Deadlines and timers
You can use deadlines and timers to further ensure that work is processed in a timely manner. A deadline provides a time-based scheduling constraint, which requires that a step or workflow be completed within a certain amount of time. The deadline can be relative to the time the step was routed to the participant or to the time the workflow was launched. An expression builder defines a time expression for the deadline.
A participant with a deadline can receive a reminder of the pending deadline through an email message. When the deadline is passed, a visual reminder displays in the participant's inbox, and an email can be sent to a configurable list such as one or more supervisors. The distribution list can be specific to each work item. This automatic process escalation has the double benefit of proactively ensuring that certain functions or processes are completed on time and are done so without tying up resources to continuously monitor system activities.
A timer indicates a time during which you want a specified series of steps to process. If the timer expires before this processing is complete, processing proceeds to another workflow map that provides alternative processing of the work.
For example, in the case of tasks that require human intervention, a backlog can result, causing a delay in processing. One late step results in the late arrival at the next step, resulting in further delays. By setting a timer, the work can be automatically routed to an escalation submap when the time limit is exceeded. To assist with escalation, an associated submap might represent a fast-track process, or might reassign the value of a priority flag that is used to sort work in the queue. In this case, even if the work arrives last, it is processed first, ensuring that the work meets the required timeline and maintains the required level of service and performance. If necessary, each item that follows a process can have a different service level that depends on the data that is contained in the work item. Multiple timers, each with a different escalation process, can be set simultaneously on each item of work, increasing processing flexibility even further.