Configuring Workflow Rules to Control Creation Process Flow – Support Center

In order to control creation process flow, you will create Workflow Rules to automatically assign a Transaction to a given User Group when a specific Event occurs. Prior to reading this article on creating Workflow Rules, you should review the basic concepts behind Workflow in the article System Workflow Concepts.

To control document process flow, you will generally be creating Workflow Rules with one the following two System Events:

Complete Segment by User Group
Conditional Complete Segment by User Group

These are the Events that control the actions the system takes when a User clicks the Complete Segment button in his or her Transaction Details screen for the given Transaction. To assign the transaction when one of these Events takes place, you will be generally working with one or more of the following Actions:

Change Workflow Status
Assign Transaction to User Group
Send Email to Recipient

This article describes the steps require to set up these types of Workflow Rules and associate them to a given Transaction Type.

Viewing and Accessing Workflow Rules

As mentioned in the article System Workflow Concepts, Workflow Rules are created within a given account. Therefore, in order to create and edit workflow rules, you will first need to access the Workflow Rule module for the specific Account with which you will be working. To access the Workflow Rules module for a given Account, follow these steps:

Access the Workflow Module - From the Link Menu at the top left corner of your screen, click the Manage Accounts link. This will bring you to the Manage Accounts screen, which displays your own Account plus a list of the Creator Accounts under your Provider Account. From here you can see information on Accounts and perform various actions on them.
Select the Workflow module for the Account you wish to edit - From the Manage Accounts screen, in the Manage Account list, click the Manage Workflow icon in the row corresponding to the Account you wish to edit. This will bring up the Manage Workflow screen for the Account.
View the Workflow Rules area of the screen - In the Manage Workflow screen, the Workflow Rules module is the second grid, the Workflow Rules grid. From here you can create new Workflow Rules, edit, activate/inactivate or delete existing ones, and view information including:
- Rule Name - Screen name of the Workflow Rule.
- Description - System generated description of the Event and the one or more Actions that are triggered when the Event occurs.
- Applied To - The Transaction Type(s) with which the Workflow Rule has been associated.
- Create Dated - Date the Workflow Rule was created.
- Status - Whether the Workflow Rule is Active or Inactive.
- Actions - Icons to Edit, Activate/Inactivate, or Delete the Workflow Rule.

Creating Workflow Rules

To create a new Workflow Rule for a given Account, navigate to the Workflow Rules module for the given Account (as described above) then follow these steps:

Create and Name the Rule

Access the Create Rule screen - Click the Create Rule button just above the top right corner of the Workflow Rules grid. This will take you to the Create Rule screen screen.
Name your Rule - Enter a name for your Rule in the Rule Name text box in the Create Rule section.

TIP - When naming a Workflow Rule, it is best practice to give the Rule a name that describes the Event and the Action(s) to be taken, such that it is obvious as to what the Rule does when viewing it later in the Workflow Rules grid.

Select an Event and Configure the Required Parameters

Select a System Event - When you are creating a Workflow Rule to control document process flow, you will choose one of two Events as detailed in the table below:

Event	Description	What it Tracks
Complete Segment by User Group	Used to trigger actions after a User is finished with their processing of a Transaction.	Tracks when a User clicks the Complete Segment button in the the Transaction Details screen.
Conditional Complete Segment by User Group	Used to trigger actions after a User is finished with their processing of a Transaction AND a certain value in the Transaction's Data Set has a certain value.	Tracks when a User clicks the Complete Segment button in the the Transaction Details screen.
Data Set Value Equals Value	Tracks when the value of specified value in the Transaction's Data Set is greater than a specified comparison value. This Event cannot use "Multiple Choice Choose All" variable types.	Evaluated upon exiting the Interview by clicking the Finish button.

Configure the Selected Event - Set the parameters described below for the selected Event.

Event	Parameter
Complete Segment by User Group	User Group - Select the User Group for which clicking the Complete Segment button will trigger the Event.
Conditional Complete Segment by User Group	User Group - Select the User Group for which clicking the Complete Segment button will trigger the Event Expression {var}=value - Enter an expression in the form {variable}=value, where {variable} is a variable name used in the Transaction's Interview(s), and value is the value that the variable should have to trigger the Event. PLEASE NOTE: the variable must be enclosed in the curly braces characters "{}", and the variable name and value are both case sensitive and must be written exactly as they will appear in the HotDocs answer file. ALSO be sure to leave no space between the variable, the equals sign, and the value.
Data Set Value Equals Value	Data Set Variable Name - Enter the name of the variable in the Data Set to monitor. Comparison Value - Enter the comparison value again which the Data Set Value will be evaluated.

Select One or More Actions and Configure the Parameters

Select an Action - When you are creating a Workflow Rule to control document process flow, you will generally choose one or more of the following Actions as detailed in the table below:

Action	System Activity Performed
Change Workflow Status	Changes the Workflow Status of the Transaction.
Assign Transaction to User Group	Assigns the Transaction to a User Group and marks the previous assignment as completed.
Send Email to Recipient	Sends a specified email message to an email address.

