Using Object Workflows

This article explains how to start a workflow, manage an in-progress workflow, and complete tasks as a workflow participant. This article refers to workflow tasks. Vault also includes a User Task object class to track ad hoc work. For information on user tasks, see Working with User Tasks.

Starting a Workflow for a Single Object Record

To start a workflow for a single object record:

  1. From the object record Actions menu, select the workflow start action.
  2. Vault presents the workflow start dialog with all of the information and fields required to start the workflow.
  3. Provide the required information and click Start. See details below for assigning users.

Starting a Workflow for Multiple Object Records

You can start an object workflow from Object Tabs, Related Lists, Favorites, Saved Views, or any other object record list page.

To start a workflow for multiple object records:

  1. From the Actions menu, select Start Workflow. You can include up to 100 object records of the same Object in the workflow.
  2. In the start dialog, select a specific workflow from the Workflow drop-down. Vault only displays workflows that are active and valid for the selected object records.
  3. Click Continue.
  4. If prompted, provide a Description. Vault uses this value as the Name for the Envelope record. If the value is not editable, an Admin has configured the workflow to use auto-naming for Envelope records.
  5. Assign users and groups to roles.
  6. Fill in any required field values or variables.
  7. Click Start.

How to Assign Users to Workflows

When assigning users as workflow participants, keep in mind that Vault does not check whether the object uses Dynamic Access Control or whether the users you select have the necessary access to the object record. It is possible to assign tasks to users who cannot complete them.

To assign users:

  1. Select the checkbox next to each participant group to whom you would like to assign the task. Participant groups with asterisks are required. Note that the task may have been configured to restrict workflow owners from receiving it.
  2. Choose users or user groups for each participant group by entering the names or clicking the down arrow to select from a list. Only the first 100 users/groups appear in the list. To see more options, start typing the user/group name. Groups appear in the list with a special icon. If an Admin configures a limit on the number of users that can be assigned to a workflow participant control, you will encounter an error if this limit is exceeded.
  3. Optional: If you’ve selected a group, hover over the group name to see a list of users (up to 30) in that group.
  4. Optional: To expand the group to its individual members, click the plus (+) icon. When you do this, Vault treats the group members as individual users and allows you to remove some members.

Adding Participants to Active Workflows

On active workflows which do not use the Use custom action to define participants control on the Start step, you can add participants where a role has current tasks, future tasks, or future notifications directly from the workflow’s Actions menu.

If a workflow uses the Use custom action to define participants control on the Start step, you may see a read-only list of participants when you start the workflow, but you will not be able to add participants.

To add users:

  1. Navigate to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record details page, Home > Active Workflows, or an object workflow report.
  2. From the workflow Actions menu, select Add Participants.
  3. In the dialog, add the users or groups to the appropriate participant groups. You can add participants to optional participant groups that were not selected when the workflow started. You cannot remove any users already in a participant group, or add users to groups assigned to workflow steps that have already been completed.
  4. Click Submit. Vault sends a notification and adds active tasks to the new users’ Tasks view.

Adding Participants through Role-Based Assignment

On workflows with the Use roles as participants control on the start step, you can also add users to active workflows via Sharing Settings:

  1. Navigate to the object record details page, and then to Sharing Settings.
  2. In the Access via Manual Assignment panel, click + Add.
  3. Select the Role to which you want to add a user.
  4. Select one or more Users and Groups.
  5. Click Save. Vault adds the selected users and groups as participants in the active workflow. If there is an active task, Vault creates tasks and assigns them to the new users.

Admins can also configure workflows so that certain workflow participant groups only allow users who are already in specific roles on the object record. In this configuration, you are only able to select allowed users.

Assigning & License Type Restrictions

You cannot select users with the license type Read-Only User for roles on a workflow. Vault hides these users in workflow participant fields. If you assign tasks to a group, Vault skips assignment for these users, but assigns the task normally to other users in the group.

How to Complete Assigned Tasks

Workflows can include various workflow tasks. Depending on the workflow configuration, tasks you complete may be assigned directly to you or available for you to accept.

Note that if you complete two or more of the same tasks within the workflow, for example, if another user reassigns a duplicate task to you, Vault overwrites your comments from the original task with the comments you provide when you complete the duplicate task.

Assigned Tasks

Any tasks assigned to you appear in Home/Tasks > My Tasks and in the details page for the specific object record. Click the Complete button. In the task dialog, fill in any required fields or other information and click Complete.

Accepting Tasks

Workflow owners can also assign a task to multiple users and request that any one of the assigned users accept and complete the task. These tasks appear in Home/Tasks > Available Tasks. Click the Accept button. The task now appears in Home/Tasks > My Tasks and in the details page for the specific object record.

Once you have accepted a task, you can click undo acceptance to release it. Once released, the task is again available to any of the assigned users.

Reassign Tasks

To reassign a task:

  1. Navigate to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record detail page.
  2. From the task’s Actions menu, select Reassign.
  3. In the dialog, select the new user from the New task owner picklist.
  4. Click Continue.
  5. Vault notifies the new task owner of the reassignment and adds the task to the My Tasks view for the new owner. The previous owner does not receive a notification.

