Follow Up Transition Post Function

Description

The 'Follow Up Transition' post function evaluates the workflow conditions of all the subsequent transitions on the target status of the current transition. If exactly one condition is valid, the corresponding transition will be triggered as a followup.

Consider the following workflow:

Open

• The issue has a mandatory number custom field.

• At the end of the Go transition, we have configured a Follow Up Transition post function.

• Each transition leading away from the 'Junction' status has a workflow condition:

  • 'Under Five' has the condition: Number field < 5?

  • 'Exactly Five' has the condition: Number field == 5?

  • 'Over Five' has the condition: Number field > 5?

• When the user performs the 'Go' transition, this will always trigger a follow up transition.

For example, if a user enters Number=3 during the Go transition, the issue will transition to 'In Progress'. Similarly, if they enter 42, the issue will transition to 'Closed'.

In this example, we configured the workflow conditions so that always only one condition can be true. The ‘Follow Up’ transition will always lead users to the correct status.

Configuration

There are no mandatory parameters to configure for the Follow Up Transition post function. This post function is used in combination with your workflow conditions. You can select a user to act as the initiating user with the Perform As User option.

Open

Perform As User

Position of the post function

Ensure that this is the very last post function that will be performed.

You can see here the 'Follow Up Transition' post function is configured as the last post function.

Conditions

To complete your setup, you have to configure at least one workflow condition. Let's continue the example from above, where a number field is evaluated. We will configure three conditions; one for each outgoing transition from the 'Junction' status.

Under Five

To add a condition, select Add condition on the Conditions tab. Here we are using the Value Field condition from JSU.

Exactly Five

Over Five

Examples

This section provides some more ideas on how you could use the Follow Up Transition post function.

Yes / No

A simpler common use case is that you have only two transitions leading away from the triggering transition. You evaluate the same condition, but one condition is negated.

• a == b?

• a != b?

Again you can use the Value Field condition from JSU for this setup.

• Check it: 'Follow Up Transition' post function

• Yes: Condition a == b?

• No: Condition a != b?

Fast forward

An additional step in your workflow might be only necessary if a condition is not fulfilled; otherwise, that step could be skipped.

• Start: 'Follow Up Transition' post function

• Start Progress: Condition which must be fulfilled to skip the extra step

In this case, you do not have a 'Junction' status but instead, intend that the user should remain at the extra step until the condition is fulfilled.

Management approval

See the Conditional Approval use case for another real-life example.

Troubleshooting

Workflow remains in the Junction status

• Not exactly one condition
  You can usually identify the problem by reviewing what the post function is configured to do if exactly one condition is valid.

If you look at such an issue: How many transition buttons does it have? Only if there is exactly one transition button, can the 'Follow up' be triggered. If you have none or more than one transition button, review your workflow conditions on the transitions leading out from the Junction status. If there is only one button, there might be something wrong with the subsequent transition. For example, a validator could prevent the transition from getting completed.

Triggered transition fails

Another reason a user may not be able to move past the Junction status could be that the triggered transition does not complete. This could be if it has a validator configured, which fails.