Question

Multiple Documents Imported, One Workflow

Laserfiche Workflow Version 10

Updated January 25, 2018

asked on January 24, 2018

Hey everyone,

For each department in our city, I have a "Working" folder they operate out of. From this Working folder, all things workflow are handled... every document our users need to scan into or import into the repository, they do here, and based on the template selected, workflow handles the rest of that document(s) process. It works great, and is simple and intuitive for our users.

Here is my dilemma.

I've yet to figure out a way to import more than one document, in the same batch, without kicking off the SAME workflow multiple times. For example. Our PD users handle Public Records Requests. The workflow goes something like this...

Document Imported > Workflow kicks off based on Template and Location in the Repository > File is sorted, named, etc., email correspondence begins, and the file is approved by various departments from metadata.

This works great for a single file being imported. However, if I wanted to import, say, five documents, that all had the same metadata and needed to kick off a workflow ONLY ONCE, I'm unable to do that. What instead happens is that the five files imported kick off five of the same workflows, resulting in, say, five emails sent to the same user for the same Public Records Request being handled.

I've fiddled with this for a while now, without much luck. Ultimately, those files all go to the same folder, and the metadata for approval is made at the folder level, not the file level. In the meantime, while I search for a fix, I've created a workaround to make it easy for users to import the remaining files in the request easily. But this is far from streamlined as a result. Anyone know of a solution?

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replied on January 24, 2018 • Show version history

Ryan,

It sounds like you have workflow rules that trigger on new document creation in specific folders. Instead, why not modify the workflows to be a Business Processes that are triggered by workers when the batch of documents are ready to be processed? In this scenario the documents get scanned into the specific folders up until a specific point at which time the user decides to kick off the Business Process. The Business Process workflow would start off by doing a repository search of the containing folder and then step through each document and process them accordingly. The BP workflow could be modified to generate a single email for the batch of a specific template documents instead of a single email for each document. That single email can even include text stating total numbers of documents processed.

The other thought would be if the documents are not time sensitive then set the workflows up to be timed workflows instead of event driven. In other words the specific folders get processed at specific times throughout the day. In this scenario again you could send a single email for the entire batch processed.

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replied on January 24, 2018

I love the first idea you provided me, thanks Cliff! You are correct about how workflow is triggering based on my starting rule. Can you help guide me through this proposed setup of yours? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it'd look something like this...

1. User imports a batch of files, same template and fields, into the Working folder.

2. Make the Workflow a Business Process (not really sure how to do this, but I imagine I could figure it out tomorrow, my remote connection is giving me some grief tonight). I'm grateful for advice on how to do this as I've yet to use Business Processes.

3. You said, at this point, the user would kick off the Business Process. Again, how? The rest of what you said, provided it is just a Workflow at this point, makes sense to me. Basically search the Working folder and process all of those documents in a batch, generating a single email and what not for the Workflow. This would be perfect, if only I knew how to accomplish it!

Thank you! For what you've already given me, as well as any extra guidance to my questions above. I look forward to trying out this fix tomorrow regardless.

- Ryan

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replied on January 24, 2018

Here is a resource from the support site on creating a BP for a specific process. https://www.laserfiche.com/solutionexchange/how-to-create-a-basic-business-process-with-laserfiche-workflow-9-0/ It is probably way more complex than you need but might give you some ideas as well. I am sure there are many more resources out there as well.

As far as triggering BP's, that is done in the Laserfiche client. The 'Start Business Process' menu item is under the Tasks menu but I usually customize the client toolbar and put the icon up there. You can also customize your BP's to work only on folders or on specific document types.

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replied on January 25, 2018

They only question I would add to Cliff's outline would be does each user have their own folder or do multiple people from a department scan into the same folder?

Only reason I would ask this would be the case of 2 people from the same department uploading public data requests as the same time. Depending on how things are set up, could it happen that they both are using the same template and when one finishes and runs the business process would it also pick up the files the other person is scanning in?

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Multiple Documents Imported, One Workflow

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