Project Workflows – Phases and Objects

1. Creating Phases and Objects

The left side pane of the project workflow page displays the sign off templates and email templates. The list on the right side displays all available workflow objects. There are two types of objects:  Compulsory objects and Optional objects.  

Figure 1.1
  • STEP 1: In order to create a new Phase, simply drag a phase from the 'Phases' box and drop onto the 'Project Phases' box in the middle of the screen. Wait for the blue dotted line to appear around 'Project Phases' box. When it appears, release the 'Phases' box to create a new Phase.

Figure 1.2

You cannot add an object without creating a project phase. A warning message will appear if you attempt to add an object without a phase.

You cannot delete the initial phase and the project details object. Warning message will appear when trying to delete the initial phase.

  • STEP 2: Enter a title for the phase according to your organisation's requirements and click Save.

Once the first phase has been added, it will also automatically add the 'Project Details' object as the first object of the workflow.

You cannot delete the initial phase and the project details object. Warning messages will appear if you try to delete these items.

Tip: You can change the position of an object at any time by dragging and dropping the object to the required location in the workflow.

Objects under a particular phase get numbered automatically according to the sequence in which they are placed within the phase.

  • STEP 3: To modify a phase title, click on the particular phase and enter a new title. You have the option of altering the terminology and visibility settings of fields within each Object screen as shown below. Remember, the changes that you make will be reflected within the phases and can be seen by all the users.

  • STEP 4: In order to edit, click on the object. A pop-up window will appear to edit the terminology.

You can alter the terminology and visibility by customising the following.

Field

Descriptions/Instructions

Mandatory/Optional

Field

Descriptions/Instructions

Mandatory/Optional

Object Name

Shows the default object name which can be edited as required.

Mandatory

Field Name

The default field name.

Mandatory

Label Name

Shows the default field name which can be edited as required.

Mandatory

Help Text

Help text displayed when hovering over help icon for this field.

Shows the default text which can be edited as required.

Mandatory

Field Enable

If ticked, the selected field will be active but invisible to the user unless 'Field Visible' is also ticked.

Not Applicable

Field Visible

If ticked, the selected filed will be visible (read only) within the screen.

However, if 'Field Enable' is also ticked then you can enter/update data.

Not Applicable

Field Compulsory

If ticked, the selected field will be a mandatory field within the screen.

Not Applicable

You can reorder the fields by:

  • Selecting the Ordering tick box adjacent to the field(s) and clicking on Top, Bottom, Move Up or Move Down icons on the toolbar.

  • Dragging the field and dropping it to the required position in the grid.

You also have the option to configure the permissions for the object by clicking on the Set Permission icon in the object editor. The following permissions can be set for an object for the relevant positions. Permission types are as follows:

  • Can View

  • Can Add

  • Can Edit

  • Can Delete

  • Can Finish/Sign Off (when an object sign off is placed, only staff with this permission can give approval).

  • STEP 5: To remove an object from the workflow, simply drag it to the recycle bin.

Note that if a workflow has been applied to any existing projects the system will not allow you to delete any objects within it.

2. Using Sign off and Generic Email Objects in Phases

  • STEP 1: Place the business case objects and define the phases for the workflow as necessary.

  • STEP 2: Drag and drop the desired Sign off / Generic objects to required positions.

  • STEP 3: Click on the object to modify the name.

  • STEP 4: Click Save.

See Assigning Sign Off Templates for more information.

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Project Workflows