Workflow Response(s) Tab
The details in the Responses tab are used in conjunction with the Waiting Date definition on the Action tab to provide a means of linking actions together therefore creating chain of actions performed in sequence and in response to outcomes of previous actions. In other words, this screen defines "what happens next".
You'll need to Save your new Action before you can create Responses.
The screen shows a list of all the current further actions and has buttons New, Edit, Delete and View to amend these details. Selecting New will open a new window to enter the details of the next action.
Next Action
The next action to be performed is entered here and can be selected from a list by using the browse button to display a list of all available actions and double clicking the one required.
If A Waiting Period Has Not Been Defined
Use This Response When The Action Has Been Performed?
If no waiting date has been defined on the Action tab then this prompt will be shown.
If the actions sequence is a simple "one after another" chain then this flag should be set to Yes.
For example, if the first action is an email to the employee and the second is an email of the same information to their line manager and the emails are required to be sent simultaneously, then this flag should be checked on. Immediately after the first email is sent the second will be sent.
However, there may be times when an alternative action to the primary action may be required in order to utilise the Intervene option in the Workflow Workbench. These should be entered here and the flag checked off. This means that these actions would only ever be performed if the user has intervened or stopped the first action and selected one of these instead via the Workflow Workbench. Note that this form of intervention will also only work if the primary action is performed by the Workflow Workbench.
For example, suppose the entry of a new absence record triggers the action of sending an email to an employee to remind them to provide sickness certification. This email is not sent immediately but waits in the workbench until someone from personnel actually sends it. In the meantime the employee provides the required sickness certification.
The workbench can now be used to Intervene and cancel the original email and if a Next Action has been set up to “change the absence certified flag to Y” this can be used instead.
If A Waiting Period Has Been Defined
Use this response when the waiting period has expired
This would be checked on if the waiting period after the first action has been completed but the response to it is not resolved therefore the next action should be taken. This sort of chain of actions could be used as a reminder system.
Or if the requirements of the action have been resolved
This would be checked on if the action being entered was to one which was to be performed when the first action is successfully resolved.
For Example,
Suppose when an employee is absent due to sickness the HR department emails them to ask for certification within 7 days. If the certification is received this is noted against the absence record. If it is not, their line manager is emailed to ask for the certification. If still not received within 7 days an official letter requesting it is sent to their home address … and so on.
The first action in this example would be to Email the employee to reminder them to provide their certification. The Waiting Date on this record would define how long the Workflow Workbench is to waiting until it performs the next action. Two Next Actions would be defined; "email the line manager" and this would be checked to "use this reponse when the waiting period has expired" and "set absence certified flag" and this would have the "or if the requirements of the action have been resolved" set.
