What is a Workflow

A workflow is an automated multi-step process occurring across the platform This is a workflow model which represents the entire structure of the workflow and the definition of the processing a workflow can accomplish

Each workflow consists of a sequence of activities, such as generating records, notifying users of pending approvals, or running scripts.

The workflow starts when a triggering event occurs. Common triggers include a record being inserted into a specific table, or a particular field in a table being set to a specified value. For example, you might create a workflow that runs whenever a user requests approval for an item they want to order from the catalog. When an activity completes, the workflow transitions to next activity. An activity might have several different possible transitions to various activities, depending on the outcome of the activity. Continuing the example above, if the user's request is approved, the activity might transition to an activity that notifies someone to order the item; if the user's request is denied, the activity might transition to notifying the user that their request has been denied.

The graphical Workflow Editor provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating workflows and represents workflows visually as a type of flowchart. It shows activities as boxes labeled with information about that activity and transitions from one activity to the next as lines connecting the boxes.

An activity is processed for each step in the workflow (the "behavior" is determined when the activity begins).

When this action completes, the workflow checks each of the activity's conditions. For each matching condition, the workflow follows the transition to the next activity. When the workflow runs out of activities, the workflow is complete.

When to use a workflow

Use

To automate a repeatable process

When a standard response is needed for every record insert, update, and delete

When automation is needed in the platform (not limited to Service Catalog and SLAs)

Do Not Use

When doing a simple discrete record change

If the process being defined does not have a standardized response (new processes that are being refined)

• Change manager establishes a work/low that controls the progression thru states to ensure that a state is not skipped by manual progressing the states
• In conjunction with Orchestration, work/lows can be used to auromat,colly resolve an issue with o Cl, for example res tort a server when the CPU utiltzotion hits 95%
• Project manager has tasks automattcollv assigned as previous tasks are completed to reduce human error and delay, and increase accountability
• After being resolvedfor 7 days, the Incident Manager has resolved records automatically closed

You can create a workflow with the Workflow Editor to automate a multi-step process.

NOTE: You must have the workflow_admin or workflow_creator role to use the Workflow Editor.