TeamDynamix Admins: Creating Workflows

Environment

TeamDynamix

Issue

Admins need to understand how workflows work and be able to create them.
 

Resolution

Workflow Overview

TDX admins can create workflows to manage services, forms, other workflows and notifications. Workflows specify the steps (actions) that are applied to a ticket. They can include approvals, tasks, notifications, web service calls, concurrent and linear steps, as well as conditional branching. The following also have a Notification Reminder Schedule:  Choice, Approval, and Task step.  This recurring notification reminder can be set to remind the assignee until the step is completed.

Types of Ticketing Workflow Steps

  • Approval – Sends a notification to one or more approvers and waits for them to decide how the workflow should proceed. If approved, it could go down path A, if rejected, it follows path B.
  • Branch – Allows administrators to more easily manage branches in workflows with multiple paths.
  • Choice – Presents a user or group with multiple choices. 
  • Collector – Joins several paths of a workflow (typically created via a Branch step) and waits for ALL of the paths preceding it to complete.
  • Condition – Automatically routes a ticket one way or another 
  • TeamDynamix iPaaS – Allows those organizations that have configured iPaaS flows integrate a ticketing workflow directly with flows built in the TeamDynamix iPaaS product.
  • Notification – Automatically sends a custom notification to one or more recipients.
  • Task – Adds a ticket task with settings defined in the workflow to the ticket.
  • Timer – Creates a waiting period. The workflow will pause until the designated amount of time passes. When it expires, it will move on to the next step.
     

Creating a workflow

  1.  Go to TDNext Admin. 
  2.  In the left navigation, click Workflows.
  3.  On the Ticket Workflows page, click the +New button.
  4.  In the New Ticket Workflow window, enter a value in the Name field.
  5.  Click Save.

Editing a workflow

To edit a workflow that was created previously, you will need to check it out. 
(When you create a new ticket workflow, it will automatically be checked out to you, the creator.)Heading 3
 
If a workflow is already checked out to someone else, their name will appear by the “Checked out to” label on the right side of the toolbar.

Checking out a workflow

  1. Go to TDNext Admin. 
  2. In the left navigation, click Workflows.
  3. On the Ticket Workflows list, click the name of the desired workflow.
  4. Click the View Builder button.
  5. In the Workflow Builder, click File in the toolbar.
  6. Select Check Out from the dropdown.

Connecting steps

Steps are linked to one another by clicking on the option of one step and dragging it to the next step in the process. A line will appear connecting the two steps. Each option can link to a different next step.
 
For example, if step A is an Approval step and the step is approved, the Approve option would be linked to step B which specifies a task that needs to be completed. If step A were rejected, the Reject option could be linked to a different step B that sends a notification letting the requestor know it was rejected.
 
To connect two steps

  1. Click and hold an option on the step.
  2. Drag the option to the appropriate next step in the process.

To remove an existing connection between steps

  1. Click the line connecting the two steps.
  2. Click the Delete button.
  3. Click OK on the confirmation pop-up.

Creating stages

Stages are groups of workflow steps that are used to provide a status summary of a ticket’s progress through a workflow. Stages are visible in the Client Portal so that requesters can easily see where their request is in a workflow.
 
If a workflow has been checked out, the stages can be edited through the Workflow menu in the toolbar. Changes to stages will not take effect until the workflow is checked back in.
 
To create a Stage:

  1. On the Ticket Workflows page, click the Workflow name.
  2. Click the View Builder button.
  3. Click the Workflow tab, then Stages.
  4. Click the New Stage button, add a name and optionally a description for the stage, and click Save.


 Promotion classification

A workflow can change the classification of a ticket. This can happen when a step starts, when a step finishes, or when an entire workflow finishes. 
 
The Classification Promotion Step settings determine at what point the classification of a ticket is changed when it is in the workflow. 
 
when – This allows the classification promotion to occur when a step starts, when a step finishes, or when the entire workflow is approved. When it is set to Step Starts or Step is Approved/Completed, a Classification Promotion Step must be selected.


 Validating a workflow

Before activating a workflow, it must be validated. Validation will occur automatically when you have finished creating or editing a workflow and click Save and Check-in. 
 
If you are in the process of developing a workflow and would like to test your steps as you edit, you can manually validate it.
 
To validate a checked out workflow from within the workflow builder:

  1. Click File in the toolbar.
  2. Select Validate from the dropdown.

To save a workflow that is invalid, click the File menu and select Save Draft.
 
For a workflow to be validated, the following must be true:
    •    There is at least one step configured.
    •    A starting step has been selected.
    •    The start step is not a collector step.
    •    Each step is connected to the workflow.
    •    Each approval and task step have been assigned.
    •    Each web service step is associated with a web service.
    •    Any step with the Promote Classification When setting set to "Step Starts" or "Step is Approved/Completed," a Classification Promotion Step is included.
    •    The workflow does not have more than 250 steps.

There are rules governing how steps are linked (or not linked) to each other, such as:
    •    A step cannot directly link to itself.
    •    A cycle of automated steps cannot exist when the "wait for completion" option is unchecked.
    ◦    Automated Steps: Branch, collector, web service, timer, or task
    •    All options within Approval, Branch, Collector, or Timer steps must specify one or more next steps.
    •    There must exist at least one path from the starting step to the final "Approve" step.
    •    A step option cannot link to both the final "Approve" and "Reject" steps simultaneously.

The following are not necessarily outright errors, but can be indicators of a misconfigured workflow. (These are generally skipped in the event of more serious errors being detected.)
    •    At least one path from the starting step to the final "Reject" step should exist.
    •    In an Approval step, the Approve and Reject options should not have any next steps in common.
    •    A cycle of only Approve and automated actions should not exist.
    •    A cycle of only Reject and automated actions should not exist.
    •    Task and Web Service steps should link to valid steps.
    •    For each step, at least one path should exist from the starting step to that step.

Activating a workflow

A workflow does not need to be checked out to be activated or deactivated to be validated.
 
To activate a valid workflow:

  1. Go to TDNext Admin. 
  2. In the left navigation, click Workflows.
  3. On the Ticket Workflows list, click the name of the desired workflow.
  4. On the Ticket Workflow Details page, click the Activate button.

Additional Information

You may need to first log into mivideo.it.umich.edu to watch the videos below.

Video: Configure workflow

Video: Configure workflow-Continued

Knowledge Article: Configuring Ticket Workflows

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.

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