Configuring workstreams

For simple automation work, you can either configure a new workstream that includes one or more predefined activities (approval, checklist, form), or modify the configuration of an existing workstream to fit a different set of requirements.

About this task

At a high level, each workstream configuration includes activities that define the work that needs to be done, assignees who do the work, and information that is approved, tracked, or shared. From start to end, a simple workstream configuration process comprises a few simple steps:
  • Select the first predefined activity you want to add to your workstream (approval or checklist), and give the workstream a name and description.
  • Configure the activity you've just added. When you run your workstream, this activity generates a task that an assignee will work on. If needed, add more activities to your workstream, in the appropriate sequence, and configure each of them.
  • Assign users, teams, or yourself to work on the tasks. When the workstream runs, the assignees receive and complete the tasks that were assigned to them.
  • Review the accuracy and completeness of the worsktream configuration in a summary.
  • Run your workstream.
The activity configuration includes actions such as uploading files that are relevant for that activity, adding information that can be shared with the assignees, and setting an optional due date.
  • Upload files: Upload any supporting files (documents, images, spreadsheets, and so on) that can be used in the activity. If you have more activities in your workstream, the uploaded files belong to the workstream and can be accessed by all the activities, with a few restrictions.
    • When the workstream runs, an approval has access only to the documents that are attached to it, but has no visibility into documents that are attached to other activities in the workstream.
    • If there are multiple approval activities in the same workstream, the documents are not shared between approvals.
    • When you click an approval task to access its data in the workstream instance, you can see the documents attached to the task in the Data section of the instance. Only documents that are attached to approval activities are listed in the workstream instance data; documents attached to checklists, for example, are not displayed.
  • Display additional information: Add information that is relevant to the activity and select how to share it with the users.
    • For an approval, add useful information that can help the approvers make the approve or reject decision. This is read-only information that the approvers can see, but cannot edit.
    • For a checklist or form, add the checklist or form items that the assignee will work with. This is editable information that the assignees can customize to fit their needs.
    The information items you've added to the first activity can be shared with the subsequent activities in the workstream. However, if you have any read-only information items configured in the first activity, you must initialize them before you run the workstream. You'll be prompted to provide values to initialize the read-only information when you're done configuring your workstream, before you run it.
  • Set a due date: Optionally, you can set a due date and time for each activity you're configuring in your workstream. Or you can keep the default due date and time, which is set to one hour from the time you start the workstream.
Provided as an example, the following procedure describes how to configure a new workstream to submit a document approval request. Say you're an office planner in charge of updating the office floor plan to meet your company's latest safety guidelines. You need a workstream that allows you to submit a new floor plan document to your manager for approval and receive a notification when the approval is complete. This example is also available in video format.

Video camera icon Submit a document approval

Procedure

To configure your workstream:

  1. Log in to Workplace.
  2. In the main page, click Start workflow to start configuring a new workstream for your document approval request.
  3. Select the Approval activity, and then, in the New workflow window, name the workstream and add an optional description for it.
  4. Configure the approval activity:
    1. Name the activity, provide instructions for the approvers, upload the document that needs to be approved, add information that is relevant for the approval, and set an optional due date.
    2. Select and add the name of your manager to the list of approvers, review the accuracy of the approval configuration in the summary, and then select to be notified when the work for your approval request workstream is complete.
    3. If you have configured read-only information items in your approval activity, fill in the information before you run the workstream.
      This is useful information that you may want to add to the approval, such as the address of the redesigned office space, the date when the implementation of the floor plan must be complete, and so on. The approver will see this information, but will not be able to edit it.
  5. Click Run workstream to kick off your approval request.
    The assigned approver receives an approval task in his Tasks list, and can start working on it.

Results

In Workplace, an approval request task shows up in the approver's Tasks list.

What to do next

The assigned approver reviews the read-only information that clarifies what the approval is for, then opens the attached document and reviews the new office floor plan. If everything looks good, he approves the document. Because you chose to be notified when the work for the approval is complete, you receive a completion notification task.
For more information, see Using workstreams.