Managing workflows
An entire workflow, along with all the rules it contains, can be disabled, and later activated, following your needs for workflow control during special projects, or to test and adjust new workflows.
For example, you can set up different workflows for different project groups, and activate the appropriate rules for the active project with just a few clicks.
You can populate a workflow with a set of rules that perform a single required action, or chain together multiple rules that will perform a series of actions for a more complete and refined workflow.
Preparing a rule
Enter a meaningful name and description for your workflow. You can start with a name that identifies your workflow as a test (e.g. 'Test workflow'), then edit to rename it later with the More actions menu.
Click the workflow name to open it, then Add a rule. Each workflow may contain multiple rules, but to start it is best to define just one rule.
Again, enter a meaningful name and description (e.g. 'Test rule'). You can select Active now, or leave the status as Draft until you are happy with the rule.
Defining a trigger condition
You must define the conditions that will trigger a response. Workflow monitors your instance for additions or updates based on your selection in the first drop-down list:
- iSheet records - monitor an iSheet column for an addition or change.
- You must have access to an iSheet to use this rule. Select a column from the iSheet to monitor, and then define a boolean expression to define the exact condition that will act as a trigger.
- Files - monitor the Files module for an addition or change.
- You may monitor a folder for new or changed files, or the Author or File name of a new or updated file. Any match acts as a trigger.
- Tasks - monitor the task list, or task status, for changes.
- You should enter the name of an existing list or status tag.
- Dates - monitor the date and compare it to a date set in the rule.
- You may monitor a date column in an iSheet (Created, Modified, etc.) and compare it, with modifiers, to the current date.
- Schedule - set the frequency for actions to occur in the site on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis
In addition to setting the frequency, you can add conditions based on iSheet records. Note that the schedule will trigger once at the selected time, regardless of how many records match the conditions.
After defining the trigger, you can define the action to perform.
Defining an Action
Select the third tab (Actions) to add actions to the rule. Each action can be customised according to the item that triggered the rule, for example, if a change to an iSheet record triggers the rule, then information from that record can be used to customise the action.
The actions that are available depends on the item used to trigger the rule.
Refer to the article for each action for further information:
Activate the workflow and rules
Ensure both the workflow and the rules in the workflow are Active.
- Open the Rule builder screen and click More actions for your workflow description, select Activate to change the status of a Draft workflow to Active.
- Each rule must also be activated - open the rule then click More actions for each rule that is needed and select Activate.
You may later Disable (and later re-activate) an entire workflow or specific rules in the same More actions menu, as needed.
