Workflow Settings

Use workflows to specify conditions in applications for which you want to be alerted.

There are different kinds of workflows:

  • User initiated workflows are triggered when a user adds, changes, or deletes a record or a portion of a record.
  • Scheduled workflows are database queries that run at regular intervals via the process server. They are triggered when user-defined conditions are met.
  • Approval workflows identify the steps, approvers, and alerts for approving certain items, such as timesheets and expense reports.
  • Web services are created by your organization and triggered when a user saves, approves, or routes a record.

You can create workflows for both standard and user-defined fields and grids.

Workflows and Hubs

When you create a workflow, you determine whether you want it to apply to an entire record or to only a part of the record. For example, you can create a workflow alert that is generated when a project's association is added to a record in the Projects hub.

Workflow and Multiple Languages

If your firm uses multiple languages, a Languages lookup displays on the Actions grid. This lookup displays the languages that the system administrator has enabled. Use this lookup to select the language for this workflow; only employees with the same language receive the message. If the field is blank, all employees receive the message.

For example, if an email alert is set up for English US and English UK, then only employees who have English US or English UK specified in the Language field in the Employees hub receive that message. The administrator must set up a separate alert rule for Spanish-speaking employees if they should receive a message in Spanish.

The Language field displays <languages selected> if any languages are selected.

Workflows and Multiple Companies

If you use multiple companies, the scheduled and user-initiated workflows include field options and operators that provide access to all companies, including the home company. See the Concepts section of the online help for more information.

Related Topics:

  • User Initiated Workflow
    When you set up user initiated workflows, you specify conditions so that certain DPS events automatically trigger related actions, such as sending an alert or running a process. The events that you specify may occur in the hubs or in other applications.
  • Scheduled Workflow
    Scheduled workflows allow you to create queries that run at regular intervals via the process server. If an event occurs that meets the conditions you specify, DPS performs an action such as sending an email alert, changing the value of a column, or initiating an activity.
  • Web Services Workflow
    DPS's open architecture supports the ability to create interfaces between applications. These interfaces, also called "Web Services," offer the flexibility to automate processes, either as standard DPS-supported extensions or through the creation of custom applications that plug into DPS. You can also create workflows based on Web services.
  • Numbering
    Use the Numbering form to view the current formats for your firm's record identification numbers, and to set up auto numbering for records. You can define the structure of the identification numbers to match your business requirements in key formats. Automatic numbering is enabled on the Numbering form of the Settings > Workflow.
  • Workflow Actions
    Workflow actions occur when all the conditions of an event take place. The actions that are available for user initiated and scheduled workflows are identical with this exception: scheduled workflows cannot use the Validate Error or Validate Warning actions.
  • Workflow Process Examples
    The Workflow Process Examples provider overviews for key workflow functions and the bypass validation example is useful when a workflow will bypass any business rules and system validations that are programmed within DPS.
Parent Topic: Settings