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Question

Using Repeat Activity?

Workflow
Updated September 3, 2014
asked on September 3, 2014

 I have built a workflow for an approval process.  However, there's only a small part during one of the routing decisions that I need the ability to have the document enter a "loop".  When the Supervisor "disapproves" the document, it get's routed to a Collection Rep.  If that collection rep looks at it and makes the changes, then then Approve it, it then goes back to the Supervisor who then looks at it again.  This supervisor could disapprove it again...thus forcing the document to enter a loop until the Supervisor approves it from the Collection Rep.  I've put a screenshot of my workflow below...I can't seem to get it to work.  As soon as the Collection Rep Approves it...it disappears and doesn't route back up to the Supervisors folder.  I'm sure it's something I've got configured, but I can't tell what.

 

Thanks!!

 

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Answer

SELECTED ANSWER
replied on September 3, 2014

The only part that won't work is the path starts with condition. If you change that it should work.

One possibility is by putting a tag on it. Have the repeat condition repeat if xx tag is set. Have the Route Entry to Collection Rep activity assign xx tag, and have the Route Entry to Supervisor unassign xx tag. You could do the same thing by creating a "Repeat" token and setting it to true or false.

 

Alternatively you could remove the path condition entirely and change the status requirement to "Pending" or "Approval Required" and instead of having the Collection Rep "Approve" it they give it one of those. This has the advantage of having the workflow be really clear about what the status of the entry is, instead of being "Approved" when it is really just being approved for another approval chance. 

 

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Replies

replied on September 3, 2014

It appears that your Workflow doesn't distinguish between different types of approval. If either the Supervisor or the Collection Rep set the Action field to "Approve", they both satisfy the conditions of the loop. If you have your Collection Rep set the action to something like "Needs Approval" it should go back into the loop.

 

Let me know if that helps!

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View 1 previous reply
replied on September 3, 2014
Doesn't the fact I specify which folder it must be in in the repeat conditions make that distinguish for me?
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replied on September 3, 2014

You're right I got confused about the repeat activities. 

 

Is your route entry to the Collection Rep activity actually moving the document vs. just copying it or creating a shortcut? If that path isn't actually where the original is then the repeat won't run. Also do you have a wait condition there? Otherwise the repeat will evaluate right away and end the workflow.

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replied on September 3, 2014

It's actually just placing a shortcut there...not moving the actual document.  I do have wait conditions for both the supervisor and the collections rep.  Are you saying that by simply having a shortcut, that the repeat actually won't work?  Is there a workaround to get the repeat to occur with the shortcut?

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SELECTED ANSWER
replied on September 3, 2014

The only part that won't work is the path starts with condition. If you change that it should work.

One possibility is by putting a tag on it. Have the repeat condition repeat if xx tag is set. Have the Route Entry to Collection Rep activity assign xx tag, and have the Route Entry to Supervisor unassign xx tag. You could do the same thing by creating a "Repeat" token and setting it to true or false.

 

Alternatively you could remove the path condition entirely and change the status requirement to "Pending" or "Approval Required" and instead of having the Collection Rep "Approve" it they give it one of those. This has the advantage of having the workflow be really clear about what the status of the entry is, instead of being "Approved" when it is really just being approved for another approval chance. 

 

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replied on September 3, 2014

Hey Daryl,

 

I'm on board with Kevin here.  Creating a separate field for Collection Rep/Supervisor approvals would probably help eliminate some confusion.

 

Just to be clear, you want these activities to repeat when the action field is set to approve?  Check out these help files if you'd like a refresher on how that repeat activity works.  Perhaps I'm not understanding the full process, but it sounds like you want the activities to repeat when the action field is set to denied.

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replied on September 3, 2014

Rob,

Here's what I need.  IF the Supervisor "denies" it, then it needs to go to the Collections Rep.  However, it's when the Collections Rep "approves" again, that I need the repeat condition to occur (so that it can loop back up to the Supervisor) for the process to occur again.  I read the help files and they didn't clear things up for me in this case.  Perhaps I'm misinterpreting what the "Repeat" condition needs as I tend to think top to bottom when working with a workflow and didn't think "initiating" the Repeat process would work if I triggered it from the Supervisor "disapprove" since the document still has to go to the Collections Rep.  I removed the path as Kevin suggested and tested and it seemed to work...I need to do more testing for other possibilities as well, but seems I'm on track.

 

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replied on September 3, 2014

Awesome!  Glad to hear it.

 

After you explained it again, the approve condition makes sense.  I was thinking that the action field was being set by the supervisor, in which case, it wouldn't need to be repeated.  

 

I'm subscribed to this question, so if any other issues arise, just update this post and I'll get a notification.  Good luck!

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