MDO Enterprise Data Platform / Business Administration / Workflows / Examples of Workflow

Examples of Workflow

MDO supports several types of workflows: 

  1. Parallel Workflows 
  2. Determination Workflows 
  3. Decision Workflows 

 

Example 1 – Parallel Workflows 

Parallel workflows are when a workflow step goes to more than one user/role at the same time for approval. 

Scenario:  

Step 1: Requester is creating a new material.  

Step 2: The material must go to the following roles: 

    •  Maintenance Manager where they can enter maintenance details. 
    •  Warehouse Manager to fill Warehouse Management System (WMS) details. 
    •  Procurement Manager to manage supplier contracts. 

Step 3: The material goes for final approval. 

Solution:

Assign all the users/roles to those involved in the second workflow step (Step 2 above). 

 

Example 2 – Determination Workflows 

Determination workflows are used to determine which step of the approval process a record should go to. This is based on the values entered for a field(s). 

Scenario:  

Step 1: Requester is creating a new material. 

If the material type is ‘Spare Parts’, the process continues to Step 2. All other material types will go directly to Step 3. 

Step 2: When the material type is ‘Spare Parts’ the material must go to the following roles: 

    • Maintenance Manager where can fill maintenance details. 
    • Warehouse Manager to fill WMS details. 
    • Procurement Manager to manage supplier contracts. 

Step 3: The material goes for final approval.  

Solution:

  • Configure material type as the workflow reference field. 
  • Create second step as a determination step. 
  • In the second step – specify determination criteria (Say for material type! = ERSA select the step the workflow should go to if the condition is satisfied (in this scenario step 3) 
  • Create remainder of the required steps. 

 

Example 3– Decision Workflows 

Decision workflows are used to determine to which user/role a task should go for approval from the list of users/roles assigned to a step. 

Scenario:  

Step 1: Requester is creating a new material. 

Step 2:  

    • The material must go to Maintenance Manager where material type is ‘Spare Parts’ 
    • The material must directly go to Inventory Controller when the material type is ‘Finished Products’. 

Solution 

  • Configure material type as the workflow reference field. 
  • Enable decisions for the required step. 
  • In the Decision Combination mapping section select Material Type as ‘Spare Parts’ and the assigned user as Maintenance Manager. 
  • Repeat for all the required combinations.