Workflow Statuses: Overview & Functionalities

Purpose

A Workflow in the CGR Platform defines the different stages an item can move through, including its statuses and how it moves between them. It outlines the journey of a record from creation to completion, capturing all the steps in between. This helps make the process more consistent, organised, and easy to track. 

Workflow Example Diagram 

Here’s a sample diagram illustrating a simple workflow:           

Important Notes

• System Administrator access is required to configure Workflow and Statuses.
• Users need Read access to view a record’s workflow status, and Update access to move the record to the next workflow state.

Key Features & Functions 

• Status Management: Defines the different stages (statuses) an item should move through to reach the final stage (e.g. Open, In Progress, Completed). This provides clear visibility into where each item stands. 
• Status-Based Access Control: Workflows can lock items at specific statuses, preventing further edits or deletions. This ensures data integrity by restricting changes once an item reaches a critical stage—such as Approved, Finalised, or Closed—helping enforce compliance and prevent accidental modifications. 
• Automated actions and Updates: Enables automatic actions such as sending notifications, or updating fields based on triggers (e.g. when status changes to "Approved"). 
• Controlled Transitions: Allows items to follow only pre-defined paths between statuses, ensuring work follows a predefined and orderly path.  
• Auditing and Accountability: Provides a clear record of the item's journey from creation to completion, including who did what and when. This helps with accountability, auditing, and process improvement. 

Step-by-Step Guide How to Configure a Workflow

1. Navigate to Admin Workflows:  

• Click on 'Admin' in your name dropdown  
• Enter 'Workflows' in the Search Bar and click the 'Workflows' icon to route to the list view of Admin Workflows.
  
  Please note, that modules highlighted with a pink background on the Workflow list view are currently inactive and can only be activated by CGR Administrators.

2. Add a new workflow:

• Click on the 'Add' button listed in the module related sub-panel to open a 'New Workflow' form.  
• Specify appropriate field values as explained below and 'Save' the Workflow: 

3. Configure Workflow Statuses

• Click the 'Add' button within the 'Statuses' sub-panel to open an 'Add Status' form.  
• Specify field values as mentioned below.
• Click 'Save' to save the status and route back to the workflow page. Repeat as needed to add additional statuses.    

Please note:

• Email recipients of the 'Add note' feature will receive emails only if notifications are enabled on their profile. 
• They can only navigate to the records, if they have a 'Read' access to the record.  
• Locked items will not display the 'Add note' button, even if 'Add note' is configured for the status.  
• After configuring all required statuses, you can set up workflow transitions by following the step-by-step guide outlined. This will complete setting up the workflow for the module. 

Features Available in the Status Sub-panel

The 'Statuses' sub-panel list provides quick-access actions to help you manage statuses efficiently. The following actions can be performed to a Status from the Status List: 

• Reposition: The CGR Platform displays Statuses in the same order in which they are positioned here. Statuses are not in correct sequence can be re-positioned by clicking on the arrow icon to the right.  
• Edit Status Type: Click the Status Type field to change it to the next value in the sequence: Draft → Open → Closed. Status types are denoted with icons having unique colours to help distinguish easily. 
  • 'Draft' status type will be denoted with a blue coloured icon 
  • 'Open' status type will be denoted with a yellow-coloured icon 
  • 'Closed' status type will be denoted with a red coloured icon 
• Deactivate Status: Temporarily disable a status without deleting it. Inactive statuses and related transitions are hidden from users on the show views of records and can be re-enabled if required. Note that records that were previously in this state will display as 'No status – Was XXXX'.  
• Mass Edit 'Add note' button availability: The 'Manage' button provides mass editing of 'Add note' feature which allows you to easily enable or disable the 'Add note' button for all statuses. 

Features Available on the Admin Workflows List View

The following actions are available for each workflow, accessible via the action menu to the right: 

• Versions: Displays a complete history of modifications to the workflow, including actions such as adding, editing, or deleting statuses and transitions. Each entry includes the user who performed the action and the timestamp.
• Export JSON: Exports the entire workflow in JSON format. This file can be imported into another server to replicate the workflow configuration. 
• Edit: Opens the 'Edit Workflow' form, allowing you to modify title, description, and other fields. 
• Primary: Marks the workflow as primary. Once designated as primary, it will be applied to all newly created records. Existing records will retain their current workflows. 
• Export CSV: Exports all workflow transitions along with their associated basic fields into a CSV file for easy review or reporting. 
• Enabled: Toggles the workflow's status between active and inactive. When a workflow is disabled, its associated 'Status' field will no longer appear in list views, item views, or add/edit forms for records. Please note, schema forms must be synchronised to reflect this change. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the ‘Locked’ setting do?

When a status is set to 'Locked', users cannot edit or delete the record in that status. However, it can still be transitioned to another status if permitted.

Can users update the status of a record without update access?

How do email notifications work with statuses?

You can use the 'Add note' functionality to define specific roles or users that should receive email alerts when a record reaches a certain status or when a note is added, provided the users’ notification settings are enabled and they have 'Read' access to the record.

What happens if I disable a status?

Disabling a status prevents it from being used in workflows, but existing records with that status will still show as a past status until it is manually changed.

Can a status have translated labels?

Yes, you can provide localised translations for each status. These will override the default title and description in the user interface for supported languages.

Can transitions between statuses be restricted?

Yes, transitions can be configured to limit which statuses can follow one another. Access to perform transitions can also be restricted based on roles, users, teams, or other conditions.