Working with SmarTeam Workflow

An Introduction to SmarTeam - Workflow

SmarTeam - Workflow provides a workflow automation management solution for individual users workgroup collaboration.

Targeted specially for users of SmarTeam's collaborative Product lifecycle Management (cPLM) solutions, by utilizing SmarTeam - Workflow, SmarTeam - Web Editor users can enhance their flow of work between SmarTeam - Editor and SmarTeam - Web Editor users and groups of users throughout the global enterprise and between their supply-chain partners.

SmarTeam - Web Editor provides the following options:

Initiating a Process

IMPORTANT! You can only perform an Initiate Process operation on objects that are defined as workflow managed by the SmarTeam System Administrator.

The Initiate Process and SmartBox buttons are only displayed in the Navigation Bar when SmartBox mechanism is added to the database and the applicable SmarTeam - Workflow license is accessible by the SmarTeam - Web Editor server.

The following actions need to be performed to initiate a workflow process:

To initiate a workflow process, proceed as follows:

From the Navigation Bar, select Initiate Process to display the Process List window to initiate a floating process, not linked to any specific object.

Or

In the Projects Tree or Tree Browser, locate the object in which you want to initiate a workflow process. Click Actions and select Initiate Process to display the Process List window. (Only a single object can be selected from a tree browser. Multiple objects can be selected from the Search Results window.)

Or

In the Search Results window, check the checkbox for a single or multiple objects that you want to initiate a workflow process then click Actions and select Initiate Process to display the Process List window.

In the Process List window, expand a Process name to locate the process you want to select.

After locating the process, click on the process name to select it and display the Process Workflow Tree in the left pane and the Process Profile Card and other data cards in the right pane.

The following data cards are displayed (depending on how they are defined by the SmarTeam System Administrator):

Click on the Attached Objects card to display objects already added or to add one or more objects to the process.

Click on the Flowchart card to display the selected (default) flowchart to review and change Node details, as determined by the flowchart designer, such as:

To select a different flowchart for this process (if available), click on the Change Flowchart card.

After performing any additional operations on the process data cards, select and highlight the process in the Process Workflow Tree then select Actions, Accept to start the actual process. (If applicable, select other commands to move the process forward or backwards, as required.) Other commands depend on the workflow design and the active node, e.g., Reject to Previous, Reject to Start.

The workflow Accept window is displayed in the right pane.

The process is now moved on to the next node. A user(s) assigned to this node can open the process and start performing the designated tasks (as applicable).

In addition, your SmartBox Sent Items folder opens automatically, displaying the process just sent to the next node.

Open and View Processes in the Inbox

SmarTeam - Workflow Processes that are forwarded to you to perform a specific task are saved in your Inbox, awaiting your attention.

To open and view processes in your Inbox, proceed as follows:

In the Navigation Bar, click SmartBox to launch SmartBox and display the SmartBox Tree.

In the SmartBox Tree, click the Inbox folder to display the contents in the right pane. (The number of unread processes is displayed in parenthesis in the SmartBox Tree.)

The following information is displayed for each process in the Inbox grid:

Subject/Process - click on the link to display the process in the Workflow Tree

Body/Node - describes the Node you need to access

From - indicates which Node sent the process (Inbox folder only)

Created - displays the date when the process was first created

Received - displays the date when the process was received in your folder

Sent - displays the date when the process was sent by the previous Node in the flowchart

To open a process and view the relevant information in the Subject/Process column, click on the process name to display the Process Workflow Tree in the left pane and the Process Profile Card in the right pane. You can now view all the relevant information and perform any tasks assigned to you (if applicable).

The following data cards are displayed (depending on how they are defined by the SmarTeam System Administrator):

Profile Card: Displays attributes for the process for review or updating.

Attached Objects: Displays details about any objects that are attached to the process. Using the Attached Objects button, you can add a new object(s) to the process (if applicable).

Note: Displays any notes or comments about the process. Using the Add button, you can add your own notes to the process (if applicable).

View: Displays a view of an object selected in the Workflow Tree that is attached to the process.

Flowchart: Displays the default flowchart for the process, enabling you to view information about each Node and/or select a different flowchart for the process.

After performing any task(s) assigned to you, select a response from the Action menu to send the process to the next node, the previous node or back to the start of the process, depending on the available options.

Action Menu Command
Description
Accept
Select this option to forward the Process to the next Node when you first initiate a Process or after performing your assigned tasks (if applicable).
Capture
Available when a Process has been sent to a number of users and only one user needs to select this option to assume responsibility for tasks assigned to the Node.
Reject
Select this option to reject the Process and send it back to the previous Node.
Reject to Start
Select this option to send the Process back to the beginning to the Start Node.
Decline
Select this option when you do not want to work on the Process. The workflow supervisor is immediately notified and can reassign the Node.

The Action button may contain additional responses, depending on options defined in the workflow. For example, the current node in the workflow may have more than one connector to the next node (or nodes) or to a previous node(s). All connectors are displayed in the Action button, as applicable.

User defined as Delegator can define other users for the node. (If users were not defined for by the System Administrator, you must define at least one user to send the process forward.)

When you select Accept to send the process to the next node, the workflow Accept window is displayed in the right pane.

In the Comments box, add any comments concerning the process that you are forwarding to the next node.

Click Send Email Regarding This Process to display a new mail message window using your installed email program, enabling you to send additional comments to any addressee regarding this process. In the email message window, click Send to send your email to the addressees.

In the workflow Accept window, click Send to send the process to the next node as defined in the flowchart displayed in the Flowchart Card.

