Build a Workflow Notification

Learn how to configure a Workflow Notification

What's included in this article?

• What is a Workflow Notification?
• User Permissions Needed
• Steps to Configure a Workflow Notification
• Using the Custom Trigger Option
• Managing Workflow Notifications
• Tips and Tricks

What is a workflow notification?

A workflow notification is a configurable notification/email to be sent out when a certain trigger(s) or criteria are met. The trigger can be an action taken in the system by an admin, by a guardian, or by the system itself.

User Permissions Needed

Workflow notifications user permissions (found in Settings > Manage Users > User Groups > Edit) include the ability to View, Edit, and Delete workflows for any programs you have access to. Permissions to the data models supported by workflow notifications are not required.

Steps to configure a workflow notification

1. Navigate to Settings > Workflow Notifications
2. Click "Add New Notification"

3. Select which data model the notification will use:
   • Applications
   • Appeals
   • Finder
   • Registrations

4. Under Primary Settings, name your workflow notification and complete the description field.

5. In the Notification Trigger section, based on the table you have selected, a list of pre-built triggers will display to select from - or - you may build a workflow notification using a Custom Trigger of your choosing.

Example: Application pre-built triggers:

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  • Application was submitted
  • Application eligibility was updated
  • Application was withdrawn
  • Address has changed

Example: Registration pre-built triggers 

Using the Custom Trigger Option

If you select the Custom Trigger option, the rules engine will be displayed for you to identify the desired table and field that will trigger the workflow notification.

• The rules engine for Custom Triggers includes a condition to identify when an existing field value: “Has Changed”.

• Note: you may use the "Add Condition" dropdown to build a trigger that looks at more than one field (using AND / OR statements). If a single application meets a condition using an OR condition we will only trigger the notification once to prevent sending duplicate emails for each possible condition. To have each condition in your rule trigger a separate workflow email, set up each trigger as a separate workflow.

6. Select the Programs and Grades that will use this workflow notification.

• All Programs and All Grades: the workflow notification will be used by all programs and grades based on the rules configured for the workflow.
• Specific Program(s)/ Grade(s): only the defined program(s)/ grade(s) will use the workflow notification.

7. Select from the three recipient options:

• Admins
• Guardians
• Admins and Guardians

If you select Admins, or Admins and Guardians, you will also have the option to input individual email addresses (including admins inside or outside of the system). Note: individual email addresses will not use the program/grade restrictions.

If you select Guardians, note that one email will be sent to each guardian linked with the student for each application the student has submitted.

8. Select a communication template to be sent out for the workflow:

• Use the dropdown menu to choose from your existing communication templates, or
• Use the + sign to add a new communication template specifically for this workflow notification.

9. To manage the list email templates shown in the dropdown menu for workflow notifications, use the new option “Use for a Workflow” that is available in your email templates found in Settings > Content/Letters > Email/Text Templates.

1.  
   • Note: The “All School/Programs” option in your existing email templates indicates which users can EDIT the communication template. It does not apply any restrictions for the workflow notification.
   • Note: Check out this help article on links you can use in your templates!

10. Click Save Notification.

 

Managing Workflow Notifications

The following actions can be taken from the Manage Notifications table:

• View all created workflow notifications
• Filter for workflows by Name and Status (Enabled/ Disabled)
• Edit Workflows - pencil icon displayed based on user permissions
• Delete Workflows - trash can icon displayed based on user permissions
• Disable/ Enable Workflows - displayed based on Edit Workflows user permissions
• Disabled workflow notifications will be greyed out

Best Practice: Give each notification a unique name that is easily identifiable in the Manage Notifications view.

Tips and Tricks

1. When selecting the module (Applications, Appeals, Finder, or Registrations) that the workflow is to be used for, the options shown in the dropdown will be based on the modules enabled in Internal settings.
   • Appeals workflows are available when an appeals process is enabled on a form.
   • If a module is disabled, workflow notifications for that module will not be deleted. They will just be hidden. If the module is re-enabled, associated workflows will display but in a disabled status and will need to be enabled again.
2. If a program/grade is disabled, and workflow notifications exist for those programs/grades, the workflow notifications will continue to send. 
   • To disable the workflow, click the "Disable" button on the Manage Notifications screen or remove the program/ grade from the specific workflow(s).
3. Workflow notifications only require access to the workflow notification user permissions. A user does not need to have access to edit/view Applications, Appeals, and/or Finder in order to create workflows for these modules.
4. If a workflow is created and enabled after applications are submitted, if the trigger field value is changed (manually or via import) and now meets the condition to send the notification, when the application is saved with the new value, the notification will be sent.

   • Note: Workflow notifications are triggered by both the criteria being met, and a Save function happening. For example, submitting a form, an import, saving a step, saving a status, etc. Because of this, they can not be scheduled to send X amount of days before or after something takes place.

5. If a workflow notification is disabled, and changes are made to fields that would have triggered a notification, once the workflow notification is re-enabled, the system will not send out the notification. 
6. Workflow notifications rollover from one school year to another.
   • If needed, different email templates should be created for each year’s notifications since email templates are not annualized.
7. Workflow notifications can be duplicated to a specific school year. Rename the workflow and review custom triggers to ensure the fields selected are used in both years.