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Guide for Using Workflow Reference Step
Guide for Using Workflow Reference Step
Alex Merkin avatar
Written by Alex Merkin
Updated over a week ago

Reference Steps in workflows allow you to link between different workflows in the system, even if they are managed by different departments within the organization. This integration enables operational flexibility while maintaining a consistent and efficient workflow. This guide provides professional instructions on creating a referral stage, how to use it, and guidelines for permitted and prohibited actions when working with this type of stage.

Creating a Workflow Reference Step

  1. Edit Mode: To create a Reference Step, enter the workflow’s edit mode.

  2. Adding a Reference Step: Locate the three-dot menu and select “Add Workflow Reference Step.”

  3. New Step: A new blue-colored step, representing the Reference Step, will now be added.

  4. Editing the Reference Step: Click on the step to open the edit menu, where you can select the workflow process to which the step will refer.

Linked Workflows Menu

Once you have selected the target process, a new menu will appear on the right, displaying all Workflows linked to the current workflow:

  • You can view the published version of the linked workflow.

  • If there is a draft version, it will also be displayed in this menu.

  • Clicking on the workflow name will open it in a new editing window, allowing for modifications if necessary.

Version Management

When updating a workflow that is referenced by other workflows:

  • The system will prompt you to update the primary workflows where it is integrated.

  • A main workflow’s version update, resulting from changes in one of the referral workflows, will be marked as a “sub-version” with an additional decimal number. For example, version 4 of a primary workflow updated due to a change in a referral workflow will become version 4.1.

Permitted and Prohibited Actions

There are a few critical guidelines to follow when using Reference Step:

  1. Show/Hide Logic: Do not use Show/Hide logic on a Reference Step that links to a process containing Show/Hide logic. This action may interfere with process integrity and is therefore unsupported.

  2. Splits: It is not possible to link to a process that contains splits. Including such a process within a referral stage can create complexities in the workflow and disrupt its proper flow.

  3. Conditional Connections: It is not possible to link to a process that includes conditional connections. These conditions on connections may affect the behavior of the main workflow and are therefore not supported in Reference Step.

Quick guidde

1. Start in workflow’s edit mode

To create a Reference Step, enter the workflow’s edit mode.

Introduction

2. Locate the three-dot menu

Locate the three-dot menu

3. Click "Add Workflow Reference Step"

Select "Add Workflow Reference Step" option

Click 'Add Workflow Reference Step'

4. Click on the step to open the edit menu

Click on the step to open the edit menu

5. Click to open Dropdown list

Click to open Dropdown list

6. Select reference workflow

Select to proceed

Select reference workflow

This guide covers the necessary steps in Nextplus for adding a reference step

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