The process is now added to the next node's SmartBox Inbox from where he/she can open the process and start performing the designated tasks (as applicable).

In addition, your SmartBox Sent Items folder opens automatically, displaying the process just sent to the next node.

Handling a Process

When a process is sent to you from a previous node in the workflow, it is displayed in your SmartBox Inbox.

You can perform the following actions from your Inbox folder:

Node Details

The Node Details window displays the following fields, as defined by the workflow designer:

A list of available user(s) and/or groups that can be selected for this node when the option Select user at runtime is checked as defined by the SmarTeam System Administrator

Attach an Object to a Process

To attach one or more objects to a process, proceed as follows:

In the Workflow Tree select and highlight the process for which you want to attach an object; Data cards for the selected process are displayed in the right pane.

In the right pane, click the Attached Objects card.

From the Attached Objects menu, select one of the following options to attach an object to the selected process:

View the Flowchart Selected for a Process

To view the flowchart selected for a process, proceed as follows:

In the Workflow Tree select and highlight the process for which you want to view the flowchart; Data cards for the selected process are displayed in the right pane.

In the right pane, click the Flowchart Card to display the Flowchart and Change Flowchart sub-cards.

Click Flowchart to display the flowchart assigned to the selected process:

Select a Different Flowchart for a Process

A different flowchart (if available) can be selected for a process when you first initiate a process.

To select a different flowchart for a process:

  1. In the Workflow Tree select and highlight the process for which you want to select a different flowchart. Data cards for the selected process are displayed in the right pane.
  2. In the right pane, click the Flowchart Card to display the Flowchart and Change Flowchart sub-cards.
  3. Click Change Flowchart to display the Change Flowchart sub-card.
  4. In the Choose Flowchart field, click on the dropdown arrow to display available flowcharts and select the required flowchart.
  5. Click Submit to select the new flowchart for the process.

The new flowchart is displayed in the Flowchart Card to be used for this process.

View a File

IMPORTANT! A View card is only available for file-managed objects as defined by the SmarTeam System Administrator.

The View card enables you to use the SmarTeam - Editor Web Viewer to view a selected file in its original format, 2D or 3D, and apply redlining, notes, etc. without the need to download the file.

Note: The very first time that you click View to view a selected file in SmarTeam - Web Editor, you are prompted to download a viewer add-in component to be able to view the file using your selected Internet Browser. When prompted, click Yes to install the viewer plug-in component. (The installation operation is transparent to the user and only takes a few seconds.)

To view a file attached to an object, proceed as follows:

In the Projects Tree or Tree Browser, select and click on an object or on an object attached to a Process. All data cards for the selected object are displayed in the right pane.

In the right pane click on the View card to view the selected file. SmarTeam Web Viewer streaming technology allows you to view the file in its original format or in an alternative format as set by the SmarTeam System Administrator. You can also perform redlining operations, add notes, etc.

If preferred, click Open in Separate to view the file displayed in the View card in a separate window that can be maximized/minimized, as required.

For detailed information about viewing capabilities, in the Viewer menu select Help, About.

IMPORTANT! All redline operations should only be performed from the View card window and not from the separate window.

Performing Tasks Defined in a Process

To perform tasks assigned in a Process, proceed as follows:

  1. In the Navigation Bar, click SmartBox to launch SmartBox and display the SmartBox Tree.
  2. In the SmartBox Tree, as illustrated, click on the Inbox folder to display the contents in the right pane.
  3. Select the process from which you need to perform assigned tasks. In the Subject/Process column, click the Process name to display the Process Workflow Tree in the left pane and the Process Profile Card in the right pane.
  4. Click the Tasks sub-card to display your assigned tasks.

An assigned task can be one of three types:

A time limit may be set for completing specific tasks, which is displayed in your Inbox. If the time limit is passed without completing your task(s), a notification is automatically sent to the workflow supervisor.

After completing your assigned task(s), check the checkbox next to the specific task then from the Tasks menu select Perform Task.

The status for the selected task changes from Not Performed to Successfully Performed.

As the Process continues to other Nodes, assigned users can view whether tasks were performed in other Nodes by viewing the History card.

If a task cannot be executed, an error message is displayed.

Workflow Tree

The Workflow Tree displays a Process and any attached objects (if applicable), enabling you to perform the following operations:

SmarTeam - Workflow Terms and Concepts

SmarTeam - Workflow terms and concepts are described in the following table.

Term
Description
Connector
A Connector is the path defined in the flowchart that routes documents or objects in a Process from one Node to the next. Connectors are defined during the flowchart design.
Flowchart
A flowchart details the path that documents or objects in a Process travel through an organization, including the tasks that must be performed by users at each node.
Flowcharts are designed by the SmarTeam System Administrator, using the Flowchart Designer. After the flowchart is viable, the administrator assigns the flowchart to one or more Processes.
Nodes
A Node is the address of a user or a group of users and the tasks that must be performed by each user at that address. Nodes are defined during the flowchart design. Different attributes can be assigned to a Node, such as a time limit, level of importance, etc.
Each Node is represented by a Node icon, and the icon's visual properties can be defined, such as its shape, bitmap image, color and text:
During runtime, documents undergoing the Process are sent to the SmartBox of the users assigned for the Node. The users can view the tasks that must be performed, as well as the time limit and level of importance assigned to the Process. This can help the user work according to
Process
A specific workflow tailored to your company's work procedures, such as an ECO/ECN, ECP or Distribution Process. Process names and attributes are defined during setup by the SmarTeam System Administrator.
Each Process has a default flowchart; some Processes may have additional flowcharts.
These flowcharts are assigned to a Process using the SmarTeam Flowchart Designer.