Managing Workflows

A workflow is a collection of fields, panels, and screens that define how the end users will navigate and enter data for submissions and claims.  This is the final step in the workflow design process, although additional configuration is required at the master cover level.  See the Managing Master Covers section for instructions on attaching and configuring a workflow.

There are core workflows, used for submissions and claims, that are divided into Steps.  Each step contains as many screens as necessary.  The navigation options within the workflow allow the user to navigate through steps and screens.

Tabbed workflows are connected to tab grids within a core workflow.  When adding a record to a tab grid, the tab workflow replaces the core workflow in the center of the page.  Each screen is displayed as a tab, and the tabs are used to navigate through the workflow.  When the user is finished with the tab workflow, closing the record returns to the core workflow.

Note: These instructions are for the Workflow management section within the Workflow Containers. For details on the legacy version of the feature, please refer to the documentation for version 2.5.112 or earlier.

Warning: Though not enforced through the UI, each individual Workflow Container can only contain a single Step workflow , as having more than one causes unintentional system behaviors. Multiple Tabbed workflows are, however, supported.

Note that when using Shared Containers, only the Step workflow contained within the "receiver" container is published. The publishing process disregards the Step workflow contained within the workflow that is being shared down.

  1. Open the appropriate Workflow Container. For instructions on finding and opening a container, see the section on Managing Workflow Containers.
  2. In the Workflow Container Menu widget, open the Workflow Management group and select Workflows. The Workflows page opens with a list of all available workflows within the current container and any shared containers.
  3. Some columns have been hidden.

    Tip: By default, only Active workflows are displayed.  Clear the filter in the Status column to view all workflows.

    If there are a large number of available workflows, see the Using Grids section for help on finding the appropriate workflows.

  4. Select an action.
    • Click a link in the Name column to view an existing workflow.
    • Click Create to add a new workflow.
    • Check the boxes for one or more workflows and click Deactivate to disable the selected workflows. A workflow can also be deactivated from the Workflow Management page. Inactive workflows will still be functional in existing configurations, but cannot be selected for new configurations.
  5. On viewing or creating a workflow, the Workflow Management page opens.
  6. The panels and fields are described below.  Fields marked with a red asterisk * are required.
  7. Name

    Enter the name of the workflow.  This is the configuration name, used to select this workflow in other configurations.  This name does not appear in the workflow itself.

    Code

    This is an internal reference code which is generated by the system when the workflow is saved.

    Type

    Select the type of workflow. This setting cannot be changed once the workflow has been saved.

    • Steps

    A core workflow, organized into steps and screens.

    • Tabs

    A tabbed workflow for use with tab grids.

    Target System

    Select where the workflow should be used.

    • Policy

    The workflow is meant for use in the policy submission module.

    • Claims

    The workflow is meant for use in the claims module.

    Managing Steps in the Workflow

    If Steps has been selected as the Type, the Steps panel becomes available once the current workflow has been saved. This panel defines the steps of the workflow, and lists all steps currently configured.

    1. Select an action.
      • Click a link in the Label column to view an existing step.
      • Click Create to add a new step.
    2. On viewing or creating a step, the Steps window opens.
    3. The panels and fields are described below.  Fields marked with a red asterisk * are required.
    4. Label

      Enter the label to be displayed for the step.  This is shown in the Submission Screens widget and the progress bar at the top of the workflow page.  Labels should be unique within a single workflow.

       

      Tip: Once the step has been saved, the Label text becomes available in the Custom Labels section.  This allows translated versions of the text to be uploaded for when the browser is set to different languages.  The text entered here will be set as the default English text.

      For details on customizing languages, see the Custom Labels section.

      Code

      The code is automatically generated when the step is saved.

      Sequence

      Enter a sequence number to determine the step's position in the workflow.

      1. To add a screen, click in the field marked Please click here to add new row.
      2. In the Name field, select a screen from the current container or any shared containers.
      3. Enter a Sequence number.  If no sequence number is provided, it is considered a zero.
      4. Click outside the row to add the screen to the list. The row is marked with an added icon .
      5. Repeat these steps to add additional screens.

      To edit a screen, double-click in any field within the grid. On clicking outside of the row, the row is marked with a modified icon .

      To delete a screen from the list, right-click on the screen and select Delete. The row is marked with deleted icon .

      Until the page is saved, all additions, edits, and deletions are temporary. To accept the marked changes, right-click in the grid and select Accept All Changes. To undo the marked changes, right-click in the grid and select Undo All Changes. Note that these options do not save the page.

      When the page is saved, all marked changes are automatically accepted and saved.

    5. Select an action.
      • When viewing an existing step, use the previous row and next row buttons, ▲ / ▼, to navigate through the steps.
      • Click Save to save the step and remain on the page.
      • Click Save & New to save the step and clear the form to add additional steps.
      • Click Save & Close to save the step and close the window.
      • When viewing an existing step, click Delete to remove the step from the workflow.
      • Click Close to close the window without saving the step.

