Managing Workflows

Topics:

Creating Workflows

Workflows are customized actions a member can perform on issues matching a certain criteria. For each workflow, you can determine the issue criteria which will make it available and the fields which can be updated during the completion of the workflow. There is a role permission which ensures that a user can only update issues via an existing workflow. This way, it is possible to enforce that certain things are done to an issue when updating it and that they are done in the correct order.

Click Admin > Workflows to access the Workflows screen. On this screen the properties of each existing workflow are displayed, including workflow name, criteria, set values, prompt for, own issues only, comment, run on submit, email only, and notify.

Workflows are automatically added in alphabetical order. To rearrange the order they are shown in, both on the Workflows page and the workflows dropdown menu, select the move icon (three lines) next to the workflow you want to move and drag it to a new location.

workflow_list.png

To add a new workflow:

  1. Click Create a new workflow on the bottom of the Workflows screen. The New Workflow screen will open where you can define properties for the workflow.
  2. Give the workflow a descriptive name. Enter instructions for the workflow.
  3. creating_a_new_workflow.pngIf desired, mark the following checkboxes:
    • Only display this workflow for issues assigned to the viewing user - If you only want the specified workflow to be in the Workflows dropdown menu for an issue if the person viewing the issue is the person in the Assigned To field.
    • Show this workflow as a button at the top of issues - Displays the workflow (when it is available to the viewing user) as a button at the top of the issue, instead of under a workflows dropdown menu.
    • Execute the workflow when an issue matching the criteria is submitted - Automatically executes the workflow when specific criteria are met.
    • Only execute this workflow when submitting via email - This workflow is only available when the user is submitting via an email.
  4. Select the roles for which you want the workflow to be available from the dropdown list.
  5. Select the fields which will be available for he user to update when executing the workflow from the Prompt Variables dropdown list.
  6. Check the box next to Prompt the user for comment (and attachments) to make selected fields, as well as the comments field, available to the user when executing this workflow. If unchecked, the workflow will execute automatically without giving the user an opportunity to comment.
  7. Select groups which should be notified when this workflow is completed from the Notify dropdown list.
  8. Click Create Workflow. An Edit screen opens to allow you to assign criteria under which the workflow will be used.
    • The workflow will be created and available to view, edit, and delete from the workflows screen.

Editing Workflows

To edit an existing workflow, navigate to the Workflows page, then select the name of the workflow you want to edit. After creating a new workflow, the edit page will automatically open.

  1. On the edit screen for the workflow, the left side of the screen displays all property fields for the workflow, which are available for editing.
    • Additionally there is a checkbox, marked by default, called Active. Unmarking this box makes the workflow inactive and hides it from users. An inactive workflow can be activated again in the future.
  2. The right side of the screen displays the Criteria and Assign Values sections. These sections can be used to enter specific conditions under which the workflow will be available and the values which will be assigned when the workflow is completed on an issue.
  3. In the Criteria section, select the field value requirements that must be met in order for the workflow to be available to be used. To set Criteria, first select a variable from the drop-down box.
    • In the Value(s) column, either select a value(s) or manually enter a value(s) which should make this workflow available.
    • If you would like to add more criteria, click the Add Criteria button. Another row is added to the Criteria table. Keep adding until all of your criteria are added.
      • To delete a criteria from the workflow, select the Remove button next to that criteria.
  4. Assign Values are what will be filled in automatically when the workflow is executed. To set an Assign Value, first select a variable from the drop-down box.
    • In the Value(s) column, if there is a drop-down box, select a value. If not, type the value into the field.
    • For the Assign To field, in addition to specific users the drop down also includes the option to assign to the current user, the previous user, or the issue's submitter.
    • If you would like to add another assign value, click Add Value. Another row is added to the Assign values table. Keep updating until all of your assign values are added.
    • To delete an assign value from the workflow, select the Remove button next to that value.
  5. When you are finished, click Update Workflow.

Updating_workflows.png

For example: Let's say you are managing a software project and want to streamline updates to the code and support of the software. You can set up some of the following workflows to automatically go through through the correct processes and assign the correct values:

Example 1 - A workflow which automatically assigns newly submitted issues the project manager when they are marked as high priority. To set this up:

    • Enter the workflow name: "Needs immediate action".
    • Mark the Show this workflow as a button at the top of issues and Prompt user for a comment and attachments checkboxes.
    • Select the "Due Date" field, the "Assign To" field, and the "Billing Code" field in the Prompt Variables box.
    • On the edit screen, specify the Criteria when the workflow will be executed: when the issue's Status is "Submitted" and the Priority is "High".
    • On the edit screen, specify the Assign Values, which will be updated in the issue when completing this workflow: change the issue's Status to "Open" and the Assign To value to the project manager's name.

When an issue meeting those criteria is submitted, the workflow will automatically process and assign the issue to the manager. Once the project manager is assigned the issue, he/she will get a notification email. The manager may then enter a due date for the issue, any instructions they need to add, the billing code associated with the work, and assign the issue to whomever is available to begin work immediately.

Example 2 - A workflow to ensure the test steps taken by the tester are reviewed before the issue can be completed. To set this up:

    • Enter the workflow name: "Code Review".
    • Mark the Show this workflow as a button at the top of issues and Prompt user for a comment and attachments checkboxes.
    • Select the roles which this workflow applies to: just the "Developer" role.
    • On the edit screen, specify the Criteria when the workflow will be executed: when the issue's Status is "Needs Code Review"
    • On the edit screen, specify the Assign Values, which will be updated in the issue when completing this workflow: change the issue's Status to "Needs code deploy" and the Assign To value to the "(Previous User)".
    Only the developers who have the knowledge and access to complete this workflow will be able to see this choice, and they will only be able to see it when the code is ready to be reviewed. The code reviewer can enter a comment about their review, and the issue will automatically be moved up to the next status in the chain and assigned to the user who committed the code to be deployed for testing.

Both of these examples use workflows to ensure that steps are taken in the correct order and smooth the way by automatically assigning values to issues.

To Delete a workflow:

  1. From the Workflows screen, select the checkbox next to the workflow you need to delete.
  2. Click the Delete Selected Workflows button.