The workflow is a feature in the Form builder, used to automate business processes and track their progress. If there are routine tasks you need to complete in sequenced steps. If you need to control the flow advancement according to a specified criteria, or based on personnel approvals - this feature can help you easily do that.
Workflow Editor Structure
The workflow layout is pretty straightforward:
It is divided into 3 main areas:
1- Upper Toolbar with buttons, containing the main actions you will need to use:
Saving the workflow, Configuring the properties of each workflow element in the Settings, & publishing the form.
2- Side Toolbar, offering the elements you can use to build your flow with, via Drag & Drop.
3- workflow canvas, which takes up most of the window's real estate. This is where your workflow is created.
Elements & Connectors
The workflow is made of elements and connectors, that link them together. Each element has a different color and shape, while the connectors are blue, and have an arrowhead to indicate their direction.
Connecting elements may be done in many variations, depending on your needs, so it is highly recommended to decide on your workflow before starting to link the elements on canvas.
Each element used on canvas has connection points. There are 2 types of connection points:
- An Entry point (Light Gray), which enables other elements to connect to it (thus creating a sequence where they lead to it).
- An Exit point (Dark gray, Red and Green). The exit points define how this element links to the elements that come after in the flow.
The green and red exit points, for example, are located on the "Person" and "Decision" elements since they both include a process of approval/Rejection. If a person/decision gives an approval, then the green exit point will be used to connect with the next step.
If the person or decision answer with a rejection, then the red point will be used as the exit point that connects to the next step.
The dark gray exit point is only located in the Starting form element, and it is a regular exit point that has nothing to do with approval or rejection.
There are 5 types of elements you can use to build your flow with.
1- | Form | This element defines which form the workflow is working with. When you first open the workflow window there is a "Form" element on canvas by default, it relates to the form you are currently in, and it is the workflow's starting point - This is why it is called "Start" on canvas. By adding another form element to your flow you can make the user fill an additional form. |
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2- | Person | This element lets you define a step in the flow where a person is required to approve or reject the advancement. | |
3- | Decision | This element allows you to define a step in the flow where a decision is made based on a condition you set. | |
4- | Push | This element enables you to "Push" the data at this point in the process to a 3rd party integration. | |
5- | Finish | The finish element symbolizes the end of the flow. This is where the flow ends. |