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Workflow Designer

The Workflow Designer is the visual editor where you build a workflow step by step. You open it for a specific workflow, and it shows the whole process as a top-to-bottom flow — from a Start cap, through each step you add, down to an End cap.

Workflow Designer canvas overview

How to open this screen​

Open it from a workflow card on the Workflow Definitions screen — click the card or its Open Designer button. The route is /configuration/workflow-designer/<id>, where <id> is the workflow you're editing.

  • Access required: the Manage Workflows permission (CONFIGURATION.WORKFLOWS).
  • If the workflow can't be found, the canvas shows "Workflow not found" with a link back to the list.

What you see on this screen​

The canvas (left)​

  • A header with the workflow's title and description, plus a back arrow to return to the list.
  • Action buttons: Edit (change the workflow's title/description/category/status), Activate (only shown when the workflow isn't already Active), and Delete.
  • The flow itself: a fixed Start cap at the top, each step rendered as a node, an + Add Step button, and a fixed End cap at the bottom.

The toolbox (right)​

A panel titled Toolbox lists the step types you can add. You can drag a type from here onto the canvas, or use the + Add Step button to add one through a dialog.

The step-type toolbox

Step types​

The toolbox offers six step types. Each has its own icon and color so the flow is easy to read:

Step typeIconUse it for
Taskcheck-squareA unit of human work — someone does something (e.g. Assign Reviewer).
Approvalthumbs-upA sign-off point where a person approves or rejects (e.g. Final Approval).
DecisiondirectionsA yes/no question that splits the flow into two branches.
RPAcogAn automated/bot action (e.g. Auto-Publish & Version Lock).
EmailenvelopeSend an email (e.g. Notify Stakeholders).
NotificationbellSend an in-app notification (e.g. Notify User of ETA).

In addition, every flow always begins with a fixed Start cap and ends with a fixed End cap. These two are shown automatically on the canvas — you don't add or remove them. (Some pre-built sample workflows also include explicit Start and End steps in their step list to mark the trigger and completion.)

Good to know: Decision steps support binary branches only — exactly one Yes path and one No path. There is no parallel or split-approval step type in this designer.

Adding a step​

You have two ways to add a step:

Drag from the toolbox

  1. Press and hold a step type in the Toolbox.
  2. Drag it onto the canvas — drop it into a "Drop here" connector slot between steps, or onto an existing node to insert it right after.
  3. The step is inserted and the Edit Step dialog opens so you can fill in its details.

Use the Add Step button

  1. Click + Add Step near the bottom of the flow.
  2. The New Step dialog opens with Task selected by default.

In the dialog, set:

  • Step Type — pick from the six types above.
  • Title (required) — what the step is called on the canvas.
  • Description (optional) — more detail about what happens.
  • Assigned Role — who is responsible (see Assignments & Routing).
  • SLA Duration and Unit — how long the step should take, in hours or days.

If the type is Decision, extra fields appear for the condition question and the two branches — see Assignments & Routing.

Click Save (or Update when editing). A "Step saved." confirmation appears.

Add / Edit Step dialog

Note: Title is required. Leaving it blank shows a "Step title is required." warning.

Reading a step node​

Each node on the canvas shows:

  • A step number (Step 1, Step 2, …) reflecting its order in the flow.
  • The step title and, if set, its description.
  • A meta line with the assigned role and the SLA (e.g. 4 hours).
  • For a Decision step: the condition question and the Yes → and No → branch destinations.

On the right of each node are quick actions: move up, move down, edit, and delete.

Reordering and removing steps​

  • Move a step with the up/down chevrons on the node, or drag the node to a new "Drop here" slot.
  • Edit a step with the pencil button.
  • Delete a step with the trash button (a "Step deleted." confirmation appears).

The Start and End caps stay fixed at the top and bottom regardless of how you reorder steps.

Activating a workflow​

When the steps are ready, click Activate in the header to make the workflow Active.

A workflow with no steps can't be activated — you'll see a "Add at least one step first" warning. Add a step, then activate.

Tips​

  • Build the happy path first (the normal sequence), then insert Decision steps where the flow needs to branch.
  • Set realistic SLAs so the process timing is documented for everyone who reads it.
  • Use RPA steps for anything automated and Email/Notification steps for keeping people informed — it keeps the human work (Task/Approval) easy to spot.

Troubleshooting​

ProblemLikely cause and fix
"Workflow not found" on the canvasThe workflow ID in the address doesn't exist (it may have been deleted). Use the link to go back to the list.
Activate button is missingThe workflow is already Active.
Can't activate the workflowIt has no steps. Add at least one step, then click Activate.
Dragging a step does nothingDrop it onto a "Drop here" slot or directly onto a node; the canvas only accepts drops in those zones.
A new step has no role or SLA showingOpen it with the pencil and set the Assigned Role and SLA fields.