States

States are the basic elements for defining a workflow. The workflow itself mirrors the business process. A workflow is made up of a number of states and the record progresses in the workflow through the state transitions which occur. States belong to a State Category.

There are pre-defined states for the in-built project types. You can add or modify the state definitions.

Adding a new state

Click on 'Work Flow Management' option on the right hand side panel.
Click on 'States'. The list of States is displayed.

To add a new state enter the 'State Name' and the 'Short State Name'. Select a 'Color' using the color picker. The color is used while displaying the bar on the left side against the record.
Select the 'State Category' to which the State belongs.
Each state has some parameters which can be configured. While there are a few parameters which are common across all states, there are other parameters which are specific and present only if the state has been inherited from one of the states which are 'Assign', 'Waiting for Approval' and 'Multi-Level Approval'. These parameters include fields which appear when a transition is done to that state. For example, when moving the state to 'Assign', the 'Department' and 'Location' fields can be displayed and which helps in filtering the user to whom the record has to be assigned. Other parameters control what functionality is possible or what is not in the new state. For example, 'Allow Escalation to Management' could be enabled or disabled in the state to which the transition is happening.
Select the 'Inherited From' if the state has to inherit the parameters of the state in the list. If not, do not select. By default all states have certain default parameters which are described in a later section.
The parameter values can be edited only after the state is added. After the state appears in the listing, click on to customize the parameter values. Refer to Service Desk->Settings->Work Flow Management->States->Customizing Fields for details of the parameters.
You can select a state to be a Start state indicating that the state is the first state in the workflow. Select the state and click on 'Start State'.
You can select a state to be an End state indicating that the state is the last state in the workflow. Select the state and click on 'End State'.
Click on 'Add'. The added state appears under 'States to be added'. The state will be added upon saving the changes.
If you want to delete any state, click on icon against the state. The state is moved under 'Pending states to delete'. The state will be deleted upon saving the changes.

Note: If the states have the name as Assign, Waiting for Approval and Multi-Level Approval, then they automatically inherit the attributes of these states and 'Inherited From' need not be explicitly specified.

Customizing Fields

The custom fields vary depending on which state the new state is inherited. The custom fields for each of the states which can be inherited are described in the sections below.

Any State without inheritance (Default)

To customize the parameter values for a state click on icon against the state. The parameter values are displayed.

The parameters are described in the table below. Fields will appear during the state transition, if they are enabled by setting the 'Is Visible' option. Fields can be made mandatory during state transition by setting the 'Is Mandatory' option.

Serial No	Parameter Name	Description
1	Workgroup	If enabled, allows selection of the Workgroup while changing state.
2	Comment	Allow entry of a comment while changing the state.
3	Consider for Functional Escalation	This setting is deprecated.
4	Allow escalate to Management	If enabled, allows escalation to management in this state. Refer to Service Desk->Service Desk Common Features->Escalate to Management for details on using this feature.
5	Allow Cancel Record	If enabled, allows the record to be cancelled in the state.
6	Allow Attachments in Email communication	If enabled, allows attachments while sending E-mails.
7	Allow Child Record Submission	If enabled, allows child records to be submitted in the state.
8	Allow Enclosure Template	If enabled, allows templates to be used in enclosures in the state.

After completing the settings, click on 'Update'.

Assign State

To customize the parameter values for a state click on icon against the state. The parameter values are displayed.

The parameters are described in the table below. The fields will appear during the state transition, if they are enabled by setting the 'Is Visible' option. Fields can be made mandatory to enter during state transition by setting the 'Is Mandatory' option.

Serial No	Parameter Name	Description
1	Location	Select the Location for filtering users for assignment of the record.
2	Department	Select the Location for filtering users for assignment of the record.
3	Filter By	Filter By gives an option of choosing 'All Technicians' or 'Available Technicians' which are those having a Technician role and signed-in.
4	Role	Select the Role for filtering users for assignment of the record.
5	Specializations	Select the Specialization for filtering users for assignment of the record.
6	Workgroup Filter	Select the Workgroup for filtering users for assignment of the record.
7	User ID	Allow selection of the user for assignment of the record.
8	Comment	Allow entry of a comment while changing the state.
9	Consider for Functional Escalation	This setting is deprecated.
10	Allow escalate to Management	If enabled, allows escalation to management in this state. Refer to Service Desk->Service Desk Common Features->Escalate to Management for details on using this feature.
11	Allow Cancel Record	If enabled, allows the record to be cancelled in the state.
12	Allow Attachments in Email communication	If enabled, allows attachments while sending E-mails.
13	Allow Child Record Submission	If enabled, allows child records to be submitted in the state.
14	Allow Enclosure Template	If enabled, allows templates to be used in enclosures in the state.
15	Roles to display in filter	Select the roles which should appear in the drop down for role selection during assignment.
16	Default Filter By	Default option which appears in 'Filter By' field.

After completing the settings, click on 'Update'.

