Create New Workflow in Dynamics Ax 2009 - Steps

Create a Workflow

The following steps are used to create and configure a workflow:

• Select a template and name the workflow
• Specify the workflow owner
• Enter instructions for users
• Specify when the workflow is used
• Configure the elements of the workflow
• Configure a task
• Configure an approval process
• Configure a subworkflow process
• Specify when notifications are sent
• Specify whether the workflow is a default workflow
• Enable the workflow

Procedure: Select a Template and Name the Workflow

To select a template, follow these steps:

1. In the module where the workflow will be created, click Setup > Workflow configurations.
2. On the Workflow configuration form, click New.
3. The Create configuration: Select a template form is displayed. Select the template that the new workflow will be based on. Click Create configuration.
4. The Workflow: <Workflow Name> form is displayed. Click the General tab.
5. In the Name field, enter a unique name for the workflow.

For example, suppose that a user is creating a purchase requisition workflow for the country/region in which they operate. If the user is operating in Denmark, name the workflow, Purchase Requisitions Denmark. If the user is operating in Spain, name the workflow, Purchase Requisitions Spain.

Procedure: Specify the Workflow Owner

The workflow owner is the person who will manage and maintain this workflow. To specify the workflow owner, follow these steps.

1.       In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the General tab.

2.    From the Owner list, select the name of the person who will manage this workflow.

Procedure: Enter Instructions for Users

Instructions can be provided to the users of the workflow. For example, for the purchase requisition workflow, use these steps to create the instructions for the users who will be submitting purchase requisitions for processing and approval in the Purchase requisitions form.

It is also possible to insert placeholders in the instructions that will be replaced with the appropriate data when the instructions are displayed to users.

1. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the General tab.
2. Click Create instruction and the Edit message form is displayed.
3. In the Languages configured list, select the language that will be used to enter instructions.
4. In the Message text box, enter the instructions.
5. To customize the instructions, insert placeholders. Appropriate data will replace the placeholders when they are displayed to users. To insert a placeholder:
1. Click in the message text to specify where the placeholder will be displayed.
2. From the Available placeholders list, select the placeholder to be inserted.
3. Click Insert.
6. Complete steps 3-4 for each language in the Languages configured list. If instructions are not entered for one of the languages listed — and a user has configured the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to use that language — the user will see the instructions in the default language.

Click OK and the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form is displayed.

Procedure: Specify When to use a Workflow

To specify when to use a workflow, follow these steps:

1. Multiple workflows can be created that are based on the same template. When multiple workflows are created based on the same template, specify when each workflow should be used. For example, if the workflow is specifically for use in Denmark, specify the condition: Purchase Requisitions Denmark is only for use in Denmark. If the workflow must be used in Spain, specify the condition: Purchase Requisitions Spain is only for use in Spain.
2. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the General tab.
3. Expand the Set condition for use area.
4. Click Add condition.
5. Enter a condition.
6. Enter additional conditions, if it is necessary.
7. To verify that the conditions entered are set correctly, click Test condition, and the Workflow condition editor form is displayed.
8. Select a record in the Validate condition area of the form. Click Test.
9. The system will evaluate the record to determine whether it meets the conditions specified. For example, when a purchase requisition workflow is created for Spain the Validate condition area of the form will display a list of purchase requisitions. When Test is selected, the system will evaluate the selected purchase requisition to determine whether country/region is ES.
10. Click OK and the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form is displayed.

Procedure: Configure Workflow Elements

Depending on the workflow template that is used, a workflow may have tasks and approval processes already added to it. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the Details tab to configure the elements of a workflow, and to add new elements.

Configure a Task

To add a task to a workflow, a Microsoft Dynamics AX developer must first create the task. Information on how to create a task is included in the Microsoft Dynamics AX developer documentation (Help > Developer Help).

After a developer has created a task, add it to a workflow.

1. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the Details tab.
2. Click the top node in the Workflow elements box.
3. Click Add and then select the task to add. The task will be added to the tree view. The task can be moved up or down, as necessary.
4. Click the Overview tab.

In the Task name field, enter a unique name for the task.

