Administrators can create workflows that will trigger actions like tag changes, status changes, or sending email notifications for specific products based on dates associated with those products. This is useful for setting up routines like Expiring Contract or DPA notifications, reminding admins to request feedback six months after implementation, removing a “new” tag or automatically sending a product into an annual “Review” status for a health check.
In this guide we will cover:
- Creating Date-triggered Workflows
- Adding Actions: Tags & Statuses
- Adding Actions: Notification
- Using Wildcards
- Triggering Actions
- Publishing the Workflow
Creating Date-Triggered Workflows
To configure workflows, as an organization administrator, navigate to Settings > Workflows and select “Workflow Builder” [1]. Select “Contract End Date Template” or “Custom Workflow Builder” [2]. The Contract End Date Template gives you a base to build status changes and a notification. Custom Workflow Builder allows you to select either a date driven or product vetting workflow.
Using the Workflow Builder
There are several field to complete in the Workflow Builder:
- Name [1]- The workflow name will be used to manage workflow runs and be visible in workflow notifications so choose a name that will be clear to all workflow participants. Example: DPA expiration
- Description [2]- add additional details about your workflow. This is visible to LearnPlatform Admin only. Example: This workflow will be used to ensure that before a DPA expires, a privacy and content review takes place.
- Workflow Type [3]- Date-Driven
- AI-generated summaries [4]- This summary is only visible to the LearnPlatform Admin once a workflow has been completed.
- Starting event [5]- This workflow will begin on, before or after a date shown in the date column in the Admin Library. NOTE: Dates must be applied to products for this workflow to be triggered
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Add Automations [6]- Automations are the specific directions you would like the system to carry out when workflow is triggered. Actions may include the following:
- Changing an approval status
- Changing a privacy status
- Adding a tag
- Removing a tag
- Sending a notification (email)- Use embedded wildcards to personalize the message
- Add Step [7]- add a step to assign a reviewer. Example: Privacy Review
After completing the field on the Workflow Builder, you can chose to preview the workflow, or save it.
- Save Workflow [1] - All changes will not take effect until the workflow is saved. If you navigate away from the workflow builder with unsaved changes you will be prompted to save or discard the changes.
- Preview [2] - This preview will show your workflow in a linear diagram. Steps, conditional steps (indicated with a yellow diamond on the step), and automations (indicated with a lightning bolt) are represented.
This is an example Preview of a one-step, date-driven workflow that contains three automations.
Publishing Workflows
Workflows may be configured and saved without being active or published. Enabling the toggle in the Active column of Workflows page activates the workflow, and the workflow will be triggered once a day for all products that meet the triggering condition.
Adding Automations
To add an automation, select “Add Automation” and then select and configure the type of action that you would like the system to carry out when the conditions are met.
Note: Automations that happen at the beginning of the workflow happen immediately after the workflow is triggered. Automations that are added onto steps happen after the step is completed.
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Set new status to This will change the approval status of a product. Use the drop down menu to select the status.
- Example: Change product approval status from “Approved” to “Needs Review” when a product nears its contract renewal date
- Note: Only one status change action can be assigned for each step.
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Set new privacy status to This action will change the privacy status of a product. Use the drop down menu to select the status.
- Example: Change the privacy status of a product from “Approved” to “Not Approved” when its DPA expires
- Note: Only one privacy status change action can be assigned for each transition.
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Add new tag This action will add a new tag to a product.
- Example: Adds “Reviewed in 24-25” so that you can search/filter to see all the products that were reviewed that year.
- Note: Multiple tags can be added at one time.
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Remove tag This action will remove a tag (if present) from a product that meets the triggering condition.
- Example: Removes “New” tag 120 days after its Implementation date.
- Note: Multiple tags can be removed at one time.
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Send notifications This action sends an email notification to the selected recipients.
- Example: Send the group “Administrators” a notification when a contract will expire in 90 days
- Note: All recipients for notifications must be members of your organization.
Sending Notifications
Notifications can be configured as an action so that the selected recipients receive an email with the message that you create. Embedded text can be used to customize your message.
Once you have selected the action type of “Send Notification…”, you can configure the template of the message that will be sent. The fields in the notification template include:
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Select Recipients [1] - Select from any members of the organization, or a Group that you’ve created.
- Note: External users and ad hoc email addresses are not supported with notification actions.
- Subject Line [2] - This will show as the subject of the email and supports the use of embedded text.
- Message [3] - This makes up the body of the email and supports the use of embedded text
Embedded text is useful to create notifications that are specific to the product, workflow and person receiving the notification. Swap specific details with the wildcard listed below as you are composing either the Subject or Notification Text.
| Wildcard | Text Content Embedded by Wildcard |
|---|---|
| <name> | Recipient’s Full Name (First + Last) |
| <first> | Recipient’s First Name |
| <last> | Recipient’s Last Name |
| <email> | Recipient’s Email Address |
| <org-name> | Name of Organization |
| <transition> | Name of Transition (if present) |
| <product> | Name of Product |
| <status> | Product’s Approval Status |
For Example. Saying “Head’s up, <product> is about to expire” will be substituted with “Head’s up, Acme Math is about to expire” when the date for Acme Math matches the trigger criteria.
Note: Selecting the trash icon will remove the action.
Associate the Column
Data-triggered workflows are triggered by dates in date type columns. You may assign the date column that is associated with a workflow by using the drop down menu in workflow builder to select existing columns [1]. Or you may add a new column by selecting “Create New Date Type Column” [2], naming the column [3], then selecting “Add Column” [4]. This will create a new, visible column in the first place in Management > Products. Removing, reordering, or hiding that column can be managed in Settings > Columns.
Configure the Trigger and Add the Dates
Once a column is associated, you can add/edit the dates associated with each product. Date Driven workflows will be triggered for each product based on the date in the column.
For example, if a DPA expires, notification of that expiration could be sent 60 days prior to the actual expiration date. You can accomplish this by setting an offset to the trigger. Select “Before” or “After” and an option will appear to fill in the number of days prior to the date listed in the column.
If your column contains no dates, then no actions will be triggered.
Publishing the Workflow
Once the workflow is configured, you have the option of leaving it in draft form by navigating to the “Publish” tab and saving the workflow
- Inactive - The workflow configuration is saved, but no actions will be triggered.
- Active - The workflow configuration is saved and any matching triggers will result in the configured actions.
