Configuring Legacy Workflows: Workflow Task & Decision Steps

Note: The content in this article refers to single-document workflows, now known as legacy workflows. While existing workflows remain supported and such workflows can continue to be updated and used, legacy workflows will not receive new functionality in future releases. As of the 21R1.2 release, multi-document workflows and object workflows are unified under Admin > Configuration > Workflows.

If your document lifecycle does not have any legacy workflows, the Legacy Workflow tab will not appear on your document lifecycle configuration page. If you require legacy workflow functionality for such a document lifecycle in your Vault during this release period, contact Support.

After the 21R3 release, you cannot create or copy legacy workflows in any Vault. You can continue to refresh or clone Vaults with existing legacy workflows.

Workflow steps define all the actions within a workflow, whether they are user actions like providing electronic signatures or system actions like sending notifications. This article covers types of steps that relate to workflow tasks and decisions:

Workflow Task: These steps allow you to create tasks for users to complete. See details.
File Upload Workflow Task: This step assigns a task to upload a source file for the document. See details.
Decision: This type of step allows you to split a workflow into branches based on the document’s field values or previous workflow tasks in the workflow. See details.
Read & Understood Workflow Task: This step assigns the user a task to read the document and mark it as understood. This is not available in all Vaults. See Configuring Read & Understood Workflows for details.

You can read details about other types of steps in Legacy Workflow Process Steps and Document Update Steps. To learn the basics of creating steps and linking them together, see Configuring Legacy Workflow Steps.

Note: This article refers to workflow tasks. Vault also includes a User Task object class to track unplanned work.

Workflow Task Step

Workflow Task steps allow you to create a task for a user to complete. Users see tasks in the Doc Info page for the related document and in Home > My Tasks or Available Tasks.

Some tasks ask that users perform an action outside the task completion dialog. For example, task instructions might ask a user to review and annotate the document before marking the task as complete.

Tasks may also contain actions that users can perform inside the task completion dialog. For example, a task might prompt a user to enter field values so that the document meets the entry criteria for a lifecycle state. A task can prompt users to perform these actions:

Populate fields related to a state’s entry criteria
Populate a date field on the document
Select a verdict that Vault will use to branch the workflow or to short-circuit other parallel tasks
Enter comments that will appear in later tasks
Set a new workflow due date
Provide an eSignature (only available when using verdicts)
Select a Reason Code or Capacity

Step Configuration Fields

When you select this step type, you must make selections for the following fields:

Field	Description
Task Name	Enter a name for the task. Vault uses this label in various places throughout the end user interface to identify the task.
Send Task To	Select the user role to which Vault assigns the task.
Add Task Assignee to Role	If the task owner selected is the document owner or workflow owner, select another role to associate with the workflow task. The workflow will add the document owner or workflow owner to this role and use this role to check for allowed user restrictions.
Due Date	Optional: Select a date field to serve as the task due date.
Email Template For "Every user"	Optional: Select the template that Vault uses to notify users that they have a task, if the task assignment is for every user in the role. Note that users will only receive an email and will not receive a Vault notification.
Email Template For "Any user"	Optional: Select the template that Vault uses to notify users that they have a task, if the task assignment is for a single user in the role. Note that users will only receive an email and will not receive a Vault notification.
Allow task to be optional	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner to decide whether to include the task when starting the workflow. Note that if the workflow start step only includes a single user control, Vault will ignore the Allow tasks to be optional setting. Learn about optional tasks.
Allow cancel task	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner, the Task Owner or an Admin to cancel the task.
Allow reassign task	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner, an Admin or the Task Owner to reassign the task to another user.
Display in workflow history	Optional: Select the checkbox to include the task in the Workflow History panel. Learn about workflow history.
Do not allow workflow owner to receive this task	Optional: Select the checkbox to prevent the workflow owner from being assigned this task. For example, enable this option to prevent self-approval of documents.
Show decision/comments from previous task(s) in task detail	Optional: Select the checkbox to show the selected decision and/or entered comments from one or more previous tasks in the task and workflow views on the end user's Home page. Note that this option is only available for tasks using verdicts.
Prompt for new workflow due date	Optional: Select the checkbox to prompt the user completing the task to enter a new due date for the workflow.
Prompt for verdict	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Task Owner to select from a list of options. This option is appropriate when asking several users for an approval verdict and then either allowing a single user to make a final decision or using the short circuit option to cancel other tasks based on one verdict, or when using a later Decision step to branch the workflow. See details on verdict setup below. Learn more about the Decision step.
Prompt for next state entry fields	Optional: Select this checkbox if Vault should verify that the document meets the entry criteria for the selected state. Do not use this option if you use the Prompt for verdict option.
Next State	Optional: Select the next lifecycle state if using the Prompt for next state entry fields option.
Include user outcome reason code/capacity	Optional: Select the checkbox to add a reason code picklist to the task completion dialog.
Reason Code/Capacity Label	Optional: Enter a label for the reason code picklist if using the Include user outcome reason code/capacity option.
Reason Code/Capacity Values	Optional: Enter the reason code picklist options if using the Include user outcome reason code/capacity option.
Prompt for date on completion of task	Optional: Select this checkbox if the user should select a date when completing the task. For example, this option could allow the user to enter a due date for the next workflow task.
Date Prompt Label	Optional: Enter a label for the date field if using the Prompt for date on completion of task option.
Date Field	Optional: Select the date field that Vault populates with the user's entry.

