Create and Associate Workflows
With your site content and formats in place, you can create a specific workflow for content changes. Workflow definitions can be built either visually or by hand using XML. We will create a simple workflow visually. Like data definitions, workflows are defined as XML in the system area. Unlike data definitions, where the XML is transformed by the system to produce a form field in which a user enters data, the workflow definition is used by the system to involve assets in a quality assurance process. The steps below detail how to create and use standard workflows.
A. Create a Workflow Visually
To create a new workflow visually:
- In the Home area, select the folder /common/workflow builder. In this folder, there are pages that represent parts of workflows and complete workflows.
- Select the page 1 step. In the Layout view, you can see the steps and actions.
- Select the Copy tab.
- For the System Name field, type in My Edit Workflow.
- Click the Submit button to create the copy.
- Select the Edit tab on the resulting page.
- You now have the data definition interface showing multiple steps. For the second step, change the Step Name to Final Review. In this interface, you can add and delete as many steps as necessary, assigning the appropriate user to each step.
- Click Submit to save the updated workflow.
- Now that you are back on the View tab, select the XML output. View the source of the XML by right-clicking your mouse on the XML screen, selecting This Frame, and then selecting View Frame Source. Highlight the XML and copy it by pressing Ctrl-C.
- With that XML copied, you need to go into the Administration area to create the actual workflow definition.
- In the Administration area, select Workflow Definitions from the left navigation bar.
- Click on New Workflow Definition.
- For the Name field, type Edit Asset Workflow.
- For the Workflow Type, check Edit and uncheck Create, which is checked by default.
- Select all of the Applicable Groups, and click the green arrow to move them into the box on the right.
- For the XML field, press Ctrl-V to paste your previously copied XML.
- Click Submit to save the new workflow definition.
B. Attach a Workflow Definition to a Folder
With your new workflow created, you need to attach it to a folder.
To attach a workflow definition to a folder:
- Go back to the Home area and browse to a folder where you would like the workflow enforced. We will choose our main site folder /web.
- Click the Workflows tab.
- For the Add Workflow label, click the browse icon and select the workflow you just created – Workflow Definitions/Edit Asset Workflow.
- Click the Submit button to save the changes to the folder.
The workflow definition is now attached to the folder. This means that an action taken on any asset in that particular folder will trigger the workflow process related to that action. For example, if a page is edited in that folder, an ‘Edit’ workflow associated with that folder will be invoked. Unless workflows are turned off at the folder-level or a user has bypass workflow permissions (based on user roles), users may not edit an asset in that folder without it passing through the selected workflow.
To test it out, edit a page in the folder without bypassing the workflow process.
C. Edit a Page without Bypassing the Workflow Process
To edit a page without bypassing the workflow process:
- Browse to a page for testing. We will select /web/example.
- Click the Edit tab.
- Click on the System pane.
- Click on Advanced Options, and check the box that says Start Workflow (boxes that are already checked should remain checked). Note that this checkbox only appears unchecked for users with bypass privileges. The checkbox will be inactivated all for other users.
- Click the Submit button to trigger the workflow screen.
- If there were other workflows attached to the folder, you would be forwarded to an Available Workflows screen. Since you only have one workflow available, you are immediately forwarded into the Active Workflow screen, which is labeled Start Workflow: Edit Asset Workflow.
- In the Workflow Name field, you will see the name of the workflow definition you created. This can be customized to describe this particular workflow. Type My First Workflow.
- Click the Submit button to start the workflow.
- The server will trigger an email to the next user or group in the workflow process (assuming the SMTP has been previously set up correctly under Tools -> Preferences -> Email).
You can create as many workflow definitions as needed and attach them to different content folders and asset factories. Multiple workflow definitions ensure the right structured approval process takes place for different types of content.
