MM5.3.0 2.21 Workflows

Owned by Stefan Fodor (Unlicensed)
Last updated: May 18, 2020 by Gosia Creosteanu (Unlicensed)
5 min read

2.21.1 Automated Workflows

With this feature, the user can build custom automation flows that automates repetitive work.

Automated workflows consist of the following elements:

  1. Triggers
    A trigger defines the start of the workflow and there can be more than one trigger, i.e. possibly multiple entry points to the workflow. A trigger can be one of the many events in the solution, such as an asset being uploaded, metadata being changed or on a timer interval.

  2. Filters
    Filters are used to narrow down possibilities and ensure the action is taken only for the desired case and multiple filters can be applied. A possible filter could be for example validating that a certain value is selected in a combo, or validating the user provided value against a RegEx, or even validating the date against a predefined date.

  3. Actions
    Actions are automated work steps that the system can perform and there can be more than one action in the workflow. Actions that can be taken range from publishing or unpublishing assets to setting access rights and executing searches.

Automation workflows are set up by administrative user with he high level of clearance (usually a consultant at Digizuite).

More information can be accessed in the DAM Center User Guide: section Digizuite™ DAM Center 5 → DC 5.3.0 → DC 5.3.0 4 Configuration → DC 5.3.0 4.10 Automation Workflows (DC 5.3.0 4.10 Automation Workflows ).

2.21.2 Business Workflows

Unlike Automation Workflows, the purpse of Business Workflows is to support different use cases of collaboration between users, and therefore they involve actions taken by the users to advance the workflow. A business process underlaying a workflow is presented in a graphic form.

This is an example of a Business Workflow:

All the options related to workflows (both automationa and business) can be accessed from Workflow managament menu in the top panel.

The Workflow management menu has the following sections:

  • Workflow overview: it shows the list of all created workflows, filtered by the type of workflow

  • Workflows: the space for viewing, creating and editing automation workflows

  • Logs: the overview of events (information and errors) related to active workflows

  • Job Status: the overview of jobs related to active workflows, with the possibility of filtering by such criteria as asset, status or user

  • Tasks: the overview of tasks assigned to the user.

Creating business workflows

In order to create a new Business Workflow, the user needs to click Create button in the upper area of the Workflow overview section. This will prompt a new window, where the user should type the name of a new workflow, select type of workflow and choose one of the templates (if available).

Once the information is filled out, the workflow edit area becomes available. The user begins creating a workflow by clicking Add first stage button. The following stages are added by clicking the dot at the bottom of stage and dragging the line to the next stage, while holding the mouse.

The user can change stage names, as well as edit both stages and transitions. The user can edit a stage by clicking on the three dots in the stage box (visible after hovering the mouse pointed over the stage) and selecting “edit”. The user can edit a transition by double-clicking it. In both cases, edit panel is opened on the right side of the workflow edition area.

The following editing options are available for stages:

  • changing the name of the stage

  • changing the name of the unique ID

  • Adding a description

  • Assigning a stage owner

  • defining the stage as a start stage

  • adding labels

  • adding a status for download approval.

 

 

 

The folowing editing options are available for transitions:

  • changing the name of the transition

  • changing the name of the unique ID

  • Adding constraints.

Constraints are the fields that user needs to fill out when requesting a download for an asset. This can be for example the name of requesting user or reason for download request. The following constraint types are currently supported:

  • text (a text area with limited number of characters)

  • text area (a longer text area)

  • date and time (it prompts a calendar, which the user can use to select a date)

Once the Business Workflow is fully defined, the user should click Save button in the upper right corner of the workflow edition area.

Tasks

This area contains the overview of the tasks assigned to the user. Each task is defined by the workflow name, status and the created time and and date. The tasks can be sorted by time or name. The list can be refreshed with a refresh button without being forced to reload the page.

The details of the task are opened in the right-side panel after clicking on it once. In the panel the user can review the details of the task, see which assets it concerns and take an action (approve or deny the request).

Use cases

The following Business Workflows are currently supported in the system:

Request download

The limited users have the ability to request the ability to download specific assets. The user who the approval task is assigned to receives then an ability to either approve or reject the request after reviewing the information provided by the requesting user.

More information can be accessed in the Media Manager 5 User Guide: section Digizuite™ Media Manager 5 → MM5.3.0 → MM5.3.0 User Guide → MM5.3.0 2 Use of the product → MM5.3.0 2.6 Download (MM5.3.0 2.6 Download ).

Approve publication

This workflow is a combination of automated and business workflows. A trigger (for example asset upload) intitiates a business workflow. The task then goes to the assigned user that can either approve or reject the publication of a new asset.