5. Locate the Trigger On option and click the relevant option. This determines when a new workflow instance is started. Options vary:
   • New — triggers only when a new object is created.
   • Modified — triggers when an existing object is changed.
   • On Demand — triggers when called by a System Call or browser script.
   • Status Change (Company and User types) — triggers when the status is changed and saved.
   • UTA-specific statuses (UTA/module, Tracking Activities, Tracking Sub-Activities types) — triggers when UTA/module Level 1, 2, or 3 is created or updated to the selected status.
   • Roles (UTA Role Assignment, UTA Company Assignment types) — triggers when a user or company is added to the object with the specified role.
6. Select the Termination Trigger from the drop-down menu if applicable, and then click Save.
   • If the entity changes to the specified status after the workflow has triggered, the system removes any Pending tasks without executing them.

The Workflow ID now populates. The following icons appear in the action bar: Copy Workflow, Diagram, and Update History. The Task, Pending Queue, and History tabs appear in the left navigation.

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Create Workflow Tasks

Once a workflow is created, tasks can be added. Each task automates and streamlines a specific action or step in a business process. To create a workflow task:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the edit [pencil] icon next to the name of the relevant workflow.
3. Click Tasks in the left navigation.
4. Click the New Task [+] button.
   • The Task details display. The Task Number starts at 100 and increases in increments of 100 for each subsequent task.
5. Click the Task Name field and add a name for the task.
6. Select the Task Type from the drop-down menu. The task type determines how the task is processed.
7. Enter the relevant settings, and then click Save.
   • Task type settings can be found in the Task Type Settings section of Workflow Types, Settings, and Syntax Reference.

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Create Workflow Connectors

All tasks must be connected to other tasks, or to the Start and Complete stages, before they will execute. Connectors control when subsequent steps run and what those steps are, based on defined conditions. To create a workflow connector:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the edit [pencil] icon next to the name of the relevant workflow.
3. Click Tasks in the left navigation.
4. Click the New button in the row preceding the task to be connected.
   • This may be the Start option or a preceding task.
5. Enter the relevant settings in the New Connector modal window, and then click Save.
   • Connector settings can be found in the Connector Settings section of Workflow Types, Settings, and Syntax Reference.
6. Click the New button for any additional tasks to connect, linking each to a preceding task, the Complete option, or another workflow. Click Save when finished.

Connectors appear on the General tab after the page refreshes.

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Configure Workflow Settings

Suppress the Workflow Window

When a workflow step executes, users are generally presented with a Workflow Window allowing them to select a value that determines the next task. This is necessary for workflows requiring user input, but unnecessary for workflows that simply send a message or email.

If a user has a pop-up blocker enabled, the system will suppress the Workflow Window and the workflow will not trigger. Ensure that users of interactive workflows have pop-ups enabled for the SmartSimple instance.

To suppress the Workflow Window:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the edit [pencil] icon next to the name of the relevant workflow.
3. Toggle Suppress Workflow Popup Window on, and then click Save.

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Configure a Recurring Workflow

A recurring workflow has no associated triggering object. While its ability to use variables is limited, recurring workflows are useful for tasks that repeat at regular intervals, such as a weekly reminder email.

When using a recurring workflow, connect tasks in a loop with at least one connector that has a delay. A workflow configured to loop without a delay automatically stops processing after five loops.

Once configured, click Activate to start the workflow. A Deactivate button will then appear to stop it.

To send an email on specific days of the month, use the following conditions on the connector:

• date_format(now(),"%d")="01" — true only on the 1st of the month.
• date_format(now(),"%d") in ("01","15") — true on the 1st and 15th of the month.

Configure an empty task, such as an Acknowledgement with no recipients, to manage branching based on the date, and a second empty task to manage the one-day delay so the workflow loops daily and connects to the email task on the appropriate day.

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Configure Workflow Conditions

Add a logical statement to a workflow connector's Condition field to specify the next task to trigger. This enables branching logic. For example, routing to Senior Management approval when a request exceeds $100,000.00 while smaller requests follow a different path.

Multiple connectors on a single task generally use conditions. Two rules always apply:

• Rule 1: Conditions on each task must account for every possible permutation.

If a task has two connectors covering typeIDs 12345 and 45678 but not 67890, workflows against a record with typeID 67890 will never advance. Correct this by adding a third connector, or by using a condition such as "@levelone.typeid@" NOT IN ("12345","45678").

• Rule 2: Each condition must be mutually exclusive from all others.

If two connector conditions can both evaluate to true simultaneously, the workflow may advance to the wrong task. Ensure only one condition can be true at a time for any given record state.

Conditions can use MySQL syntax. Examples:

• date_format(now(),"%d")="01" — true only on the 1st of the month.
• date_format(now(),"%d") in ("01","15") — true on the 1st and 15th of the month.

