Working with Workflows

You can use the workflow feature to create process-oriented data and documents on the basis of pre-configured workflow models.

A workflow model defines:

• which users can initialize the modeled workflow

• which activity follows a given activity

• what an activity consists of

• which users execute an activity as a work item

• objects can be placed in the record of a workflow

• which data and documents are forwarded from one work item to the next

• which deadlines have to be met

• how to terminate a workflow.

Workflow Inboxes, Forms, and Records

Workflows are managed via inboxes (see Workflow Inboxes).

There is an inbox for startable workflows and inboxes for work items of active workflows which have been assigned to you; the inboxes contain information about active processes and their work items.

Data within a workflow is created via workflow forms (see Workflow Forms). An individual workflow form can be assigned to each work item. Like index data forms, workflow forms also contain various fields, where you can enter information.

Workflows can have an associated record (see The Workflow File). This record manages all documents which are assigned to the active work item or which you created or edited in the work item.

Starting, Personalizing, and Forwarding Work Items

Once you have completed a work item, you can forward the data (see Forwarding Work Items). All users to whom the next work item was assigned will find the work item in one of their inboxes and can start it. For work items of an ad-hoc activity, users can specify the next activities and users.

As a workflow user, you have a workflow role assigned to you regardless of your group. The role defines which workflows can be initialized by you and which work items you can execute.

When you start a work item, it is personalized automatically (see Starting Work Items). Other users with the same role will then no longer be shown the work item. If you change your mind and decide not to execute (all) the work item(s), you can clear the personalization. The work item can then be executed or completed by other users with the same workflow role.

The function of automatic personalization of a workflow when a user opens a work item can be removed in the enaio® client settings (see Clear personalization for unsaved workflows ). By doing so, workflows will not be personalized automatically if no data is entered and saved in the opened work item.

If a work item has already been personalized, then the personalization is not cleared when the work item is opened or closed, regardless of whether or not new data was entered or whether or not changes were saved. The personalization is automatically cleared when a work item is forwarded.

Certain work items can be executed by more than one user simultaneously, e.g., polls. There is no personalization for these work items.

Absence and Substitution

To make sure that a workflow is completed when you are absent, you can report your absence (see Absence and Substitution). Users with the same workflow role can then complete your personalized work items. If no other user has the same role or all users with the same role are absent, the workflow model will assign substitutes. A substitute can continue to complete your personalized work items and all other workflows and work items for which no user with the same role as you is present.