    Note: Screens can only be used once in a single workflow.

    Managing Screens in the Workflow

    If Tabs has been selected as the Type, the Screens panel becomes available once the current workflow has been saved.  Each screen serves as one tab in the workflow. This grid lists all screens currently configured for the workflow.

    1. Select an action.
      • Click a link in the Name column to view an existing screen.
      • Click Create to add a new screen.
    2. On viewing or creating a screen, the Screen window opens.
    3. The panels and fields are described below.  Fields marked with a red asterisk * are required.
    4. Screen

      Select the screen to be added.

      Sequence

      Enter a Sequence number.  This determines the order of the tabs, with lower numbers appearing first.

       

      Tip: It is advisable to leave gaps between the sequence numbers, such as 5, 10, 15.  This allows new screens to be added to the workflow at a later date, inserted between existing screens.  Otherwise, the sequence numbers of existing screens must be changed to allow for the new addition.

    5. Select an action.
      • When viewing an existing screen, use the previous row and next row buttons, ▲ / ▼, to step through the screens.
      • Click Save to save the screen and remain on the page.
      • Click Save & New to save the screen and clear the form to add additional screens.
      • Click Save & Close to save the screen and close the window.
      • When viewing an existing screen, click Delete to remove the screen from the workflow.
      • Click Close to close the window without saving the screen.
    Managing Screen Behavior Overrides

    The Screen Behavior Override panel becomes available once the current workflow configuration has been saved.

    By default, each screen is visible at all stages and statuses of the transaction or claim.  The Screen Behavior Override panel is used to create rules that change the behavior based on a variety of options.  The table lists all defined rules for the current workflow.

    1. Select an action.
      • Click a link in the Screen column to view an existing override rule.
      • Click Add Screen Behavior to add a new override rule.
    2. On viewing or creating an override rule, the Screen Behavior Override page opens.
    3. The panels and fields are described below.  Fields marked with a red asterisk * are required.
    4. Hidden

      Sets the screen to be hidden when the conditions are met. This option is checked by default and cannot be modified.

      Screen

      Select the screens to be affected by this rule.

      Trigger

      This option is used to assign a trigger to the rule.  The rule is only applied if the trigger evaluates as true.

      Note: Use caution when creating override rules for screens that contain fields used in triggers.  It can create circumstances where users activate changes in a form and are unable to undo the changes.

      When a user makes changes in a form that trigger an override rule, it does not occur immediately.  The rule is applied when any action is taken that saves the form.

      If a screen is changed to hidden by an override rule, all fields in that screen retain their current value.

      The first screen in the workflow cannot be hidden.

      Select the types of transaction where the rule applies.

      New Business

      The original version of a transaction or policy.

      Endorsement

      A modification to a bound policy.

      Adjustment

      An adjustment to a bound policy.

      Declaration

      A periodical modification to a bound policy.

      Renewal

      A renewal for an expired policy.

      Cancellation

      A cancelled policy.

      Reinstatement

      A policy that was reinstated after being cancelled.

      Select the transaction or policy statuses where the rule applies.

      Incomplete

      A transaction that has not yet had a quote calculated.

      Underwriting Required

      A transaction that does not meet the requirements of the master cover and must either be corrected or submitted to the insurance representatives for review.

      Quoted

      A transaction that has been quoted and is ready to be bound.

      Referred

      A transaction that does not meet the requirements of the master cover and has been submitted to the insurance representatives for review.

      Bound

      A policy that has been bound.

      Rescinded A cancellation transaction that has been rescinded.

      Declined

      A transaction that went into quote request or referral, but has been declined.

      Lost

      A quoted transaction that has been marked as lost business.

      Select the types of user where the rule applies.  The user viewing the screen must have one or more of the selected security roles in order for the rule to be applied.

      Note: At least one option must be selected in each category.  For a rule to apply to all options in a category, all options must be selected.

    5. Select an action.
      • When viewing an existing rule, use the previous row and next row buttons, ▲ / ▼, to step through the rules.
      • Click Save & New to save the rule and clear the form to add additional rules.
      • Click Save & Close to save the rule and close the window.
      • When viewing an existing rule, click Delete to remove the rule from the workflow.
      • Click Close to close the window without saving the rule.
    Managing Integration Configurations in the Workflow

    If Steps has been selected as the Type, the Integration Configurations panel becomes available once the current workflow has been saved. This allows integrations with external services or systems to be activated from within the workflow.  The exact circumstances under which the integration activates, or becomes available for user activation, are controlled by the settings in the integration configuration itself.

    The Integration Configurations panel lists all integrations associated to the current workflow.

    1. Select an action.
      • Click a link in the Integration Configurations column to view an existing configuration.
      • Click Create to add a new configuration.
    2. On viewing or creating a configuration, the Integration Configurations window opens.
    3. The panels and fields are described below.  Fields marked with a red asterisk * are required.
    4. Integration Configuration

      Select the integration configuration to be included in the workflow.

