Use workflow stages

You can add or modify workflow stages.

Before you begin

Role required: workflow_admin, workflow_creator, or admin

Procedure

1. Navigate to All > Workflow > Workflow Editor.
2. Create a new workflow by clicking New or open an existing workflow.
3. In the Workflow Properties form, if the table is not the Requested Item [sc_req_item] table, select a field to display stages in the Stage field property.

   Available fields depend on the table selected for the workflow.

4. After assigning a list of stages to the workflow, you can set a stage value in any of the workflow activities that provide a Stage field in their dialog box.

   Setting a stage value in a workflow activity tells the workflow engine to assign that stage to the record associated with the workflow context when the activity is encountered during a run.

   When an activity starts with a specified stage, the platform updates the Stage field with the current value. In workflows run against the Requested Item [sc_req_item] table, the sc_req_item.stage field is defined as a workflow type field.

   When displaying the stages for a workflow on the Requested Item [sc_req_item] table, the stage state is based on the state of the workflow activities. If an activity has a stage specified for it, and the activity is currently active in the workflow, then the stage is shown with an In progress state. Similarly, if the activity is in the Pending or Completed state, the stage reflects this state.

5. To edit the workflow-specific stages for an existing workflow, click the gear icon in the header bar and select Edit Stages.
   Again, these stage values are combined with the choices, defaults, and existing values.

   

Workflow stages

To optimize the use of stages, you can assign a stage to multiple activities in a workflow. For example, if your workflow uses the following activities to create tasks:

1. Get approval
2. Order equipment
3. Receive equipment
4. Add equipment to CMDB
5. Set up equipment
6. Install software
7. Configure software
8. Deliver to user

The following stages might be used:

• Approval
• Order
• Configure
• Deliver

A good practice is to assign stages to the activities as follows:

Table 1. Examples of stages added to workflow activities

Activity	Assigned stage
Get approval	Approval
Order equipment	Order
Receive equipment	Order
Add equipment to CMDB	Order
Set up equipment	Configure
Install software	Configure
Configure software	Configure
Deliver to user	Deliver

When the Order equipment, Receive equipment, or Add equipment to CMDB activity is active, the Stage display shows that the Order stage is In progress.