Procedure: Configure an Approval Process

Many of the steps for configuring an approval process is the same as creating a workflow task.

1. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name> form, click the Details tab.
2. Click the top node in the Workflow elements box.
3. Click Add and then select the approval process to add. The approval process will be added to the tree view. The approval process can be moved up or down, as necessary.
4. Name the approval process.
5. Set a time limit.
6. Indicate if the system should automatically act on a document.
7. Specify when notifications should be sent.

Specify the Final Approver

If there is only one approver in this approval process, it would be wise to designate a final approver. The final approver will be required to approve documents submitted by the approver.

1. Click the Advanced tab.
2. Select the Require final approver check box.
3. From the list, select the user who will be the final approver.

Specify Available Actions for the Approver

When a document is assigned to a user for approval, the user must act on the document. Select which actions are available to users.Click the Advanced tab and choose one of the following options:Select theApprove check box to enable users to approve documents.

• Select the Reject check box to enable users to reject documents.
• Select the Request change check box to enable users to request changes to documents.

Select the Delegate check box to enable users to assign documents to other users for approval.

Procedure: Specify when Notifications are Sent

Notifications can be sent to people when a workflow task is completed, delegated, escalated, or when a change is requested.

1. Click the Notification tab.
2. Select the check box next to an event:

• Complete: Select this check box to send notifications when this task is completed.
• Delegate: Select this check box to send notifications when this task is assigned to another user.
• Escalate: Select this check box to send notifications when the assigned user does not finish the task.
• Request change: Select this check box to send notifications when the assigned user has requested a change to the document that was submitted.
• Started: Select this check box to send notifications when a workflow instance has started.
• Stopped (error): Select this check box to send notifications when a workflow instance has stopped because of an error.
• Canceling: Select this check box to send notifications when a workflow instance is canceled.
• Stopped (unrecoverable): Select this check box to send notifications when a workflow instance has stopped because of an unrecoverable error.

Procedure: Specify a Default Workflow

When there are multiple workflows based on the same template, specify which workflow is the default. Documents that do not meet any of the conditions specified will be processed by the default workflow.

For example, suppose that a new employee from Norway submits a purchase requisition for approval. Continuing with the previous example, the purchase requisition does not meet any of the workflow conditions. In this scenario, the purchase requisition would be processed by the workflow specified as the default workflow.

1. In the Workflow configuration form, click the Overview tab.
2. Select the workflow that will be the default.

Click the Set as default button.

Procedure: Viewing Workflow Status

To view the status and history of a workflow instance, follow these steps.

1. Open the Workflow history form (Basic > Inquiries > Workflow history).
2. To filter the list of workflow instances that are displayed in the form, select a workflow status.
1. All: All workflow instances are listed.
2. Pending: Workflow instances that are currently processing are listed.
3. Completed: Workflow instances that have completed the required processing are listed.
4. Canceled: Workflow instances that were canceled are listed.
5. Stopped (Error): Workflow instances that have stopped because of an error are listed.
6. Unrecoverable: Workflow instances that have stopped because of an unrecoverable error are listed.
3. Select a workflow instance. Details about the workflow instance are displayed on the tabs in the bottom of the form.
1. Overview tab: This tab displays the status of the workflow instance and indicates where the submitted document is at in the workflow.
2. Work items tab: Use this tab to assign a task or approval step to another user.

Tracking details tab: Displays the history of this workflow instance.

Procedure: Cancel a Workflow Instance

To stop a workflow instance, follow these steps.

1. Open the Workflow history form (Basic > Inquiries > Workflow history).
2. From the Filter by status list, select one of the following statuses.
1. Pending: Workflow instances that are currently processing are listed.
2. Stopped (Error): Workflow instances that have stopped because of an error are listed.

Select the workflow instance to stop, and then click Cancel.

Procedure: Resume a Workflow Instance

To resume processing of a workflow instance that was stopped because of an error, follow these steps.Open the Workflow history form (Basic > Inquiries > Workflow history).

1. From the Filter by status list, select Stopped (Error). Workflow instances that were stopped because of an error are listed in the form.

Select the workflow instance to restart, and then click Resume.