Work Flow

Work Flow

Please note that if you make any changes to a work flow and want to see them appear, you must logout and log back in to see the changes within Orders/Troubles.

Adding a New Work Flow

1. Click the System Admin
2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Work Flow Setup to access the sub-menus.
3. Click Work Flows.
4. There are two ways to add a work flow:

• • Within the tool bar directly above the Navigation pane, click the dropdown arrow next to New. From the list, select Work Flows.
  • Within the Actions pane, click the Add Work Flow

5. The General – Work Flow window opens. There are 5 information panes:

• • Work Flow Information – allows you to enter in basic workflow information, for example, whether it is for trouble tickets, workflow name, etc.
  • Custom Fields – lists the custom field(s) created within your database. Associate these fields to any portion of the workflow.
  • Work Centers – lists the work centers created within your database.
  • Work Templates – create and associate templates with various workflows. For example, you can create a template for a new telephone install that includes the Subscriber and Set Device components. You can then use the template for workflows at different sites within your database.
  • Work Flow Setup – within this pane you create the actual workflow by dragging and dropping information from the other panes.

6. In the Work Flow Information pane, complete the following fields (required fields are marked with an asterisk (*):

• • Work Flow Name* – type-in the workflow name. The name should be as specific as possible, for example, Add Analog Set.
  • Disabled – this field remains empty until you click the field to insert a checkmark indicating the workflow is disabled and cannot be used throughout the system.
  • Is Trouble Work Flow – this field remains empty until you click the field to insert a checkmark indicating the workflow is for Trouble Tickets use only.
  • Days to Completion* – type-in the number of days required for a user to complete this work order.

!  The only difference between a work flow for a work order and a trouble ticket, is checking the above box.  This separates your work flow, so when you access work orders you will only see the work flows that are indicated as work orders.  Alternately, when you access trouble tickets, you will only see the work flows indicated as trouble tickets.

7. Within the Actions ribbon group, click the Save This saves your changes and leaves you on the General – Work Flow window.
8. The next step is to add a Work Center into the Work Flow. Within the Work Centers pane, click on the record selector box next to the name to highlight the work center, while holding down the button on your mouse, drag and drop the work center into the Work Flow Setup
9. Once you have added the work center at least one work center, a 1 populates within the time frame field and a new time frame position is created within the grid.
10. Click on the plus sign (+) next to the timeframe to view the work center you just added.

! A timeframe provides a sequence of work center completion. For instance, if you have 3 time frames, the work centers in time frame 1 need to be completed before the work flow can be sent to time frame 2, and so on.

11. At this point, you can continue to drag and drop work centers. If you want to add a work center to time frame 2, click on the record selector box next to the name to highlight the work center, while holding down the button on your mouse, drag and drop the work center to directly below the solid gray line. Once you add the work center, a 2 populates in the field and a new frame position is created within the grid.
12. For each work center, there is the Optional Step column, this field remains empty until you click on the field to insert a checkmark in the box. A checkmark indicates the work center is optional and does not need a user to complete any fields before sending the work order to the next work center.
13. At this point it is a good idea to save your progress, within the Actions ribbon group, click the Save button to save your changes and allow you to continue working with the workflow.
14. Next to each Work Center Name is a plus sign (+), click on the plus to start to add your data components. A data component is Defines what you are adding, moving or changing for this work flow,  There are seven data components:

• • Set Device – manipulates analog or digital set device information
  • Circuit – manipulates circuit information
  • Subscriber – manipulates subscriber information
  • Account – manipulates both official and/or unofficial account information
  • Cell Phone – manipulates cell phone information
  • Auth Code – manipulates authorization code information
  • General – allows you to perform general tasks that do not apply to any other data component.

! It is possible for one work order to contain all the data components; however, it is less confusing if you assign only the components relevant to the work flow you’re designing. For example, if you are creating a circuit installation workflow, the circuit, billing account, and physical work completed components should be the only components assigned to a work center.

15. To add a data component to a work center, click the dropdown arrow within the data component field to access a list and from the list, select one of the above components. Once you click the arrow, a new row becomes available allowing you to add more components.
16. For each data component, there is the Required column, this field remains empty until you click on the field to insert a checkmark in the box. A checkmark indicates the user must complete the required data component fields before sending the work order to the next work center.
17. Continue to add data components by clicking the dropdown arrow in the new row.
18. Again, it is a good idea to save your progress, within the Actions ribbon group, click the Save button to save your changes and allow you to continue working with the work flow.
19. Next, you can add custom fields to each work center. There are two ways to add custom fields to a work center:

• • Within the Custom Field pane click on the record selector box next to the name to highlight the Custom Field, while holding down the button on your mouse, drag and drop it into the correct position within the Work Flow Setup
  • (Recommended) Click the dropdown arrow in the Field Name column and select the custom field. Once selected the field appears in the column and a new blank line appears allowing you to add multiple fields.

20. Next to each Custom Field, there is the Required column that remains empty until you click the field to insert a checkmark in the box. A checkmark indicates that the user must complete the field before sending the work order to the next work center.
21. Once you have added your work centers, data components and custom field, you have completed the work flow. Within the Actions ribbon group, click Save (to save and stay) or click Save & Close (to save and exit).
22. Within the Work Flows list, your new work order appears, to view the complete click the each plus sign (+) next to the name.

Disabling a Work Flow

CAIRS requires that you disable a work order before deleting it. This ensures all open work orders are closed before you delete the workflow from your database.

1. Click the System Admin
2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Work Flow Setup to access the sub-menus.
3. Click Work Flows.
4. Within the Work Flow list, click the name of the work flow to disable.
5. There are two ways to disable a work flow:

• • Within the Actions pane, click the Disable Work Flow A message appears verifying that you really want to disable the workflow. Click Yes to continue or No to cancel.
  • Double click the Work Flow within the list. The Work Flow window opens. Within the Work Flow Information pane, checkmark the box in the Disabled

6. Within the Actions ribbon group, click the Save & Close button to return to the Work Flow
7. A message appears verifying that you really want to disable the workflow. Click Yes to the message.

Enable a Work Flow

1. Click the System Admin
2. In the Navigation pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Work Flow Setup to access the sub-menus.
3. Click the Disabled Work Flow
4. Within the Work Flow list, click the name of the workflow to enable.
5. There are two ways to enable a work flow:

• • Within the Actions Pane, click the Enable Work Flow
  • Double click the Work Flow within the list. The Work Flow window opens. From within the Work Flow Information pane, uncheck the box in the Disabled

6. The workflow is removed from this list and returned to the active workflows.

Viewing Existing Work Flows

When you click on System Adminà Work Flow Setupà Work Flows, a list of existing workflows appears on the right hand side of the main menu. By clicking the plus sign (+) next to the workflow name the time frames within the work order appear. You can go one-step further by clicking the plus sign (+) next to the time frame to see the work centers within that time frame. The last step is clicking the plus sign (+) next to the work center name and displaying the data component assigned to the work center.