Configuring Workflow Actions

This article describes how to access and configure the available Workflow Actions in Gatekeeper and how to use them.

Discover:

For background please read Kanban Workflow Engine - An Introduction

What is a Workflow Action?

Workflow Actions allow Gatekeeper users to perform specific activities within a Workflow Phase, including the creation/update of records, contract drafting, negotiations, PDF conversion, and also eSigning. There are both manual and automatic Actions available for configuration as applicable. 

Who Can Configure a Workflow Action?

Any users with the following permissions can configure a Workflow Action:

How to Add an Action to a Workflow Phase

  1. Click on "Workflows" in the left side navigation panel.
    Workflows | Navigation
  2. Then select the name of the specific Workflow you'd like to edit
    Workflow Selection
  3. Click the Phase menu (three vertical dots) and choose "Edit this Phase"
    Edit this Phase
  4. Then select the "Actions" tab
    Workflows | Actions Tab
  5. Select an Action from the available options (in most cases, only one action can be selected)

Note: The Actions tab is not available on the first Phase of a Workflow. Additionally, certain options in the Actions menu only present themselves as relevant to the process. 

Manual Workflow Actions:

CONTRACT ACTIONS

Workflows | Manual Contract Actions

Note: The CONTRACT ACTIONS area will only show if the corresponding predefined contract form section has been added to the Workflow Form

SUPPLIER ACTIONSWorkflow | SUPPLIER ACTIONS

Note: The SUPPLIER ACTIONS area will only show if the corresponding predefined supplier form section has been added to the Workflow Form

ENEGOTIATE ACTIONS

Note: The first three eNegotiate Actions depicted above will only show if the corresponding predefined Contract form section has been added to the Workflow Form

ESIGN ACTIONS

Workflow Actions | Manual eSign

Workflow AutoActions:

CONTRACT ACTIONS

Workflows | Auto Contract Actions

Note: The CONTRACT ACTIONS area will only show if the corresponding predefined contract form section has been added to the Workflow Form

SUPPLIER ACTIONS

Workflow | Supplier Auto Actions

Note: The SUPPLIER ACTIONS area will only show if the corresponding predefined supplier form section has been added to the Workflow Form

When using AutoActions to create both vendor and contract records in the same Workflow process, there should be a separate phase for each AutoAction. It is recommended to use "AutoAction | Create Supplier" before "AutoAction | Create Contract" in this case. 

ENEGOTIATE ACTIONS

Workflow | eNeg Auto Actions

ESIGN ACTIONSWorkflow | eSign Auto Actions

 

Edit AutoAction Values

After enabling most AutoActions, you'll see a blue button to "Edit AutoAction Values". 

Edit AutoAction Values

These settings should be leveraged to set the appropriate Form values or functionality depending on the Phase. Be sure to click "Save" when done editing the AutoAction values. 

 

Note: The "Publish Contract Draft & Convert MS Word to PDF" AutoAction does not have any other related settings to set up beyond the option to "Submit Card on Action".  For the "Send for eSign" AutoAction, you'll see the option to indicate "External Signatory only". 

Submit Card on Action:

Certain selected Actions will present you with an additional checkbox option to "Submit Card on Action".

Submit Card on Action Example

When enabled, cards on these Phases will automatically transition to the next Phase when a user completes that action. 

Note: This checkbox is available for Creating, Updating or Cloning a Supplier or Contract.

Update Form on Action:

Certain selected Actions will present you with an additional checkbox option to "Update Form on Action".

Workflow | Update Form on Action

When enabled, this option will sync the data used to update the record back to the Workflow Form when the Action is completed.

Note: This checkbox is available for Creating, Updating or Cloning a Supplier or Contract.

How to Use a Workflow Action

Each manual Workflow Action will result in a corresponding button that displays within the related Card. Depending on the Phase configuration, there may be additional steps to transition the Card. 

CONTRACT ACTIONS

  • Create Contract
    Create Contract
  • Update Contract
    Update Contract
    A contract record can be updated if the Workflow Card is already associated with a contract. You can verify this by checking for the contract icon on the Workflow Card.  
    Workflow Card || Atached Contract
  • Clone Contract
    Clone Contract 

Note: The "Clone Contract" button will not be visible if the contract record was created as a part of the same Workflow process.

SUPPLIER ACTIONS

  • Create Supplier
    Create Supplier
  • Update Supplier
    Update Supplier
    A supplier record can be updated if the Workflow card is already associated with a supplier. You can verify this by checking for the supplier icon on the Workflow Card.
    Workflow Card || Attached Supplier

ENEGOTIATE ACTIONS

  • Create Contract with eNegotiate Draft
    Create Contract with Draft


  • Create Contract and associate a Contract Master Draft
    Create Contract with Draft
    Associate a Contract Draft
    Both of the above Actions can be enabled at the same time. If this is the case, the following options will display after clicking the "Create Contract with Draft" button: 
    Two Draft AutoActions

Note: The option to select a "Template" correlates to the selected "Contract Type" above. To learn more about setting up eNegotiate Templates in Gatekeeper click here

  • Generate Draft from Contract
    Workflow | Generate Draft From Contract
    Select an ENeg Template
    This Action should be used in a Phase following either "Create Contract" or "AutoAction | Create Contract". The option to select an available template correlates to the "Contract Type" set during the earlier contract record creation Phase of the Workflow.

Note: If there are no eNegotiate templates matching the set "Contract Type" for this record, the dropdown will display as "No matches found". To learn more about setting up eNegotiate Templates in Gatekeeper click here

  • Submit Contract Draft
    Within the Workflow Card view, a user will have the option to "Check Out" the Draft to lock it for editing. To upload a new Draft, click the "Check In" button that displays and upload the file. 
    Workflow | Submit Contract Draft
    As configured, users will also receive an email with options to "Submit New Draft" along with the ability to "Accept Draft" and "Reject Draft" after reviewing the attached file. 
    Email | Submit Contract Draft

Note: The "Accept Draft" and "Reject Draft" buttons correspond to the enablement of settings found on the "Approval" tab of the Workflow configuration area. 

  • Submit Contract Draft with Office for the Web 

Within the Workflow Card view, a user will have the option to "Check Out" the Draft to lock it for editing.

Once checked out, other users can 'Continue Edit' to enter co-authoring mode of Office for the Web.

Note: Once an Office for the Web user clicks 'Check In' from within the Gatekeeper Add-In, all changes from all users will be checked back into Gatekeeper. Edits made within the document after this check in will not be saved. 

 

  • Publish Contract Draft & Upload PDF
    Publish Contarct Draft & Upload PDF
  • Publish Contract Draft & Convert MS Word to PDF
    Publish Contract Draft and Convert MS Word to PDF
    Both of the above Actions can be enabled at the same time. If this is the case, the following options will display within the Workflow Card:
    Both Publish Actions Enabled
  • Upload Signed Document

Similar to the above "Publish Contract Draft & Upload PDF", this action instructs a user to provide a finalised and signed document version

ESIGN ACTIONS

  • Enable eSign
    Start | Initiate eSign

Note: The blue "Start" button will only be visible to users designated as eSign Senders. For more information on these configuration settings click here

 

For more information on leveraging this functionality, please contact your Customer Success Manager.