This article contains:
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1. Overview |
There are several approaches that can be taken to managing project activities including agile, interactive, incremental, and phased approaches. Such phases can differ from organisation to organisation and from project to project. This area can be used to define customised workflows so that different project types can accommodate its own type of project management workflow.
Custom workflows created here work similarly to templates. Each workflow consists of a series of phases and each phase in turn, consists of a group of objects which are the activities involved in managing a project.
Create a new workflow
Create phases and objects for your workflow
Configure the workflow objects as per requirements
Designate and configure Sign Off Points
Designate and configure Email Alert Points
This is applied to the 'Default 'Project Type' which is provided with the standard configuration. If you apply this to a new project, you will be able to create and observe these phases via the tabs at the top as follows:
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If a workflow has been applied to any existing projects, the system will allow you to add new objects as well as remove existing objects. However, removing objects will result in any data that was previously entered within that object for a project not being visible unless you add the object at a later date. A warning message will be displayed if you try to remove such object: |
2. Project Workflow Key Concepts |
Workflow: A Workflow defines the series of phases involved in managing a project. This is configured by Project Administrator according to the organisational requirements and contains phases from the initial idea concept of a project, through to project completion and review.
Multiple workflows can be created. However, each workflow must be assigned to a Project Type in order to select it for a project.Workflow Link: This area lets you link existing workflows to project types. Remember that when creating a new project, its internal structure or 'workflow'
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is applied based on the 'Project Type' selection within the Project Details object.
STEP 1: Go to Settings Configuration > Workflow Link.
STEP 2: To create a linkage, click on a Workflow from the right-hand side and drag it onto a 'Project Type' on the left as illustrated below.
A project type can associate with only one workflow, but the same workflow can be shared by multiple project types.
Phase: Each workflow may
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consist of a series of Phases - the major areas involved in managing the project. It is mandatory to have at least one phase in a workflow.
Object: Within each phase, there may be a number of objects, which are the key steps involved in completing the phase. Each object performs a unique function. Please refer 'Objects' section for more information.
Sign Off: Some phases may require one or more Sign Offs. A sign off points to the Sign Off Authority to provide an authorisation to continue the project.
Sign Off Authority: The Sign Off Authority is the decision maker who sign off a project phase. The responsible person(s) can choose to Approve, Reject or even Defer a sign off request.
Project Type: The IPM Administrator setups the project types according to organisational business requirements and assign each type to a particular workflow (Refer: Project Type Configuration).
When creating a new project, the 'Project Type' setting defines the workflow to be followed in order to complete the project.
Create a New Workflow
There are two methods for creating a new workflow. The first is to start with a blank template and build your workflow from the ground up or make a copy of an existing workflow and make modifications as required.
STEP 1: Click Framework > Project Workflows to set up your organisation's project framework workflow.
STEP 2: Click 'Add New Workflow' link and enter the workflow name.
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If you want to create a workflow by duplicating an existing workflow, select an existing one from the 'Template Workflow' dropdown. duplicate.
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STEP 3: To associate an assessment template with the workflow, select an assessment template from the list. Workflows that have been already created will be displayed for selection.
You must assign an assessment template in order to carry out an Assessment via the Assessment Model object. Only one assessment template can be assigned for a single workflow.
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STEP 4: Add overall assessment score and project rating type. You can 'Add New Criteria' for rating type as well.
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STEP 5: Associate a customised calendar using the calendar dropdown. Multiple calendar versions can be created through the Framework> Project Settings> Calendar area by the IPM administrator. The schedule of the project would be determined by the selected calendar.
STEP 6: Click 'Insert' to save your entry.
Once the workflow has been created, click the hyperlinked title to start adding Phases and Objects.
Conditional Workflow
You can define visible/enable conditions using different criteria to drive conditional workflows.
IPM Administrator can setup formulas to manage the visibility and enabling of the objects and phases.
Select a phase or an Object and Click Object Properties in the configuration area.
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Using the field code, administrator can configure the visibility condition for the object within the text box provided in the formula screen.
Similar to visibility condition, 'Enable Condition' also can be configured by clicking on the 'Enable Condition’ text-box.
Standard fields are included in the Available Criteria gird. Each field displays the current label and the field code.
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New criteria can be added using the ‘Add New Criteria’ button. Once the 'Add New Criteria. button is clicked, a new pop-up will be displayed listing the standard and custom fields which are activated in the Project Details object and Custom Objects and to select completed objects.
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Type: Select whether the condition should be a Value or a Completion.
Object: Select the relevant Object.
Field: Select the relevant field.
Click on the ‘Insert’ button to add the selected field to the Available Criteria grid.
The visibility condition can be entered within the ‘Condition’ textbox, using the available criteria and syntax.
Example: Cashflow Forecast Object to be made visible when the expenditure exceeds 30,000.
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You may refer to the ‘Guidance Notes’ below the ‘Condition’ text box if you want any assistance in setting up conditions using the fields of different data types (e.g. text, numeric, single select dropdowns, multi select fields).
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Once the visibility condition is setup, the system will show the respective phase or object when the condition is met.
When enable condition is configured, until the condition is fulfilled, the respective phase or object will be non-editable for all users (Including the IPM administrators).
Change Request Workflow
For each project workflow, a customised change request workflow can be created.
When the administrator navigates to a change request workflow, phases and objects will be displayed on the right side of the workflow.
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Only following objects can be included in a workflow.
Project Detail Object
Preliminary Budget Object
Project Board and Team object
Task Planning Object
When above mentioned objects are not included in the project workflow, they will not be displayed in the object area.
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View more details under the following sections:
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