The workflow process

Workflows are not enforced by Axiom Software until they are started. When you first create a workflow, its status is Inactive.

When a workflow is started, Scheduler system jobs are used to create the initial workflow tasks. These jobs are managed by the System.WorkflowInitiation Event Handler, and can be viewed in the Scheduler dialog. The workflow status changes to Pending while the system jobs are processed. Once the jobs are complete, the workflow status becomes Active.

Once the workflow is active, users with current workflow tasks will see the Workflow pane when they log into the system.

If the plan file is in an edit stage, the owner can edit the plan file, and then submit it. The plan file is moved to the next stage in the workflow.
If the plan file is in a review stage, the owner can review the plan file, and either approve it (which moves it to the next stage), or reject it (which moves it back to the prior stage). The owner may also be able to edit the file before approving or rejecting, depending on the stage settings and the user's Security settings.

When a plan file is submitted, approved, or rejected, a Scheduler system job is used to move the plan file to the appropriate stage and create the task for the stage owner. These system jobs are managed by the System.WorkflowUpdate Event Handler, and can be viewed in the Scheduler dialog. The new stage owner can now see the new workflow task in their Workflow pane.

Throughout the process, administrators can use the Workflow Manager to view the status of plan files, and to make adjustments. Administrators can change stage owners, and manually move plan files to different stages. If a plan file needs attention, its status is changed to Stalled. The administrator can investigate the issue and make adjustments as necessary to get the file back on track. For example, the plan file may have been assigned a stage owner that is no longer active in the system. The administrator can assign a new owner and return the plan file to the workflow process.

Once the task is completed for a plan file's final stage, its status is set to Completed. At this point the plan file is no longer assigned to any stage or owner.

For standard file groups, once all plan files are completed, the status of the workflow is set to Completed. At this point the workflow is essentially inactive. For on-demand file groups, the workflow is never automatically completed because new plan files could be added at any time. If you are finished with an on-demand workflow, you must manually stop it.

If a workflow is stopped before it is completed, than all tasks are deleted and all stage information is reset. If you restart the workflow, it will start over from the first stage.