Workflows containing loops should include an empty task with two connectors: one returning to the looped task and one proceeding to the next, preventing an infinite loop. Enclose all non-numeric variables in double quotes.

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Import and Export Workflow Tasks

The Import/Export function on the Edit Workflow page exports and imports workflow tasks between workflows. This is particularly useful for moving finalized workflows from a backup or test instance to a live system.

Export Workflow Tasks

To export workflow tasks:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the edit [pencil] icon next to the name of the relevant workflow.
3. Click Tasks in the left navigation.
4. Check the checkbox next to the task or tasks to export.
5. Click the Export button.
   • A pop-up window displays the task details in XML format.
6. Click all text and save it to a text editor.

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Import Workflow Tasks

To import workflow tasks:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
2. Click the edit [pencil] icon next to the name of the relevant workflow.
3. Click Tasks in the left navigation.
4. Click the Import button.
   • A pop-up window displays.
5. Paste the previously exported XML data into the blank pop-up window.
6. Click Import at the bottom of the window.

The system imports the tasks, and the Edit Workflow page refreshes to display them.

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Search and Manage Workflows

The Workflows page provides tools for searching, viewing, and managing workflows.

Access the Workflow List

To access the workflow list:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar and select Workflows from the drop-down menu under System Processes.
   • The page displays the Workflow List.

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Search and Sort Workflows

The Workflows List displays three tabs: Workflows, Tasks, and Outstanding Tasks. Each tab supports search and sort.

To search Workflows, Tasks, or Outstanding Tasks:

1. Click the tab to search.
2. Click the search criteria field, and select the column to search from the drop-down menu.
3. Click the search criteria field, and enter the criteria.
4. Click Search to run the search or click the X button to reset search terms.
   • All matching results display along with the filter criteria.

To sort Workflows, Tasks, or Outstanding Tasks:

1. Click a column header to sort ascending.

2. Click the column header a second time to sort descending.

3. Click the column header a third time to return to the default sort order.

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Workflow Requests

Request for Approval and Request for Comment tasks generate Workflow Requests. Communications provides access to the Workflow Requests page, which lists outstanding tasks that need to be completed, tasks others need to complete where the current user is involved, and project tasks assigned to the current user.

Requests appear under the Requests to Me link. The request displays the following fields: Task Name, Created Date, Task Description, Action, Comments, and Object Area.

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Workflow Diagram

The Diagram button on the Edit Workflow page displays a graphical representation of all configured Workflow Tasks. System administrators use this to document and troubleshoot complex workflow configurations.

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Workflow Pending Queue

The Pending Queue tab in the left navigation of the Edit Workflow page shows all instances where the workflow has been triggered and the task has been scheduled for future completion. The last column indicates the Object ID of the entity against which the workflow was executed. Tasks can be deleted or reassigned to other contacts from this view.

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Workflow History

The History tab in the left navigation of the Edit Workflow page shows all instances of the workflow being triggered. The last column indicates the Object ID of the entity against which it was executed.

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View Workflows Triggered by a Specific Entity

The Workflow History tab can be made visible on individual UTA/module records by enabling the relevant permission. To make the Workflow History tab visible on individual UTA/module records:

1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select the relevant UTA/module from the Applications drop-down menu.
2. Click the Configuration Settings gear.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Locate the Security Settings section, and click Feature and Function Permissions.
5. Locate the Feature tab, click the Enable Workflow History field, select the relevant roles from the drop-down menu, and then click Save.

This makes the Workflow History section available from the Options drop-down menu on Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 records.

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Configure the System to Display Workflow Options

The user creating the workflow must have permission to set company workflow triggers. To configure this permission:

1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar, select Global Settings from the drop-down menu, and then click the Security tab.
2. Locate the Business Security section, and click System Feature Permissions.
3. Click the Features tab.
4. Click the Workflows - Attach Workflow to Company field, select the relevant roles from the drop-down menu, and then click Save.

Once a role is selected, the workflow options appear in the edit company view.

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Identify the Workflow ID

Once a workflow is created, the Workflow ID can be found in two ways:

• Click the Global Settings link, select the System tab, then click Workflows. The Workflow ID appears as the right-most column in the list.
• Click the edit [pencil] icon for the desired workflow. The Workflow ID appears at the top of the page.

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Troubleshoot Workflow Message Delivery

If workflow messages are not arriving, review the following common causes:

• Browser pop-up blocker is enabled — Allow SmartSimple as a trusted site, or check your browser for toolbars blocking pop-ups, or configure the workflow to suppress the pop-up.
• Workflows are not enabled — In the UTA/module, edit the template and enable workflows for the level at which they are being triggered.
• Another workflow is triggering on the same status — Review other workflows to ensure two are not configured to trigger on the same status.
• The workflow is not configured correctly — Review the workflow configuration to confirm connectors are set appropriately and tasks are correct.

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