Exception management workflow versus flow designer

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 1 minute to read

    • Starting with Vulnerability Response v15.0, if you are deploying Vulnerability Response (VR) for the first time, the flow designer for approving exception requests in exception management is enabled by default. If you are an existing VR user, the default option is workflow.

    Note:
    Starting with Vulnerability Response v19.0, only flow designer is supported for new customers. If you are an existing user and upgrade to Vulnerability Response v19.0, then both flow designer and exception management workflow are supported.
    Table 1. Workflow versus flow designer
    Considerations Workflow Flow designer
    Version Prior to v15.0 of Vulnerability Response. Starting from v15.0 of Vulnerability Response.
    Default option Default option if you are an existing VR user. Default option for new VR users starting from v15.0.
    Setting the approval process Exception management includes exception and false positive requests along with exception rules. Includes defining various levels and adding different approvers for different use cases. Easier to implement than the workflow. Exception management includes exception and false positive requests along with exception rules.
    Upgrading to flow designer You can upgrade to flow designer from workflow. However, existing requests can only be approved using the workflow. Flow designer is enabled by default.
    System property sn_vul.flow_designer_activation If you have been using the workflow for exception management prior to v15.0, the system property is set to false. To activate the flow designer, set this property to true.
    Note:
    You cannot revert to using the workflow after activating the flow designer.
    		 If you are using VR for the first time for v15.0 or later, the system property value is set to true by default.
    Approval rules module After setting the system property to true, the Enable module approval rules scheduled job runs within 24 hours. This scheduled job enables the Approval rules module. To activate this module instantly, run this job manually. If you have deployed VR for the first time from VR v15.0, this module is available by default.
    Approval levels Provides the option to set only two levels of approvers. Provides multiple options such as setting any number of configurations, approver levels, and dynamically adding approvers for each rule.