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.For example, you may have a second user who reviews your work items and approves or rejects them. 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 youyour 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 version is awaiting review
- Approved — the work item version is approved
- Rejected — the work item version is rejected
When youa 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 youa user opens 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.
Each workflow you create can be allocated to one or more work groups.When users view a work item in a work group that uses a workflow, they can select a status for that work item.If an administrator has allocated a workflow to one of your work groups, you will be able to select workflow statuses for work items in that work group.
Common Tasks
Among others, workflows enables you to perform the following common tasks:
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.
When you login to Advance, select a work group with workflows enabled. You then select the work item for which you want to change the status. In the work item details pane, under Status, you select the current status from the drop-down menu. Once you have selected a status, your choice will update the work item details with the new status.
Work Item History
When a useryou makes a change to the status of a work item, the change is recorded under work item history in the details pane.
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.
Administration of Approval Work Flow
- Admin enables “Approval work flow” for a given work group. Perhaps specific templates within the work group require approval. ?
- Admin assigns “Approval” role or permission to one or more users in a given work group.
Approver (Phase X)
- Users who have been given the “Approval” role in the work group now have visibility of the work item and are sent an email notification
- The “Approver” can access the work item interview. The Approver has the same access as the person who created the work item but:
- Cannot create a client interview
- Is not the owner an cannot further share the work item ( we may come back to this later )
- The “Approver” can leave a comment on the work item. ( Needs UX )
- The “Approver” can either:
- Reject
- Approve the work item.
- When “Reject” is chosen then the status is moved back to “In progress”
- When “Approve” is chosen then the status is moved to “Approved”
Standard User (Phase X)
- When a work item has the status “In progress” then user can change the status to “Pending approval”
- When a work item has the status “Pending approval” then the user can change the status to “In Progress”. The sales person can move a work item back and forth between “In progress” and “Pending approval”, annoying as this may be.
Common Reference Topics
Among others, the following reference topics may relate to this conceptual area: