Workflow
A Workflow defines the tasks required and the users responsible for the tasks in a project.
- The project moves through a workflow from desktop to desktop, and task to task, until the work is complete.
- When the work is complete, the ProjMan (Project Manager) posts the data to the database.
- When the data is posted, the data in linked objects in the Contenta hierarchy are updated.
- tasks necessary to complete the work
- order of the tasks, or the task routes
- role responsible for completing the task
- the user in the appropriate role(s) to be assigned to the task
- workflow triggers (optional)
A sample project workflow may look like:
Figure 1. Sample project workflow
Start task in a workflow is assigned to the ProjMan. In the Start task, the ProjMan creates a project, assigns a workflow to it, and places linked copies of the data objects needing revision or review in the project and sends (forwards) the project to the first task and user in the workflow.
The workflow defines the route that the work must take and the tasks, and also contains the names of the users who are responsible for the tasks. When the project is forwarded, the project is placed on the desktop of the person assigned to the task.
The writing and reviewing task routes can be configured to go back and forth allowing the reviewer to send it back to the writer for revisions based on his or her comments, as many times as necessary before sending it to the End task.
Each person assigned to the roles for the tasks in the workflow finishes his or her work, and then forwards the project to the next task.
When the work is complete, the project is routed to the End task in the workflow. This task is automatically assigned to the ProjMan, who then posts the data in the project.
A trigger is a program that is executed when the project is forwarded from one task to another. For instance, a trigger may execute a command that sends an email to the next person who is assigned to work on the project. ContentRoutingProject objects and standard Project objects have different requirements for custom triggers. See the SDL Contenta Administrator User Guide for information about creating custom triggers.
Your workflows may contain many more tasks, users, user workpools, or triggers but the project always follows the established workflow.