Multiple active workflows in a space
- Robert Alexander Marshall
Apply mutiple workflows in a space to different content filtered by content labels allowing different document management processes to be applied to different types of content in the same space
Overview
Power users of Comala Document Management workflows may choose to run multiple active workflows in one space with the use of workflow content label filters to apply each workflow to different content. This permits great flexibility in using space workflows to manage your documentation processes.
There is no limit to the number of workflows that can be added to a space but
only one workflow can be applied to a document at any one time.
Overall hierarchy of space workflow application
Active workflows will be applied based on the following overall hierarchy
the workflow scope (global or space)
the content label filter if present*
the alphabetical by name listing of the active workflows
*An active workflow in a space with no content label filter is prioritized to apply to space content over any workflow (of the same scope) with a content label filter.
Global scope workflow
An active global scope workflow will take priority over any active space scope workflow in a space.
The Simple approval workflow in the above space will be applied to all the space content.
A global scope workflow added to a space (with no content label filter) will be applied to all content in the space even if any active space scope workflows have a content label filter.
Applying a space scope workflow and a global scope workflow in a space
In a space, to allow a space scope workflow to be applied when a global scope workflow is added to the dashboard, the global scope workflow can be configured by the global administrator to use a content label filter.
In the above example, the Simple approval workflow with the content label filter documentation in the above space will be applied to only content with the label documentation.
The active space scope Approval workflow is applied as a priority as
an unfiltered content label workflow
it is also listed alphabetically by name higher in the dashboard than any other workflow that also does not use a content label filter
Disabling the Approval workflow with the global scope workflow with the content filter present
applies the CDA Team Workflow (with no content label filter) to all the content without the documentation label
Disabling both the Approval workflow and the CDA Team Workflow with the global scope workflow with the content filter present
applies either the CWTD Workflow or the Human Resources Team kpi and objectives workflow to the content without the documentation label but based on the document content labels for these workflows
Hierarchy of application for active space workflows
When having multiple workflows enabled, all of the same scope and with no content label filters, the priority order for their application will be defined alphabetically and can only be controlled by changing the names of the workflows depending on your needs.
You can have control over the workflow listing order in the dashboard by changing the name of the workflow. In the above example
the Simple approval workflow is applied to the content in the space
Content with multiple active space workflow content label filters
Priority in the application of the enabled space workflows will be implemented if the content has more than one of the active workflow content label filters as a label.
In our example above, both workflows are the same scope but different content label filters.
Documents in the space with both the label a and the label b, would have the Simple Approval workflow with the content label filter a applied.
The priority application of the workflow with the content label filter using the label a is based on the workflow listed first by alphabetical workflow name order in the space tools Document Management dashboard.
In the example below, the workflow z is applied to all the content in the space
To allow the use of multiple active (enabled) workflows in a space, you need to have all the enabled workflows using a content label filter.
Changing the applied workflow on a page
Only one workflow can be “running” on a page but you can create a workflow that includes a workflow trigger to action the application of a different workflow.
This will mean the first workflow will stop “running on the page” (it is removed from being applied) so the other workflow can be applied.