      Sequence

      Enter a sequence number for the integration.  If multiple integration configurations are set to activate on the same Event with the same Perform setting, the sequence number will define what order they activate. Sequence is ordered from lowest value to highest, with blank sequence numbers going first.  This allows later integrations to depend on the results of earlier integrations, including evaluating the trigger to determine if the integration activates at all.

       

      Tip: It is advisable to leave gaps between the sequence numbers, such as 5, 10, 15.  This allows new configurations to be added to the workflow at a later date, inserted between existing configurations.  Otherwise, the sequence numbers of existing configurations must be changed to allow for the new addition.

    5. Select an action.
      • When viewing an existing configuration, use the previous row and next row buttons, ▲ / ▼, to step through the configurations.
      • Click Save to save the configuration and remain on the page.
      • Click Save & New to save the configuration and clear the form to add additional configurations.
      • Click Save & Close to save the configuration and close the window.
      • When viewing an existing configuration, click Delete to remove the configuration from the workflow.
      • Click Close to close the window without saving the configuration.

    Active

    Marks the workflow as active and available for use.  If unchecked, the workflow remains linked to any existing resources, but cannot be used for new resources.

    Created By

    Identifies the date and time the workflow was created, and the user who created it.

    Last Modified By

    Identifies the last date and time the workflow was changed, and the user who made the changes.

  8. Select an action.
    • Click Add or Save to save the workflow and remain on the page.
    • Click Add & Close or Save & Close to save the workflow and return to the workflows list.
    • Click Publish to prepare the workflow and all components for use in creating transactions. See Publishing a Workflow for more information.
    • Click Workflow Report to generate a list of all fields, panels, and screens used in the current workflow.  See Workflow Report for more information.
    • Click Close to return to the workflows list without saving the panel.

Publishing a Workflow

While a workflow is being created or edited, changes are not available to users immediately.  To ensure that changes are implemented all at once, the workflow must be published.  This replaces the existing workflow with the updated one.

Tab workflows do not need to be published.  When the core workflow is published, all associated tab workflows will be included.

The standard workflow containers cannot be published. The content from standard containers will be included in the appropriate custom workflows when they are published.

  1. Open the appropriate Workflow Container. For instructions on finding and opening a container, see the section on Managing Workflow Containers.
  2. In the Workflow Container Menu widget, open the Workflow Management group and select Workflows. The Workflows page opens with a list of all available workflows within the current container and any shared containers.
  3. Some columns have been hidden.

    Tip: By default, only Active workflows are displayed.  Clear the filter in the Status column to view all workflows.

  4. Click a link in the Name column to view the workflow details.  If there are a large number of available workflows, see the Using Grids section for help on finding the appropriate workflow.
  5. Click the Publish button. The Select Shared Workflow Containers for Publishing window opens.
  6. Shared Containers Select the Shared Containers to be published from the Include/Exclude List.
     

    Note: All Shared Containers are included for publishing by default. Use the Include/Exclude controls to remove one or more Shared Containers from the publishing process.

    Components of a Shared Container that has been excluded from the publishing process will maintain configuration settings applied at the time of its last publish.

    As Standard Containers can not be published, they will not appear in the Include/Exclude List. For information on Standard Containers, see the Standard Containers section.

    If there are no containers shared to the current workflow, the Include/Exclude List will be empty. Proceed to step 5 below.

     

    Warning: There may be times when a required workflow component is omitted from the publish when using this feature. If configuration errors occur following a partial publication, it is recommended to publish all Shared Containers as part of the troubleshooting process.

  7. Click the Publish button. The workflow is saved and published, and a confirmation message is shown.

Workflow Report

Advanced workflows can be a complex hierarchy of fields, panels, and screens.  The Workflow Report option produces an Excel sheet listing all fields, panels or grids, and screens.

Note: The report uses the most recently published workflow details.  To include recent changes in the report, be sure to publish the workflow before running the report.

  1. Open the appropriate Workflow Container. For instructions on finding and opening a container, see the section on Managing Workflow Containers.
  2. In the Workflow Container Menu widget, open the Workflow Management group and select Workflows. The Workflows page opens with a list of all available workflows within the current container and any shared containers.
  3. Some columns have been hidden.

    Tip: By default, only Active workflows are displayed.  Clear the filter in the Status column to view all workflows.

  4. Click a link in the Name column to view the workflow details.  If there are a large number of available workflows, see the Using Grids section for help on finding the appropriate workflow.
  5. In the Workflow Management page, click Workflow Report.
  6. The report is produced in Excel format.  A standard Save / Open dialogue box appears.  Select if you want to Open the file, Save the file to your computer, or Cancel the download.
  7. The report lists the names and labels of all screens, panels, fields, and option lists in the workflow.  It also provides some additional details such as the panel type, field control type, whether each field is designated as a rate driver or available for use in triggers, plus the full formula for calculated fields.