Due Dates

Due dates for tasks can be based on:

Date controls on the workflow start step.
Task Creation Date or Workflow Start Date; these can be offset using Calculated Task Due Dates.

Due dates are dates only and do not have time components. Task due status is based on the user’s time zone.

Calculated Task Due Dates

When selecting a workflow task due date, you can configure calculated task due dates. This allows Vault to automatically calculate task due dates without input from the workflow initiator. However, Vault cannot calculate task due dates on optional tasks without an assigned participant. To configure calculated task due dates:

Select Workflow Start Date, Task Creation Date, or Due Date (defined on start step) from the Due Date drop-down list.
Select either + or - as a date offset operator.
Select a day value up to 365 days.

Task Reminders

Task reminders allow you to configure notifications to send about open tasks. Task reminders use the Vault Time Zone. To set up task reminders:

Choose a Message Template for the reminder. Learn more about message templates.
Select up to five (5) specific workflow roles as Recipients.
Choose the Send On date for the reminder. The date to send the reminder is a specified number of days from either the Workflow Due Date, Task Due Date, or Task Creation Date. For example, you can remind a user to complete a task one (1) day before the task is due.
Optional: Click Add Task Reminder to add another reminder. You can add up to five (5) reminders.
Click Save.

Note: Vault does not send task reminders if a task is overdue at the start of the workflow. Set the Task Due Date to a date after the workflow starts.

Recipients

You can choose a few options when selecting recipients for workflow task reminders:

Task Owner: Sends a notification to users that currently have an assigned task.
Workflow Owner: Sends a notification to workflow owners, even if they don’t have an assigned task.
Specific Role: Sends to all users in the specified role (such as Trainee, Editor, Viewer) even if they do not have an assigned task.

Task reminders run daily based on the Task Reminder Notification job. By default, the job owner is System, meaning that no user will receive an email if the job fails. If you would like a user to receive an email if the job fails, update the Job Owner in Admin > Operations > Job Definitions.

How to Configure Verdicts

Once you’ve selected Prompt for verdict in the workflow task options, you must set up verdicts. Verdicts appear to users as a picklist on the task completion dialog. To configure verdicts:

While setting up a workflow task, select the Prompt for verdict checkbox and click Save. The Verdict Options area will appear under the Workflow Task Options area. When editing task options, options to edit verdicts are hidden.
In Verdict Options, click Add to create a new verdict.
Enter a Name for the verdict, which users see when selecting the verdict in the task completion dialog.
If you want the user to populate entry criteria fields for a new lifecycle state, select the Prompt for next state entry fields checkbox and select a lifecycle state. To move the document to the selected state, you will need to create a State Change step later in the workflow.
If the user must provide an eSignature when selecting this verdict, select the Require eSignature to continue checkbox and choose whether to add a signature page using the Manifest eSignature on document checkbox. This option is only available if you configured a signature page template. When manifesting eSignatures, verify that your workflow follows these best practices.
If you want this verdict to short-circuit parallel tasks, you can select the Short-circuit workflow and proceed to next step if verdict is selected checkbox. See details on short-circuiting tasks.
Click Save to return to the task options page.
Click Add again and repeat the above steps until you’ve set up all necessary verdicts.

File Upload Workflow Task Step

File Upload Workflow Task steps allow you to assign a task specifically for a user to upload a source file for the document. This step type is only available in eTMF.

