SME Workflow Overview

SME workflow as the name suggests is to be a workflow solution targeting small to medium sized enterprises. It is a hosted solution that incorporates 2 options.

Option 1.     A library of workflow applications that have been preconfigured to suite various application needs.

Option 2.     A workflow specifically designed to fulfil a client’s needs.

Experience has helped us to develop a process that fast tracks the deployment of a workflow. This entails the designing of the task sequences by a System Administrator (at present only Retail Plus Consultancy has these rights). The client manages the assignees, timelines, escalations, reminders and task content.

Workflow Entities and Binding

Workflows are made up of a series of tasks. These tasks have rules and attributes that define them. Many things will have an impact on these tasks:

•      Ownership

•      Progression

•      Task Assignment

•      Suspension/Delay

•      Push Back to Previous

•      Deadlines & Reminders

•      Escalation

•      System Fields

•      Custom Fields

•      Hierarchy

•      Relationships

•      Document Generation

•      Reporting

Ownership

A task must have an owner. This is someone who is responsible for completing the task. We may assign one or more user groups or users to be the owner of each task. The owner will be responsible for accepting the task from the owner of the previous task.

Progression

In the progression of one task being complete to the start of another task rules must be implemented. These rules will control the required process that has to be adhered to.

We offer 3 types of progression.

LINEAR, one task when complete triggers the next single task.

OR CONDITION, choice of which task will be triggered; there may be multiple task choices.

AND CONDITION, parallel simultaneous tasks are triggered and when complete they are consolidated into a   single task.

Task Assignment

“Assigned to User” is a system field for all tasks. You are able to deselect that it is shown in setting up task. Any task will be assigned to a user. In the set up of task you will be able to set if only that user can work on task or if anyone from user group will be able to access assigned tasks.

Initial assigning and will be based on progression rules. It will either be the first person to open/accept task or it will be assigned from team leader. Assigning can then be reassigned if that option is allowed on security of task.

The task assigned user will be responsible for his tasks, he will get reminders on tasks assigned to him and will be able to filter tasks that belong to him.

Deadlines & Reminders

Tasks will have deadlines enforced by workflow deadline. As the workflow deadline cannot be shifted time overrun in one task will have to be made up in another task.

Each task has it’s own deadline based on when the workflow was started.  These dead lines are based on a time interval and the deadlines automatically created. Each task also has a reminder schedule that will control the frequency of reminders to the assigned person/group.

Every reminder that goes out will escalate a task. When a task has passed it’s scheduled timeline a “Team Leader” as well as the assigned user/user group may be notified.

All these settings as well as the “Team Leader” notifications will be set up and possibly deactivated in the setup of a workflow. Thus how we enforce deadlines can be strict or not.

Reminders are on the system, via email and SMS or a combination based on what each company selects.

Parameters on working hours will have to be set up so sms/ email are sent throughout the night.

Escalation

Tasks can be escalated when a task is not completed and a reminder frequency is passed.

As actions will only be taken if a task goes past its deadline escalation will be used to sort tasks by priority and in reporting overall workflow status.

System and Custom Fields

A workflow is made up of a number of fields that the user must capture report on. These fields will allow useful information to be captured and meaningful information to be reported/searched on.

The fields will either be system fields or custom fields.

System fields are predefined fields that are important to the running of the workflow or are generic and will often be used in workflows. Examples of these are “Assigned User”, Created date, Completed Date, Status, Branch, Store.

Custom Fields are any field that is necessary that is not covered in system fields. By selecting name of custom field and type of field it will be (date, textbox, comment box) we can generate custom fields for our workflow. Drill down selection is also offered.

Custom fields will have a description box which can define the fields function and rules. This facility will be displayed via the ‘tool tip’ functionality and is editable so as to be used as a help utility.

These fields will also be flagged for search functionality, data grid visibility, compulsory input and edit mandates.

In the setup of workflow fields you will first select what System fields will be used. Then what custom fields shall be added. Then what fields will be viewable in each Task will be selected.

Reporting

An export wizard will enable importing in Excel. The system generates a configuration report.

Users and security

Each user of the system should have a user account. This is managed by a Company administrator as well as the authorisation level.

Security is very strict in terms of gaining access to different companies view and access to any data without a user account.

A time-out facility ensures user integrity, the time-out can be set by each user which requires a password to re-login.

User Environment

The user environment is a hosted solution that will be determined by the login rights of the user. The company that they are assigned to and the workflows written for that company will specify the user environment to a large degree.

Workflow Overview/Selection Dashboard

First page that will be shown upon logging in will be the company overview page.

This is the page where all workflows that the company runs and that the user has permission to view is shown. By selecting on a workflow you will be shown to that workflows overview page.

Next to each workflow name will be a short summary on the workflow. How many tasks currently assigned. How many on overdue. How many tasks are behind deadline? 

This information shown next to each project is based on the user rights. Only assigned issues will be shown to employees while team leaders will have all teams’ details shown.

Task List Page

This is a list of all active tasks that have to be completed in a workflow.

This list is filterable by task, user assigned, date, and escalation/priority.

The columns of list are also be definable in user settings for each user.

This page is primarily a navigation page to search filter and select tasks and reports.

Master Input Page

This page gives all system and custom fields that has been set up in backend for the task. It will also give options of progression for task.

User is able to update fields that need to be and complete or send task to next task in workflow.

This page has links to information and if required also have assignment and accepting rules.

Progression of task against workflow is also be viewable from this page.

Documents and notes may be attached to each workflow instance.

Workflow Overview

This report will tell a manager at a glance if there are any issues that he has to address and how the flow of tasks is working.

It will list the different Tasks in a workflow and represent how each task is doing against the timelines that have been set for it.

Thus he will be able to see bottlenecks in the workflow or areas that are not performing as well as areas that are doing better than expected.