Creating workflow based on existing workflow

Use this feature if your workflow process requires the participation of workflow assignees who participate in a workflow that has been saved to the workflow library or if the process requires steps that exist in a saved workflow. In essence, you copy a workflow you have used previously and edit the users, duties, permissions, and timelines as necessary. This feature can save you time when creating a workflow. All workflows that have been saved to the Workflow Library can be used as templates for new workflows. Workflow templates are useful for organizations that workflow documents to a same set of users.

Note: The final workflow stage must be sent to the originator of the workflow for final approval, return to the previous stage, or rejection.

When you create a new workflow based on a workflow in the Workflow Library, you can perform these actions:

  • Change the Project Name
  • Change the Workflow Name
  • Change from Document to Topic and vice versa
  • Change Workflow Instructions
  • Change a workflow stage user
  • Change a workflow action
  • Change the duration of a workflow stage
  • Rearrange the order of workflow stages
  • Change workflow stage instructions
  • Change the Acceptance settings
  1. With the document open in Edit mode, click Workflow > Send to Workflow. The Workflow Library menu displays. The Workflow Library shows all of the workflows in an organization that have been saved to the library. When you select a workflow in the Workflow Library, the Workflow Details and Workflow Stages areas populate with relevant information.
  2. Click the workflow you want to use. The workflow details and stages display in the panels on the right side of the screen.
  3. You can change any of this information:
    Project Name
    Select a project name from the list or specify a new project name. For example, there can be many documents you want to workflow that are part of a project involving a monthly update of the site. You can use the same project name for each.
    Workflow Name
    The name of the workflow, used to identify the workflow in the workflow library.
    Scope
    The area of the document that the workflow assignee can affect. For example, if you limit the area to a single topic, a workflow assignee who has permission to edit the workflowed document can edit only that topic, but the assignee can view the entire document.
    Topic/Section
    If the Scope is limited to a topic or section, indicates the specific topic or section that is being workflowed.
    Workflow Instructions
    The instructions or objectives that are shown in the Instructions area of the workflow.
  4. Click Next. The Workflow Stage menu displays, in which you specify the requirements for the first stage.
  5. You can change any of this information:
    User
    The name of the individual who executes this workflow stage. Only users who have a role in the organization are available. Users with reviewer role can be assigned additional permissions above and beyond their system roles. These additional permissions apply only to the workflow.
    Action
    The action that the workflow stage assignee is required to perform. These actions are supported:
    Action Description
    Review Post comments.
    Edit Post comments, edit, change configuration.
    ProofEdit Editing in the review process.
    Configure Post comments, change configuration.
    Duration (days)
    The number of days from the present date during which the stage assignee must complete the action and forward the workflow. Days begin to accumulate when the document is checked out and finish when it is checked in.
    Order
    The position of the stage in the entire workflow sequence. The first stage is assigned 10; the second, 20; and so on. Use this setting to sequence steps or to insert a step between two other steps. For example, to insert a step between the first and second step, create a new step and set its order to 25 or any value between 11 and 19.
    Stage Instructions
    Instructions or objectives that are related to the stage. Use this field to provide the stage assignee with instructions and expectations, for example, "Please review the Leave section."
    Acceptance
    Indicates that the stage assignee must approve the stage before forwarding. If selected, add an Acceptance Title and an Acceptance Message.
  6. Click Add to add the stage to the Stage List.
  7. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for each workflow stage.
    Note: The final stage of any workflow is the acceptance stage, when the updated document is checked back in to the system. You must configure the workflow so that the document is sent to the originator at the last stage for final review and acceptance.
  8. When you have added all the steps in the workflow, click Complete.
  9. If necessary, attach a file to the document.
  10. Click Send to Workflow to start the workflow.
  11. Click X to close the Workflow window and to begin the workflow.