Step Configuration Fields

When you select this step type, you must make selections for the following fields:

Field	Description
Task Name	Enter a name for the task. Vault uses this label in various places throughout the end user interface to identify the task.
Send Task To	Select the user role to which Vault assigns the task.
Add Task Assignee to Role	If the task owner selected is the document owner or workflow owner, select another role to associate with the workflow task. The workflow will add the document owner or workflow owner to this role and use this role to check for allowed user restrictions.
Due Date	Optional: Select a date field to serve as the task due date.
Email Template For "Every user"	Optional: Select the template that Vault uses to notify users that they have a task, if the task assignment is for every user in the role. Note that users will only receive an email and will not receive a Vault notification.
Email Template For "Any user"	Optional: Select the template that Vault uses to notify users that they have a task, if the task assignment is for a single user in the role. Note that users will only receive an email and will not receive a Vault notification.
Allow task to be optional	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner to decide whether to include the task when starting the workflow. Learn about optional tasks.
Allow cancel task	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner, the Task Owner or an Admin to cancel the task.
Allow reassign task	Optional: Select the checkbox to allow the Workflow Owner, an Admin or the Task Owner to reassign the task to another user.
Display in workflow history	Optional: Select the checkbox to include the task in the Workflow History panel. Learn about workflow history.
Do not allow workflow owner to receive this task	Optional: Select the checkbox to prevent the workflow owner from being assigned this task. For example, enable this option to prevent self-approval of documents.

Decision Step

Decision steps allow you to configure a workflow that branches based on document field values or completed workflow tasks in the workflow. In a decision step, Vault evaluates an ordered list of rules, each with one or more conditions. If the rule is true, the workflow moves to the indicated next step. If not, Vault evaluates the next rule. A decision step can contain any number of rules, but always contains a final “else” rule. If none of the rules evaluate to true, the workflow moves to the step listed for the “else” rule.

You can add additional rules by clicking New Rule. Within a rule, you can add additional conditions by clicking the plus (+) icon. To reorder conditions, click and drag using the small triangle in the upper left corner.

The “else” condition may be optional in some legacy workflows. We recommend always adding an “else” condition before saving your workflow to make the condition required. You cannot migrate these legacy workflows using Configuration Migration packages.

Guidelines for Field-Based Rules

When creating field-based rules, make sure that the fields are available for all document types that will use the workflow. If a field is not available for a specific document, Vault will route the workflow as though the rule evaluated to “false,” even if other conditions that are part of the rule are would evaluate to “true.”

Text fields are not available for creating rules. Formula fields are generally not available, with some exceptions for standard fields like annotation counts. Learn more about annotation metrics.

How to Configure Task Conditions

To configure a task condition for a decision step:

Click New Rule and select Task condition.
Choose a workflow task that includes verdicts. These verdicts are the basis for a condition evaluating to “true” or “false.”
Select an operator: All equals means that all users who completed the task selected the verdict. At least 1 equals means that one or more users who completed the task selected the verdict. None equals means that no user who completed the task selected the verdict.
Select a verdict from those defined in the workflow task.
If needed, click the plus (+) icon to add an additional condition.
In Next Step, select the step that the workflow will continue to if the conditions evaluate to “true.”

How to Configure Field Conditions

To configure a field condition for a decision step:

Click New Rule and select Field condition.
Choose a document field. Be sure that this field applies to all documents that may use the workflow.
Select an operator.
Select or enter a field value, if applicable.
If needed, click the plus (+) icon to add an additional condition.
In Next Step, select the step that the workflow will continue to if the conditions evaluate to “true.”

About Parallel Tasks & Short-Circuiting Tasks

Workflows sometimes include parallel tasks, meaning that more than one task is assigned simultaneously for the workflow and multiple tasks are open at the same time. This supports a typical review and approval process in which a document goes to multiple participants, all of whom perform their task independently. There are two ways to configure parallel tasks:

Single Workflow Step: A single Workflow Task step that assigns to multiple users with the “every user” option rather than “any user”
Multiple Workflow Steps: Multiple Workflow Task steps that begin simultaneously because they were all selected as the “next step” in the preceding step

The short-circuit option allows you to identify verdicts that will short-circuit the review and approval process.

For example, with “Reject” as a short-circuit verdict, any approver who submits a “Reject” verdict could automatically cancel the uncompleted parallel approval tasks and proceed to the decision step, without having to wait for all other approvers to submit their own verdicts. There are two places in the workflow configuration that you will see the short-circuit option:

Workflow Task Steps: You should set up the short-circuit option here to cancel parallel tasks that originate from a single Workflow Task step assigned to multiple users. Learn more about verdict configuration above.
Join Steps: You should set up the short-circuit option here to cancel parallel tasks that originate from multiple Workflow Task steps. Learn more about Join step setup.