Overview
Workflow Templates define the tasks that make up a business process.
Workflow Templates are categorized by Functional Area. For example, a "Conduct Inspection" workflow template can be defined for evaluations, and a "Process Submission" workflow can be defined for an Application/Service Request. Workflows are supported on Submissions, Evaluations, and Compliance Actions.
Workflow Templates can be added by default to various items when they are first created.
Submissions - Default workflows are configured in the Form Settings for a given form.
Evaluations - Default workflows are configured on the Evaluation Type lookup edit page.
Compliance Actions - Default workflows are not supported. They must be manually added to a compliance action at the time it is created.
Searching Workflow Templates
To manage workflow templates, navigate to Admin > Workflow Templates. The Workflow Template List page is displayed. To aid in searching for a specific workflow template, use the column sort buttons or type a value in the filter text box at the top of each column in the list. When entering a filter value, the list is dynamically filtered to display all list items that match the entered value:
Deleting a Workflow Template
If the workflow template has never been used, a delete button will appear on the Workflow Templates list page next to the workflow template list item. Once a workflow template has been used, it cannot be deleted, but it can be set inactive.
Adding or Editing a Workflow Template
From the Workflow Template list page, either click the Add New Workflow Template button or Open an existing workflow template.
Alternatively, the Copy button can be clicked to create a clone of an existing workflow template.
The following fields can be configured on the New Workflow Template (or Edit Workflow Template) page:
Fields
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Workflow Template Name | The name of the workflow template. |
Functional Area | The functional area to which the workflow template relates. |
Program Area(s) | The program area(s) to which the workflow template relates. If no program area is assigned, then the workflow template is available for use on any item, regardless of its program area. |
Link Workflow To | This field only applies to the Application/Request and Schedule functional areas, and it designates what effect, if any, the workflow will have in creating or modifying a permit. Options include:
|
Permit Category to Create | Only applies to Application/Request and Schedule functional areas when a workflow is set to create a new permit and a single program area is selected. Indicates the category of permit to create if the workflow creates a new permit. |
Permit Type to Create | Only applies to Application/Request and Schedule functional areas when a workflow is set to create a new permit and a single program area is selected. Indicates the type of permit to create if the workflow creates a new permit. Available choices will be filtered based on the selected permit category to create. |
Default General Permit | Only applies to Application/Request and Schedule functional areas when a workflow is set to create a new permit, only a single program area is selected, and the "Permit Category to Create" is set to a permit category with a Coverage Type of "Coverage under Master General Permit". When this workflow is added to a submission, the general permit set here will be selected automatically. Note: General Permits will become ineligible for selection over time if they become inactive (superseded, terminated, etc.). When this happens, an alert message appears below this field, indicating that a new general permit needs to be selected. |
New Permit Version Copy Contact Behavior | Only applies when a workflow creates a new permit version or revision. This affects the behavior of contact creation on the new permit version or revision. The options are:
For more information, see the "How Contacts are Created on New Permit Versions/Revisions" support page. |
Permit Document Template to Automatically Generate | Only applies to Workflow Templates in the Application/Request and Schedule functional areas when a workflow is set to create a new permit and a single program area is selected. When the workflow is added to a submission, the selected document template will be generated immediately and saved to the new permit record. The document will be set to public/final, and a PDF will be created. When using this option, be sure that the document template will have all required merge field data available on the permit record immediately upon creation. For example, default issued, effective, and expiration dates may need to be configured. |
Immediately Set Permit to Issued/In Effect | Only applies to Application/Request and Schedule functional areas when a workflow is set to create a new permit and a single program area is selected. Checking this box will set the permit status to Issued or In Effect immediately upon creation of the draft permit. Note that this option bypasses the validation rules that users must pass before issuing a permit, so if the permit category is not properly configured, using this option may lead to a permit that would not pass the normal permit issuance validation rules. The permit’s related submission, workflow, and tasks will also be set to Complete. In the event the permit’s related submission is not in In Process status, or if other In Process workflows exist on the submission, the submission’s status will not be updated. For more information on all of the elements required to configure the Insta-Permit, please visitConfiguring Automatic Permit Issuance upon Submission Receipt (Instapermit) |
Permit Issuance Notification Template | Only applies if the template has been configured to immediately set the permit to Issued/In Effect. The notification template to be used for immediate creation of notifications of permit issuance. A notification will be sent to both the original submission creator (if creator is an external user) and the permit's permittee email address (if specified and valid). If a default document template is specified, the document will be attached to the notification email. |
On Submission Import, Assign this Workflow based on Site Location | Options include Unassigned, Statewide, or By County. Only applies to the Application/Request functional area. Indicates that the workflow template should only be created if the workflow is attached to a submission whose site is physically located in one of the specified counties. |
Workflow Template Tasks
Each workflow template must contain at least one task. To add a task to a workflow template, click the Add Task button.
Tasks can be reordered via drag-and-drop or by changing the order sequence.
The following fields are available on the Edit Task page:
Field | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Task Name | The name of the task. | ||
Due Date Trigger EventTask Availability | Indicates the condition under which a task should be made available to be worked on. Select between ‘Always Available’ and ‘Previous Task Completion’. Previous Task Completion means that the task is not available to work until the specified 'Trigger Task' has been completed (see Trigger Task below). | ||
Trigger Task | Only displays when Task Availability is set to 'Previous Task Completion'. A list of all tasks that may be specified as the trigger task. When the task specified as the ‘Trigger Task’ is marked complete, this task will be available to work and will be displayed on the My Tasks dashboard. | ||
Task Due Date Days from Trigger Event | Only displays when Task Availability is set to 'Previous Task Completion'. If a trigger event is selected, the user can specify the appropriate number of days from the trigger task completion that the task is due. | ||
Allow user to override calculated due date | Only displays when Task Availability is set to 'Previous Task Completion'. Indicates that the user can update the task due date even though it is calculated by the system. Once overridden by a user, the system will no longer update the due date based on the trigger condition.This field was labeled "Lock Due Date" prior to nVIRO version 2021.01 | ||
Task Decisions | Tasks can be required to have a Decision set when marked complete. If a task has one or more decisions configured, a user must supply a decision before marking the task complete. When editing a workflow template, editing a task allows for specifying one or more valid task decisions (multi select list).  | ||
Don't Create Task By Default | Indicates that the task can optionally be added by a user at a later time if the task is needed, but that the task will not appear in the generated workflow by default. | ||
Task must be closed before associated Workflow can be closed (e.g. Required Task) | Indicates that the task must be explicitly set to Completed or Withdrawn before a workflow can be closed. A required task will have an orange circle next to the task name, indicating it is required. | ||
Notify Assigned Process on Status Change | A notification will be sent (email or system notification depending on user preference settings) to the assigned processor for the workflow when the task’s status changes. | ||
Allow user to Override Notification | If this box is checked, the user will see a checkbox on the Edit Task page, allowing them to suppress the task status update notification that is sent to an item's owner when a task status is changed. | ||
Assign Task to Item Owner/Processor by Default | Configures the task to be automatically assigned to the Owner/Processor of the parent item (e.g., application, schedule, evaluation, etc.). Default configuration setting now in nVIRO version 2023.2. This setting will only show in prior versions of nVIRO | ||
Default Workgroup | Used to select the workgroup from which the default assigned user will be selected. To assign a default user, a workgroup must first be selected using this field. Then the selected workgroup's members will be displayed in the Default User field, and the desired assigned user can be selected there. | ||
Default User | Used to select the user that will be assigned to the task by default. A workgroup must first be selected in the Default Workgroup field. | ||
Selected Role | Configures the task to be assigned to a Role. To assign a Selected Role, click Selected Role in the Default Assignment SettingDefault Assignment Setting | Indicates how the task should be assigned at the time of task creation. Options include:
| |
Default Role | Only displays when Default Assignment Setting is set to ‘Selected Role’. When a workflow is assigned to a record, tasks with a “Selected Role” assignment method are assigned to the staff with the corresponding workgroup role. If the workgroup does not have roles specified, the tasks are left unassigned. | Default Role | Used to select the Role Type, configured in Role Type Lookup, that the task will be assigned to upon assignment of the workflow.   |
Configuring Triggered Tasks
In the Workflow Templates to configure triggered tasks, click the Open button on the task you wish to be triggered by another.
The Edit Task screen will appear. Change the Task Availability to Previous Task Completion. Now the user is able to select a previous task under the Trigger Task. There is also the availability to add a task due date that will count from the trigger task under the Task Due Date Days from Trigger Event.
If “Selected Role” is specified for the Default Assignment setting, then a Role may be specified.
When the workflow is added to the record (submission, evaluation, etc.) the task is automatically assigned to the user having the designated role in the workgroup of the primary processor. See Role Types and Workgroup Administration for additional destails.
Once all settings are finalized, click OK at the bottom of the page to save the changes to the task. The user will now see the linking of those tasks by the link icon and the notation shown here:
Trigger Task Quick Link
If tasks should be sequentially linked in the workflow, the link icon may be used to quickly link the task.
Clicking the quick link icon sets the trigger task to the preceding task.
Clicking the unlink icon on a linked task clears the trigger task linkageDefault Workgroup and User | Only displays when Default Assignment Setting is set to ‘Selected Workgroup/User’. Indicates the Workgroup and User that are assigned to the task by default. |
Workflow Component Rules
Component Rules prevent a user from adding a workflow until a given program component has been added to a submission.
Workflow Component Rules are only available for Application/Request or Complaint/Incident functional area workflow templates.
Creating an Insta-Permit Workflow
Once all of the sub-elements for this feature are configured (please see Configuring Automatic Permit Issuance upon Submission Receipt (Instapermit)) then the following items will need to be configured on the workflow. This workflow will then need to be added as a default workflow to the appropriate form, and the form will need to be set to auto-import (bypassing the Inbox).
The box for Immediately Set Permit to Issued/In Effect must be checked.
The Permit Issuance Notification Template should have a notification template selected if a notification other than the standard Permit Issued should be sent to the permittee.
New vs. Reissuance vs. Modification
The Link Workflow To selection will determine if it’s either an Insta-Permit for a new, reissued, or modified permit. This is often based on agency preference. See the field description at the top of the page for a complete listing of the different ways of versioning a permit.