Configuring a Workflow Trigger

For background please read Kanban Workflow Engine - An Introduction

What is a Workflow Trigger?

Workflow Triggers are a powerful tool to automatically initiate a Workflow Process. They are used to decide the exact moment when a Workflow starts.

As standard, you can create a trigger from a number of data points including:

  • Supplier Portal Self-Registration
  • Supplier Portal Invitation
  • Contract End Date
  • Contract Notice Period Date
  • File Expiry Date
  • Contract Type
  • Contract Approval
  • Contract Status
  • Contract RAG Status
  • Supplier Name
  • Contract Category
  • Contract Entity
  • Contract Team
  • Supplier Type
  • Supplier Approval
  • Supplier Status
  • Supplier RAG Status

It is also possible to create a trigger based on Custom Data fields, including the following field types:

  • Dropdown
  • Multipick
  • Yes/No
  • Date
  • Integer

Who can Create a Workflow Trigger?

Users with the following permissions can create a Workflow Trigger

How to Create a Workflow Trigger?

In this example, you will be configuring a Workflow Trigger for a Contract Renewal Workflow. By the end of this section, you will have an understanding of how to configure triggers and what a typical workflow with triggers looks like.

The following Workflow will be triggered when a Contract's End Date is within 90 days or less. 

1. Open Workflows.

2. Click the Edit Configuration Icon (as pictured below) on the workflow you would like to add a Trigger to.

3. Select Workflow Triggers from the drop-down menu.

4. Click Add Trigger.

5. Enter desired Trigger Name and click Create.

6. Edit the Trigger Settings by clicking the Pencil icon:

- Trigger Name: The name of the Trigger

- Trigger Status:

o Live: The trigger is active. When the trigger's conditions are met, a card will be automatically created on the workflow. 

o Pipeline: The trigger is NOT active but still saved against the Workflow. When the trigger's conditions are met, a card will NOT be automatically created on the workflow.

- Apply transitions on card creation: 

o Yes: The card will be treated as submitted upon card creation and therefore any transitions that are based on card submission will take effect.

o No: The card will remain in the Workflow Start Phase and transition will not take effect until card is manually submitted by the End User.

 7. To set your Workflow Trigger conditions, click + ADD.

8. Set your Triggers conditions, as mentioned previously we are using a Contracts End Date as the workflow trigger for this example:

- Select a Field: Select the field that will trigger the workflow. For this use case, it is the Contract / End Date field.

- Select an Operator: Select the Trigger Condition's Operator i.e. Less than, more than, equal to etc. 

- Business Days (Conditional Field) : This field is conditional according to the Trigger Field that is previously selected. In this use case, we have set the trigger to occur when a Contracts End Date is due in less than or equal to 90 days.

9. Click Create to add the trigger condition to the workflow and complete the Workflow Trigger creation process. Multiple conditions can be added to a trigger, in this particular case only require 1 trigger condition is required.

10. You have successfully added a Live Workflow Trigger! 

Note: Multiple Workflow Triggers can be added to a Workflow.

Note: If a workflow trigger is set to 'Pipeline' the user will see banner with the workflow kanban board informing them of this