Workflows Overview
A Workflow enables you to set different statuses for work items, so you can track their progress through stages from creation to completion.
For example, you may need work items created by one user to be reviewed by a second user who either approves or rejects the work item. Using a workflow, the second user can set a status on the work item to mark it as either approved or rejected.
Prerequisites
You must select the Work items use a workflow option when you create or edit a work group.
Overview
Workflows define a series of stages through which a work item progresses, from creation to completion. A typical example of a workflow is when a work item created by one user is reviewed by a second user, who can then either approve or reject the work item. The work item status enables your users to monitor and update the progress of a work item through the workflow. The current stage of a work item (the work item's status) is displayed on the work item details pane and in the workflow status column on the work items list pane.
For example, Advance provides a default approval/rejection workflow for work items. This workflow's statuses are:
- Pending — the work item is awaiting review
- Approved — the work item is approved
- Rejected — the work item is rejected
When a user creates a new work item, its status defaults to Pending. Users can then review the work item and set the status to either Approved or Rejected as necessary. If a user open a new interview for a work item that is already set to Approved, the status resets to Pending to reflect the state of the new work item version.
When users view a work item in a work group that uses a workflow, they can select a status for that work item.
Common Tasks
Among others, workflows enables you to perform the following common tasks:
- Creating a Work Group
- Editing a Work Group
- Updating a Work Item Status
Using Workflows
You can enable workflows when creating a new work group or editing an existing work group. Workflows will then be enabled on new work items in that work group.
Access Permissions
When you create or edit a work group, you can assign workflows to the work group, enabling your users to update the status of new work items.
Common Reference Topics
Among others, the following reference topics may relate to this conceptual area: