Designing process management

Article Number:040571

Configuring your process management settings can get a little complicated.
To ensure a smooth setup, it's recommended that you understand your workflow and plan your process management before setting it up in kintone.
Try visualizing the workflow you want to set up by mapping it out on paper or using tools like PowerPoint or Excel.

As an example, the following image shows a visualization of an application-to-approval workflow. Illustration: The visualization of a workflow

Workflow

When you visualize your workflow, make sure that statuses, assignees, and actions can be easily differentiated.

  1. Define the first status and who you want the initial assignee to be.
    The initial assignee should be either unspecified or the user who created the record.
    Example:

    • Status: Before applying
    • Assignee: User in "Created by" field Illustration: The first status of a workflow is depicted in a diagram

  2. Define the next status and the next assignee.
    Example:

    • Status after action taken: Applying
    • Next assignee: Approver Illustration: A workflow diagram is updated with the details of another status

  3. Set the button name for the action that advances the first status to the next.
    Example:

    • Action: Apply Illustration: A workflow diagram is updated with the details of another status

  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as necessary for your workflow.
    Example of a workflow where a request can be sent back or passed to the next approver:
    Illustration: A workflow diagram is updated with parts for sending back and approving requests
    Example of a workflow with conditional branching:
    Illustration: A workflow diagram that branches off to different statuses depending on certain conditions

  5. Once your workflow is finished, set a button name for the final action and name the final status.
    The final status does not need an assignee.
    Example:

    • Action: Approve
    • Final status: Approved Illustration: A workflow diagram is updated with a final status

Process details

Process details should be configured for each status.
Make a list of the statuses in your workflow diagram and write down the assignees, conditions, actions, and next statuses for each status.

Workflow diagram

Illustration: A workflow diagram

Status settings

  • First status: Before applying
  • Next statuses:
    • Applying
    • Approved

Process settings

First process

  • Status: Before applying
  • Assignee: User in "Created by" field
  • Conditions: None
  • Action: Apply
  • Status after action taken: Applying

Next process

In this example, we'll configure the process for the "Applying" status.

  • Status: Applying
  • Assignee: Approver
  • Conditions: None
  • Action: Approve
  • Status after action taken: Approved

The final status has no assignee or action, so you don't need to include its details in your list.