How do I manage automations and steps in a workflow?

As a LearnPlatform administrator, you can add and edit automations and workflow steps when creating a product vetting workflow, a date-triggered workflow, or a custom workflow.

Open Settings

Open Settings

To manage automations and steps in a workflow, click the Settings link.

Open Workflows

Open Forms

Then click the Workflows tile.

Open Workflow Builder

Open Workflow Builder

Click the Workflow Builder drop-down menu [1]. Then, select a type of workflow to create. You can create a custom workflow [2], a date-triggered workflow [2], or a product vetting template [3].

Learn how to:

Manage Automations

Manage Automation Details

Automations are the actions you want the system to perform when the workflow is triggered and as it progresses. By default, a status is set and a notification email sends [1].

To add additional automation actions, click the Add Automation button [2].

To remove any automation, click the Delete icon [3].

Note: Automations that happen at the beginning of the workflow happen immediately after the workflow is triggered. Automations that are added onto steps happen after the step is completed.

Add Automation

Add New Automation

To add an automation, select an automated action and enter the action details. You can add the following automations:

  • Set new status to [1]: Changes the approval status of a product. Use the drop-down menu to select the status. For example, change product approval status from “Approved” to “Needs Review” when a product nears its contract renewal date.
  • Set new privacy status to [2]: Changes the privacy status of a product. Use the drop-down menu to select the status. For example, change the privacy status of a product from “Approved” to “Not Approved” when its DPA expires.
  • Add new tag [3]: Adds a new tag to a product. For example, adds “Reviewed in 24-25” so that you can search/filter to see all the products that were reviewed that year.
  • Remove tag [4]: Removes a tag (if present) from a product that meets the triggering condition. For example, removes the “New” tag 120 days after its Implementation date.
  • Add all tags from list [5]: Adds all tags to a product that meets the triggering condition.
  • Remove all tags from list [6]: Removes all tags from a product that meets the triggering condition.
  • Send notification [7]: Sends an email notification to the selected recipients. For example, you can send an email to the "Requester(s)" when you receive their request, and again at the end of the workflow when a decision has been made. Learn more about sending notifications.

Notes:

  • Only one status change action can be assigned for each step.
  • Only one privacy status change action can be assigned for each transition.
  • You can add or remove multiple tags at one time.

Send Notifications

Send Notifications

To send a notification email, click the Select recipients drop-down menu [1]. You can select Requester(s), groups, or individual users.

Enter text in the Subject Line field [2].

Enter content in the Message field [3].

Notes:

  • You cannot send notifications to external users or ad hoc email addresses.
  • All recipients for notifications must be members of your organization.
  • You can add multiple notifications.

Use Embeds

Use Embeds

To automatically insert references in the subject or the message, use embed codes as wildcards. For example, enter <product> for the product name or <org-name> for your organization's name. To view a list of all embed codes you can use, hover the cursor over the More embeds link [1]. Available embed codes include:

Embed Code Description

<name> 

Embeds the Recipient's full name

<first> 

Embeds the Recipient's first name

<last> 

Embeds the Recipient's last name

<email> 

Embeds the Recipient's email address

<org-name> 

 Embeds the Your organization's name

<step> 

Embeds the Completed step's name

<next-step> 

Embeds the Next step's name

<product> 

 Embeds the Product's name
<status>
 Embeds the Product's approval status



Tip: Embedded text is useful to create notifications that are specific to the product, workflow, and person receiving the notification. 

Add Step

Add Step

To assign a reviewer or add other steps, click the Add Step button.

Enter Step Name

Manage Step

Edit the new step name in the Step Name field [1].

Select Step Type

Select Step Type

Click the Step Type drop-down menu.

Select Task or Automation

To assign a review task to reviewers, select the Assign a Task option [2].

To add an automation-only task with no task assignment, select the Automation Only option [3].

Assign Task

Assign Task

To assign reviewers to a task:

  • Click the Assign Task drop-down menu [3], and select a form.
  • Click the Add Reviewers drop-down menu [4], and select groups or individual users. Best practice in a product vetting workflow is to send notifications to the "Requester(s)".
  • Enter the number of days that are dedicated to this step of the workflow [5].

Notes:

  • If a group is assigned to a step, only one person from the group needs to submit the form to complete the step.
  • If multiple individual users are added as reviewers, each assignee needs to submit the form to complete the step.
  • A task can still be completed past its due date, but it will be marked "Past Due".

Manage Steps

Manage Steps

To move a step, click and drag the Move icon [1]. Or, click the Options icon [2], and click the Move Step Up link [3] or the Move Step Down link [4].

To add a condition, click the Options icon [2], and click the Add Condition link [5].

To delete a step, click the Options icon [2], and click the Delete [step name] link [6].

Add Condition

Add Condition

If you add a condition to a step, select and create a variety of actions for when conditions are true or false. Then click the Save button.

Save Workflow

Save Workflow

You can preview the workflow at any time [1].

To save the workflow, click the Save Workflow button [1].