Configure the Selected Action - Set the parameters described below for the selected Action.

Action	Parameter
Change Workflow Status	Workflow Status - Select the Workflow Status to which the Transaction will be changed.
Assign Transaction to User Group	User Group - Select the User Group to which the Transaction will be assigned. Required Action - Enter the text which will be displayed as the Required Action for the Transaction when it is displayed to Users in the newly assigned User Group.
Send Email to Recipient	Email Body - The text of the email to be sent. Email Address - The email address of the recipient to whom the email will be sent. Email Subject - The subject of the email to be sent.

Associating Workflow Rules to a Transaction Type

After a new Workflow Rule is created within a given Account, it must then be associated with a Transaction Type in order to operate. Workflow Rules are reusable in that they can be associated with multiple Transaction Type if desired.

To associate a Workflow Rule with a Transaction Type, first access the Workflow Rules module for the given Account (as described above) then follow these steps:

Access the Workflow Rule you would like to associate with a Transaction Type - From the Workflow Rules grid on the Manage Workflow screen, click the Edit icon in the row corresponding to the Workflow Rule you want to work with. This will bring up the Create Rule screen.
Connect your Workflow Rule with a Transaction Type - In Apply to Transaction Types section at the bottom of the page, select your Transaction Type from the Select Transaction Type: drop down list.
Associate the Transaction Type with the Workflow Rule - Click the Apply button to associate the selected Transaction Type with the Workflow Rule.
Save your Selections - Click the Update button at the bottom of the ECreate Workflow Rule screen to save your selections. You will then return to the Manage Workflow screen.

Editing Workflow Rules

After a new Workflow Rule has been created within a given Account, you can edit most aspects of the rule, including its name, Event Parameters, Actions, and Action Parameters. You may not, however, change the Event which triggers the Rule.

TIP - When editing a Workflow Rule, you may not change the Event which triggers the Rule. If you wish to change a Rule's Event, you will instead need to create a new Workflow Rule using the new Event.

To edit an existing Workflow Rule, first access the Workflow Rules module for the given Account (as described above) then follow these steps:

Access the Workflow Rule you would like to edit - From the Workflow Rules grid on the Manage Workflow screen, click the Edit icon in the row corresponding to the Workflow Rule you want to edit. This will bring up the Create Rule screen. Follow the instructions below to make your desired edit to the Workflow Rule.

Change the Name of the Rule

Name your Rule - Enter a new name for your Rule in the Rule Name text box in the Create Rule section.

Change the Event Parameters

Select or enter new parameters for the Event - Select or enter new Event Parameters in the When the following event occurs: section as described in the Event Parameters table above.

Add an additional Action

Select an Action - Select an Action from the Action drop down list in the Take the Following Actions: section.
Configure Action Parameters - Select or enter Action Parameters for the Action you are adding as described in the Action Parameters table above.
Add the Action - Click the Add button to add you new Action to the Actions List on the page.

Edit an Existing Action's Parameters

Access the desired existing Action - From within the Actions grid on the Create Workflow Rule screen, click the Edit icon in the row corresponding to the Action you want to edit. This will bring up the Edit Rule Action popup.
Configure Action Parameters - Select or enter Action Parameters for the Action you are editing as described in the Action Parameters table above.
Update the Action - Click the Update button to update your Action. You will then be taken back to the Create Rule screen.

TIP - When editing a Workflow Rule's Action, you cannot change the Action. If you wish to change an Action for a Rule, you must create a new Action for the Rule and delete the Action that is no longer needed.

Delete an Existing Action

Delete the desired existing Action - From within the Actions grid on the Create Workflow Rule screen, click the Delete icon in the row corresponding to the Action you want to delete. This will bring up a deletion confirmation popup.
Confirm your Deletion - Click the Delete button in the confirmation popup to confirm your deletion. You will then be taken back to the Create Rule screen.

Activating / Inactivating Workflow Rules

Workflow Rules can be inactivated if you no longer wish to have the Rule be effective, but don't want to delete it.

To activate or inactivate a Workflow Rule for a given Account, navigate and to the Workflow Rules module for the given Account (as described above) then follow these steps:

Access the Workflow Rule you would like to inactivate or activate - From the Workflow Rules grid on the Manage Workflow screen, click the Inactivate icon or the Activate icon in the row corresponding to the Workflow Rule you want to edit. This will bring up a confirmation popup. The Inactivate icon will be visible for any Workflow Rule that is currently active, and the Activate icon will be visible for any Workflow Rule that is currently inactive.
Confirm your Action - Click the Inactivate button or the the Activate button in the confirmation popup to confirm your action. You will then be taken back to the Create Rule screen.

Deleting Workflow Rules

To delete an existing Workflow Rule for a given Account, follow these steps:

Access the Workflow Rule you would like to delete - From the Workflow Rules grid on the Manage Workflow screen, click the Delete icon in the row corresponding to the Workflow Rule you want to delete. This will bring up a deletion confirmation popup.
Confirm your Deletion - Click the Delete button in the confirmation popup to confirm your deletion. You will then be taken back to the Create Rule screen.