{"id":185,"date":"2005-04-15T01:23:00","date_gmt":"2005-04-15T09:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/?p=185"},"modified":"2005-12-02T21:42:39","modified_gmt":"2005-12-02T21:42:39","slug":"a-primer-on-workflow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/?p=185","title":{"rendered":"A primer on workflow"},"content":{"rendered":"
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So what is workflow? <\/span>Well obviously the first thing that comes to mind are the simple messages that we get when a database event happens. <\/span>However, I\u2019d like to take some time and expand on what this means, and what the possibilities are. <\/span>In HR, workflow is HUGE because of the interactions with large numbers of managers (approving timesheets, performance evals, merit increases) and large number of employees making data changes (in employee self service). <\/span>While all this automation is wonderful and efficient, you need structure around it.<\/p>\n

First of all, the obvious benefit of workflow is the elimination of manual paper handling and routing. <\/span>In the database, the database agents manage all of these processes and data flows. <\/span>The major pitfall (although also a benefit) is that your HR department and the organization\u2019s managers are not going to have to abide by the workflow rules. <\/span>While you can program a workflow to be somewhat flexible (if X, do this, if Y, do that), one of the points of workflow is your ability to standardize processes. <\/span>In HR we know how important it is to treat similar events in similar manners. <\/span>Other business groups may need more flexibility.<\/p>\n

So lets talk workflow types. <\/span>There are basically a couple of types I should mention. <\/span>The first is a simple trigger event. <\/span>For example, if Joe hires a new employee, the workflow automatically sends messages out to IT to get a new computer installed. <\/span>The second type of workflow is a database agent that has no event. <\/span>In this case, the agent is looking for data that matches your criteria. <\/span>For example, you want to be alerted anytime Joe\u2019s licenses are within 90 days of expiration. <\/span>The database scans nightly and alerts you when the conditions match the program request.<\/p>\n

OK \u2013 so what happens next? <\/span>When a workflow is triggered by one of the above conditions, the workflow either sends an e-mail, or puts an action item on some sort of work list for you. <\/span>These items go out to anyone or multiple people based on your design. <\/span>You may also want to include approval levels for things like performance reviews. <\/span>Perhaps a VP must approve all reviews before people get their raise. <\/span>Eventually, there is an ending action where the workflow closes and you can wipe your hand clean of the event.<\/p>\n

In the last few years, a new type of workflow has appeared. <\/span>Due to the advent of enterprise portals, your employees may be interacting with data outside of the home database. <\/span>So supply chain is notifying vendors that you need more widgets, and managers give employees raises in the 3rd<\/sup> party portal rather than the ESS system delivered with your HRMS. <\/span>This means that an external workflow engine is processing data and routing work and approvals and your HRIS administrator no longer has control over this. <\/span>As an enterprise portal, your IT department is managing these interactions, and you have lost track. <\/span>Even worse, you might need an event triggered from your HRMS (license expiration) to trigger a workflow in your enterprise portal (manager notification and action). <\/span>Once it\u2019s done, the portal sends messaging back to close your original HRMS workflow. <\/span>This is all very confusing, but the technology exists today to automate not only the employee interactions, but the data interactions between disparate systems.<\/p>\n

Just keep in mind that your end result of less manual intervention and the streamlining and procedurization of process is for the better. <\/span>As people talk about outsourcing to vendors, we can also talk about \u201coutsourcing\u201d to systems to make us more efficient. <\/span>If you want to know more, here\u2019s a great whitepaper from Lawson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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So what is workflow? Well obviously the first thing that comes to mind are the simple messages that we get when a database event happens. However, I\u2019d like to take some time and expand on what this means, and what…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-data-metrics","category-hr-technology","category-hrms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/systematichr.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}