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Overview
ProblemTracker allows you to customize the workflow to match your desired development process. Any number of states may be defined, with an option forward and reverse state transition defined for each state.
To define the workflow, click on the "Define Workflow" button from the ProblemTracker Administration page.
Adding a State
To add a new state, click on the "Add State" button. The following options are presented:
State Name
Name of the state.
Next State
Allows you to specify a forward state transition.
If a state is specified, then the if the Task operation
is performed on a record while it is in the
current state, it will present the user with an
option to automatically advance the
state of the record to the specified state.
Forward state transitions are commonly associated
with completing a task or approving a request.
Previous State
Allows you to specify a reverse state transition.
If a state is specified, then the if the Task operation
is performed on a record while it is in the
current state, it will present the user with an option
to automatically return the record to the to
the specified state. Reverse state transitions are
commonly associated with refusing a task, or rejecting
a request.
Assign To On Next State
If a Next State is defined, this allows you to
specify the user that the record should be assigned
to when the Task operation is performed on the
record in the current state. May select either
any specific user, or the manager for the state
specified by Next State.
Assign To On Previous State
If a Previous State is defined, this allows you to
specify the user that the record should be assigned
to when the Task operation is performed on the
record in the current state. May select either
any specific user, or the manager for the state
specified by Previous State.
Default Add Value
If yes, it indicates that this state is the
default value used when a record is added.
Editing a State
To edit a state, select the desired state from the pulldown menu labeled State:, and click on the Edit button.
Removing a State
To delete a state, select the desired state from the pulldown menu labeled State:, and click on the Delete button.
Defining Fields For the Task Operation
For each state, you can specify which fields should
be presented to the user for the Task operation.
To do this,
select the desired state from
the pulldown menu labeled State:, and
click on the Task Fields button. Use the Add and
Remove buttons to select the desired fields.
By only presenting the user with the necessary
fields, you can ensure each user will correctly adhere
to the development process.
Defining Query Groups
Often when formulating queries, you may wish to
query for any of a group of states. ProblemTracker
allows you to do this by defining Query Groups.
A Query group is a collection of workflow states
that appears as a choice on the Query page.
To define a group of workflow states, press
the "Query Groups"
button. On the page displayed, you can add a new group, or
edit an existing group. To edit an existing group, press
the Edit button, and then set or clear the check mark in the column
labeled Include.
Assigning State Managers
ProblemTracker allows you to specify a user
that is treated as the manager for a state. The
manager of a state can receive notification email
when certain events occur related to records
in the database when they either enter or
leave the state. They can also have records
automatically assigned to them by the Task
operation.
A state manager can be specified for each product,
allowing you to assign different managers for
the same state on a per product basis.
To assign the state managers for a product, select
the desired product from the pulldown labeled
Product: and click on the Assign Managers.
The value *(Default) indicates that these are
the default settings. The default settings are used
as the template for each new product as it is
added to the system.
Using the Workflow Browser
The Workflow Browser is an alternate interface
to modifying the workflow enabling visualization
and verification of the desired state transitions
in the workflow.
The start page of the Workflow Browser displays
all the define states in the center of the
window, with forward (green arrows) and reverse
(red arrows) transitions for each state displayed.
You can click on the Edit or Delete button to
perform the desired operation on a state, or
click on the Goto button. The Goto button
allows you to trace through the workflow,
showing you the selected state, and a history
of how you arrived at it. The Goto button
allows you visually verify that the defined state
transitions will have the desired effect.
NetResults ProblemTracker
