Configuring workflow rules

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Workflow rules determine the thresholds that allow the Workflow Engine of IBM® MRO Inventory Optimization to flag those item changes that fall outside of tolerable thresholds.

These item changes require approval by specific responsible or specialized personnel. These individuals are those members of personnel who are best able to gauge the short, medium, and long-term effects of these changes.

Audits also require the client to show due diligence around their decision-making processes. Workflow rules allow IBM MRO Inventory Optimization to automate the process of noticing significant changes and ensuring that the relevant personnel are consulted for the proper approvals to be made.

Rules contain two components:

  • A filter
  • One or more export profiles

An item must match the filter in the rule, and also must be approved in one or more of the provided export profiles set for that rule.

Example rules

  • Changes that result in inventory savings in excess of $10,000.
  • Items that previously had a business impact value of A or B that now have a business impact value of C, D, or E.
  • Changes to the stock level

Workflow rule priorities

Workflow rules are listed in order of priority.

A workflow is created for an item according to the first rule that it matches. The workflow is not checked against any other rules until it is signed off by that rule's respective Approver. It will then create a workflow for the next rule that it matches.

When all created workflows for an item are approved, the item is exported for all of its export profiles. If any of the workflows that are created for that item are rejected by the Approver, then the item is not exported.

An item state exists so the user knows whether an item falls out of workflow due to non-permitted data changes.

Note: Not all items fall out of workflow when a refresh occurs.

Managing rules

Workflow rules, like workflow roles, are maintained by IBM MRO Inventory Optimization administrators. As with workflow roles, the rules are only accessible from the Administration module.

You can access workflow rules by following these steps.

  1. Open the administrator module by clicking main module near the IBM logo.
  2. From the Modules drop-down menu, select Administration.
  3. After the Administration module page loads the list of roles under Workflow, click Next: Review rules

The Workflow rules page displays with a list of workflow rules.

Creating workflow rules

You can create new rules by following these steps.

  1. Click New rule, which is located near the lower right of the display. The Add rule window opens.
  2. Click the Name field and enter the name of the new rule.
  3. Click the Description field and enter a description of the new rule.
  4. To flag item changes that match or exceed relevant parameters, create one or more filters. For more information, see Add Item Filter.
  5. Select one or more relevant export profiles from the list on the left.
  6. Click the right-facing arrow to add it to the list.
  7. Select any roles that the new rule applies to.
  8. Select one or more relevant roles from the list on the left.
  9. Click the right-facing arrow to add it to the list.
  10. Click Save.

Reprioritizing rules

Rules are applied according to priority. Rules that are higher in the list have higher priority and are applied first.

You can reorganize the priority of a rule by following these steps.

  1. Click and hold the sequence number to the left of the rule.
  2. Drag it vertically and drop it to a new position within the list.
  3. The sequence number automatically changes, reflecting the new priority level of the rule.