Waiting for Approval

To customize the parameter values for a state click on icon against the state. The parameter values are displayed.

The parameters are described in the table below. The fields will appear during the state transition, if they are enabled by setting the 'Is Visible' option. Fields can be made mandatory to enter during state transition by setting the 'Is Mandatory' option.

Serial No	Parameter Name	Description
1	Role	Select the Role for filtering users for approving the record.
2	Location	Select the Location for filtering users for approving the record.
3	Department	Select the Location for filtering users for approving the record.
3	Filter By	Filter By if enabled gives an option of choosing 'All Technicians' or 'Available Technicians' which are those having a Technician role and signed-in.
5	Specializations	Select the Specialization for filtering users for approval of the record.
6	Workgroup Filter	Select the Workgroup for filtering users for approval of the record.
7	App ID	Allow selection of the user for approval of the record.
8	Comment	Allow entry of a comment while changing the state.
9	Consider for Functional Escalation	This setting is deprecated.
10	Allow escalate to Management	If enabled, allows escalation to management in this state. Refer to Service Desk->Service Desk Common Features->Escalate to Management for details on using this feature.
11	Allow Cancel Record	If enabled, allows the record to be cancelled in the state.
12	Allow Attachments in Email communication	If enabled, allows attachments while sending E-mails.
13	Allow Child Record Submission	If enabled, allows child records to be submitted in the state.
14	Allow Enclosure Template	If enabled, allows templates to be used in enclosures in the state.
15	Roles to display in filter	Select the roles which should appear in the drop down for role selection during approval.
16	Default Filter By	Default option which appears in 'Filter By' field.

After completing the settings, click on 'Update'.

Multi Level Approval

To customize the parameter values for a state click on icon against the state. The parameter values are displayed.

The parameters are described in the table below. The fields will appear during the state transition, if they are enabled by setting the 'Is Visible' option. Fields can be made mandatory to enter during state transition by setting the 'Is Mandatory' option.

Serial No	Parameter Name	Description
1	Comment	Allow entry of a comment while approving or rejecting the record.
2	Approval Type	Select 'Sequential' or 'Parallel'. In the case of Sequential approval, when there are multiple approvals, the record is presented in sequence to each approving manager. In the case of Parallel approvals, the record is presented to all approving managers simultaneously and approving managers can approve in any order.
3	No of Approvals	Enter the number of approvals.
4	Override at State Transition	Set this option if the number of approvals set needs to be overwritten while changing state. If set, the number of approvals and the approving managers can be changed while changing state.
	App Manager	As many blocks as the number of approvals will appear.
5	Roles	Select the roles from which the approval managers have to be selected.
6	Users	Select the users from which the approval managers have to be selected.
7	Caption	This is the label which appears to select the approval manager while changing the state. By default, the label is 'Select Approval Manager'.
8	Approve Label	The label which appears in the Approval Info field against the approval manager if the record is Approved.
9	Reject Label	The label which appears in the Approval Info field against the approval manager if the record is Rejected.
10	Is Editable	If selected, allows the Approval Manager to be changed while changing the state.
11	Minimum Approvals	The number of approvals required at the minimum before the record can proceed in the workflow. Refer Configuring Minimum Approvals and Rejections for details.
12	Minimum Rejections	The number of rejections required at the minimum before the record can proceed in the workflow. Refer Configuring Minimum Approvals and Rejections for details.
13	On Approval	Select one or more states to which the record can move if it is Approved.
14	On Reject	Select one or more states to which the record can move if it is Rejected.
	Automatic State Change	You can automatically have the record change state on approval or rejection
15	On Approval	Select this if the record has to be moved automatically to the next state on approval. Select the 'Move to State' which is the next state.
16	On Reject	Select this if the record has to be moved automatically to the next state on rejection. Select the 'Move to State' which is the next state.
17	Consider for Functional Escalation	This setting is deprecated.
18	Allow escalate to Management	If enabled, allows escalation to management in this state. Refer to Service Desk->Service Desk Common Features->Escalate to Management for details on using this feature.
19	Allow Cancel Record	If enabled, allows the record to be cancelled in the state.
20	Allow Attachments in Email communication	If enabled, allows attachments while sending E-mails.
21	Allow Child Record Submission	If enabled, allows child records to be submitted in the state.
22	Allow Enclosure Template	If enabled, allows templates to be used in enclosures in the state.

After completing the settings, click on 'Update'.

Configuring Minimum Approvals and Rejections

The logic for the Minimum Approvals and Rejections works as follows especially in the scenario when both are configured with the same number.
Once an approval or rejection happens, then the following algorithm is applied:

If the Rejections done are greater than or equal to the Minimum Rejections, then the record is rejected.
If the Approval done are greater than or equal to the Minimum Approvals, then the record is approved.
If the Total Approvals less the Approvals done added with the Approvals Pending is less than the Minimum Approvals, the record is rejected.