Note that this notification occurs for reassigned workflow tasks. Different notifications occur for reassigned user tasks.

How to Provide eSignatures

On some workflows, completing a task or selecting a specific verdict requires you to electronically sign. You do this by entering your login credentials (username and password) for the Vault.

Note that Vault prevents you from using saved passwords for compliance reasons. Even if you’ve saved your password in your browser or a password manager, you’ll have to type the password to provide an eSignature.

How to Provide Capacities

Sometimes, you’ll also need to select a “capacity” when completing a task, which indicates why or in what context you are completing it. For example, a reviewer from an organization’s regulatory compliance department might select Regulatory as their capacity.

Task Dates

If a task has a due date, Vault displays the date alongside the task. Some views (Home > My Tasks and Workflow Timeline in the object record details) also display a status icon that indicates if a due date is within the next week or has already passed.

Updating Task Due Dates

To update a task due date:

  1. Navigate to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record detail page.
  2. From the task Details Actions menu, select Update Task Due Date.
  3. In the dialog, select a new date in the Task Due Date field.
  4. Click Update.

Vault notifies the task owner of the updated due date.

Cancelling Tasks

You may sometimes need to cancel a workflow task, for example, if one of the assigned reviewers is on vacation and cannot complete a review. Cancelling a task prevents the workflow from becoming stuck by allowing you to complete the workflow or move on to the next task.

How to Cancel Tasks

To cancel an open workflow task:

  1. Navigate to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record details page.
  2. Use the Actions menu on an individual task to select Cancel Task.
  3. In the dialog, click Continue.

Cancelling Workflows

Sometimes it is necessary to stop an active workflow and remove all outstanding tasks from participants’ lists.

How to Cancel Workflows

To cancel an in-progress workflow:

  1. Navigate to Home > Active Workflows or to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record details page.
  2. Click on the Actions menu and select Cancel Workflow.
  3. If prompted, provide a comment for the cancellation.
  4. In the dialog, click Continue.

Workflow Cancel State

When you cancel a workflow, the object record returns to the state it was in before the workflow started.

Replacing the Workflow Owner

If you have the correct permissions, you can replace the owner of an active workflow:

  • From the workflow’s Actions > menu, choose Replace Workflow Owner.
  • In the dialog, select a user to replace the current workflow owner. Only users that are capable of starting this type of workflow are available as replacement owners.
  • Click Submit.

Vault notifies the original and new workflow owner of the action. Vault reassigns current tasks that were assigned to the workflow initiator participant group to the new owner, and all future tasks will be assigned to the new owner.

Emailing Workflow Participants

This action allows you to send an email to one or many workflow participants to remind them of approaching or past due task due dates or to notify them of workflow changes.

To email workflow participants after the workflow has started:

  1. Navigate to Home > Active Workflows or to the Workflow Timeline section of the object record details page.
  2. From the workflow’s Actions menu, choose Email Participants.
  3. In the dialog box, choose the Recipients of the email. You can choose individual workflow participants or an available participant group.
  4. In the Message field, enter a message.
  5. To include yourself as a recipient, select the Send a copy to myself checkbox.
  6. Click Send.

Participant Groups

When emailing workflow participants, you may see the following recipient groups available for selection:

  • Available Task Owners: Users who have a task available to accept.
  • Completed Task Owners: Users who have completed the current or previous task.
  • Pending Task Owners: Users or groups who have accepted an available task, but have not yet completed it. Future tasks are not included.
  • Incomplete Task Owners: Users who have not yet completed an assigned task. Future tasks are not included.

The following permissions control various workflow actions:

Type Permission Label Controls
Security Profile Object: Read Ability to view an object record; you must have this permission and an object role with View permission to initiate a workflow on a specific object record or to view an assigned task on that record. If you have an assigned task on a record you cannot access, you won’t see the task in Home > My Tasks, but will receive notifications and reminders for it.
Security Profile Application: Workflow: Start Ability to initiate a workflow.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Reassign Ability to reassign a workflow task to a different user without canceling the workflow. If your vault uses Atomic Security for Active Workflow Actions, users must have both this permission and access through Atomic Security.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Update Participants Ability to add participants to active workflow and assign them a workflow task without canceling the workflow. If your vault uses Atomic Security for Active Workflow Actions, users must have both this permission and access through Atomic Security.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Cancel Ability to cancel an open workflow task or stop an active workflow and remove all outstanding tasks from participants’ lists. If your vault uses Atomic Security for Active Workflow Actions, users must have both this permission and access through Atomic Security.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Update Workflow Dates Ability to update all workflow dates or specific task due dates, even if you are not the workflow owner. If your vault uses Atomic Security for Active Workflow Actions, users must have both this permission and access through Atomic Security.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Email Participants Ability to email workflow participants. If your vault uses Atomic Security for Active Workflow Actions, users must have both this permission and access through Atomic Security.
Security Profile Application: Workflow Administration: Replace Workflow Owner Ability to replace the workflow owner.
Security Profile Application: User: View User Information Ability to see user information to assign workflow tasks.