Workflow Builder - Creating a Workflow

To start building a new workflow in Workflow Builder, follow these steps:

On the main landing page, click the [Create Workflow] button. This will take you to the Workflow Type screen, where you’ll decide how to begin building your workflow.
On the right-hand panel of the Workflow Type screen, you’ll see two options:
- Build Manually: Select this to create your workflow manually. This is the active option in the current version.
- Using AI: Currently a placeholder, this option will enable AI assistance in the future.
Select "Build Manually" to proceed directly to the New Workflow screen.
In the right-hand panel of the New Workflow screen, you’ll find three fields to define the basics of your workflow:
1. Workflow Code: This field provides a default code for the workflow, which you can modify if needed. The code should be between 8 and 30 characters.
2. Workflow Name: Enter a name for your workflow (up to 30 characters). This name will help identify the workflow in logs and lists.
3. Description: Use this field to provide a description of the workflow’s purpose and functionality. The description can contain up to 4000 characters.
At the bottom of the page, you can select Next to proceed to the next step, or Previous to return to the Workflow Type screen if you wish to adjust your initial selection.
The Menu screen allows you to specify the area from which the workflow will run. You’ll have three options:
- Enterprise: Choose this option for workflows associated with Financials, Project Controls, HCM, OM, and Asset modules within CMiC.
- PM: Select this option if the workflow will be used for Field-related items, including Communication Management, Document Management, and Site Management.
- Imaging: Select this to create workflows associated with current Imaging document types.
After selecting the appropriate area, navigate through the menu options to locate the specific launch point for your workflow. For example, if you’re setting up a workflow for Subcontract Approval:
1. Navigate to Project Controls > Subcontract Management > Contracts > Enter Subcontract.
2. Select the appropriate option to set the workflow’s starting location.
3. Click Next to proceed to the next configuration step.
A workflow trigger is defined to determine how the workflow will launch. The options available here depend on the Object associated with the workflow and the chosen launch point. Below are just a few examples of common triggers:
- Workflow Button Selected: Initiates the workflow when a user clicks the designated workflow button on a screen.
- New Record Created: Starts the workflow automatically whenever a new record is added in the selected area.
- Record Update: Launches the workflow when an update occurs within the designated Object.
After selecting the desired trigger in the right-hand column, click Save.
Selecting [Save] after defining the trigger will create an entry in the Workflow Log with the status "Unvalidated", indicating that the workflow is inactive and not yet ready for publication.

At this point, the workflow is saved and appears in the Workflow Log. You can either continue building the workflow immediately or return to complete additional configurations at a later time.
After selecting [Save], the workflow’s name and description will appear in the right-hand column, and the Trigger node will be displayed in the main Canvas area, beginning the workflow visualization. The Trigger node will show the word "Trigger" along with the specific trigger selected by the user.

An arrow points down from the Trigger node to a small Add Step node. Selecting "Add Step" will take the user to the Function menu.
In the Function menu, the user can choose between two functions to continue building the workflow:
- Action
  - Definition: An action is a specific task or operation performed within the workflow.
  - Purpose: Actions represent the operational steps in the workflow. They perform tasks that propel the workflow forward, either triggered automatically by conditions/events or initiated by a user. Actions can include steps like sending notifications, posting records, or processing approvals.
  - Examples:
    - Approval: Routes a subcontract for one or more approvals.
    - Send FYI: Sends a notification to a specific user or group.
    - Send Email: Notifies users or stakeholders about the workflow progress or required actions.
    - Post: Finalizes and records an entry in the system.
- Condition
  - Definition: A condition is a logical statement that evaluates to true or false, guiding the workflow based on specific criteria.
  - Purpose: Conditions help direct the flow of the workflow, determining which path or step to take next. This allows for decision-making within the process, such as bypassing certain actions or triggering additional steps based on data.
  - Example: A condition might check if the subcontract value exceeds a certain amount. If the value is over a specified limit, it may trigger an approval step. Otherwise, it might proceed without additional approvals.
Key Differences:
- Actions are the operational steps that execute specific tasks, defining what happens next in the workflow.
- Conditions guide the workflow’s direction by evaluating criteria and making decisions, determining if certain actions should be executed.
After selecting either Action or Condition, the user will be presented with options relevant to their workflow type.
- If Action is selected:
  - Selecting an action, such as "Add Approver", "Send FYI", "Send Email", or "Post", requires the user to click [Save]. This action creates a new node in the Workflow Canvas, replacing the Add Step node with the chosen action.
  - The next menu will be named after the selected action. For example, choosing "Add Approver" will open an Add Approver menu with options to define how to locate the approver:
    - Workflow Lookup: Opens a list of current workflow lookups or allows the creation of a new one.
    - Project Role: Displays a list of project roles.
    - Workflow Team: Presents options for setting up workflow teams.
    - Job Project Manager: Provides no additional options, as this is a static field in the Job Setup screen.
- If Condition is selected:
  - Selecting a condition, such as "Subcontract Over Threshold", requires the user to click [Save]. This will allow the user to either set a static threshold value or use a workflow lookup that houses the threshold value, with the option to create a new workflow lookup if needed.
As each step is added, once the user fills in all required attributes and saves, a new Add Step node will appear on the Canvas. With conditions, a branching structure is typically created. For example, if a threshold condition is used:
- Less Than Path: The condition’s less-than outcome continues vertically downward.
- Greater Than Path: An Add Step to Branch node will be added horizontally to the right of the condition node, allowing the user to define actions or conditions specific to the greater-than outcome.
Each configuration step adds to the Workflow Canvas, visually building out the process. Multiple conditions can also be configured from a single node, each with outcomes that need to be defined for the workflow to be fully validated.