Using workflows, you can assign other users or user groups tasks.

An integrated escalation management function allows you to track whether the set deadlines are met once a workflow is started.

The following options are available for starting workflows:

• Ad hoc workflow function
• Start workflow function

'Ad hoc workflow' function

Ad hoc workflows represent simple business processes: approvals and notifications. Ad hoc workflows are predefined in ELO.

Steps

1. Select the entry you want to start an ad hoc workflow for.

2. On the ribbon, click New > Create task > Ad hoc workflow.

3. Configure the settings for the ad hoc workflow:

Type: Here, you will see all ad hoc workflows you can choose from. Clicking a workflow selects it.

For user/group: Select the recipient(s) of the ad hoc workflow from the drop-down menu.

In the field below For user/group, you can see which recipients have already been selected. Click the X icon to remove the users.

Enter individual job instruction: In this field, you can an individual notification text for the selected user as needed. Press the ENTER key to confirm the text.

Order: To change the order of recipients in serial ad hoc workflows, click a recipient and change their position using the up and down arrows.

Expand: The Expand button enables you to view the individual members of a group. To do so, mark a group you selected and then click Expand. You can now remove members by clicking the X icon.

Escalation management: In the Escalation management dialog box, you can set escalations for ad hoc workflows. If your workflow has escalated, you will see this in your Tasks work area and on your My ELO home screen on the right-hand side under Escalated workflows. Clicking the escalated workflow in My ELO takes you to the escalated workflow in your Tasks work area.

Show members: If you selected and clicked group, you can view the group's members.

4. Click Finish on the right side of the dialog box and configure additional settings for the ad hoc workflow here:

Recipient: Use the drop-down menu in the Recipient field to select who should be notified after the ad hoc workflow is completed.

Success message: The text from this field is shown to the recipients above once the ad hoc workflow has been completed. It appears in the recipient's Tasks work area.

Cancellation message (only approval workflows): The text from this field is shown to the recipient above if the ad hoc workflow has been canceled. It appears in the recipient's Tasks work area.

Withdraw the workflow from all users as soon as one user does not approve it. (Parallel approval workflows only): If this option is enabled, all recipients must approve the workflow. Otherwise, the ad hoc workflow is canceled entirely and the task is removed from the Tasks work areas of the other selected users. In your tasks area and your home screen, you will receive the message Not approved in My ELO under My recently started workflows.

End script: If needed, you can enter the name of a script to the End script field that will be run when the ad hoc workflow is completed.

'Start workflow' function

Workflows represent recurring processes with different levels of complexity within your company tailored to your requirements.

Steps

1. Select the entry you want to start a workflow for.

2. On the ribbon, click New > Create task > Start workflow.

3. Click a workflow template to select it.

Preview: Here, you will see the individual steps of the workflow. As the workflow is already configured, you do not have to configure any additional settings.

In addition to the workflow steps, you will see the respective editor and the escalation time for the workflow step (days:minutes:seconds), if set.