Livelink®

Workflow Designer’s
Guide
This document provides advanced
information about using the Livelink
Workflow module to design complex
workflow maps.
It assumes familiarity with the basics of
workflow functionality.
1921920.1
Copyright 2003 by Open Text Corporation. The copyright to these materials and any accompanying software is
owned, without reservation, by Open Text. These materials and any accompanying software may not be copied in whole or
part without the express, written permission of Open Text.
Open Text Corporation is the owner of the following trademarks: BASIS®, BASIS Desktop®, BASIS Techlib, iRIMS,
Livelink®, Livelink Activators, Livelink Change Agents, Livelink Channels, Livelink Collaboration, Livelink Desktop,
Livelink Directory Services, Livelink Discussions, Livelink eLink, Livelink Enterprise Activator, Livelink Explorer, Livelink
Forms, Livelink Intranet, Livelink Library, Livelink LiveReports, Livelink MeetingZone, Livelink Notifications, Livelink
Offline, Livelink OnTime, LiveLink PDF Forms, Livelink Project Collaboration, Livelink Prospectors, Livelink Remote
Cache, Livelink SDK, Livelink Search, Livelink SmartAgent, Livelink Spider, Livelink Tasks, Livelink Workflow, Livelink
UNITE, OnTime®, Open Text, and WorkSmart®. Other trademarks and trade names in the documentation are owned by
other companies and are used for product and company identification and information only. All rights reserved. Open Text
is the owner of other registered and unregistered trademarks. The above trademark listing is not exhaustive.
Open Text Corporation provides certain warranties and limitations in connection with the software that this document
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licensee and Open Text Corporation.
Written by Marya Janoff.
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ii
Typographical Conventions Used in This Guide
All information in the following table is case-sensitive unless otherwise noted.

Items Convention
File names, directory These items appear in regular (normal) typeface. Some elements in
names, folder names, italic indicate placeholders.
path names, window Examples:
names, dialog box names,
Web page names, URLs, • Run setup.exe to start the installation program.
and e-mail addresses • Open the Livelink_home/config/opentext.ini file in a text edi-
tor.
Note The placeholder Livelink_home represents
the Livelink root directory (directory where
Livelink was installed).
• Send an e-mail message to [email protected] to contact
Open Text Customer Support.
• In the Windows NT Control Panel, double-click the Services
icon to open the Services dialog box.
Names of user interface These items appear in bold typeface.
elements, such as Examples:
buttons, links, menus,
check boxes, radio • On the Tools menu, click Search.
buttons, lists, fields, and • In the Services dialog box, click Livelink Server:
so on service_name, and then click the Start button.
• Click the item’s Functions icon, choose Info, and then
choose General.
• Click the Admin Home link.
Variable placeholders, These items appear in italic typeface.
references to other Examples:
documents, new or
special terminology, and • For more information, see the Livelink First-Time Installation
emphasis Guide.
• You can scan new documents for content of interest by sav-
ing your search criteria in a query called a prospector.
• In your Web browser, go to the default Livelink start page at
protocol://host:port/URL_prefix/livelink.exe, where protocol
is http or https, host is the DNS name of the HTTP server
host, port is the port number on which the HTTP server is lis-
tening, and URL_prefix is the prefix mapped to the
Livelink_home/cgi directory in the HTTP server.

iii
Items Convention
References to chapters These items appear in “quotation marks.”
and sections of Examples:
documents, and citations
of messages displayed to • For more information, see Chapter Three, “Projects,” in the
users Livelink QuickStart for Users guide.
• For more information, see “Item Types” in Chapter Five,
“Livelink Items.”
• For more information, see “Item Types,” page 150.
• If the import completes successfully, Oracle displays the
message “Database import completed without errors.”
Operating system These items appear in a monospaced font.
commands, code Examples:
examples, feature names,
method names, object • In the User Name field, type Admin.
names, and text typed by • At the operating system prompt, type start-llserver,
users and then press ENTER.
• When searching for users, you can set the maximum number
of users displayed per page by setting the value (default is
30) of the MaxUsersToListPerPage parameter in the
[general] section of the opentext.ini file.
Key names Key names appear in ALL CAPS.
Examples:
• Press ENTER to start a new line when typing in this field.
• To select multiple items, hold down the CTRL key while you
click the items that you want to select.

iv
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction to Designing Workflow Maps ................................................................................. 1

Chapter 2
Defining a Business Process ........................................................................................................ 3
The Business Process................................................................................................................ 4
Designing a Flow Chart .......................................................................................................... 5
Mapping the Flow Chart to Livelink Workflow Steps ........................................................... 6

Chapter 3
Using the Expression Builders ...................................................................................................... 7
The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder ................................................................................. 8
Defining a Simple Expression ........................................................................................... 8
Defining an Expression With Multiple Rows .................................................................... 9
Dynamically Assigning User Steps ....................................................................................... 12
Monitoring Workflow Status.................................................................................................. 15

Chapter 4
Using Complex Step Assignments ............................................................................................ 17
Assigning to Individual or Multiple Users or Groups ........................................................... 18
Dealing With Group Options ......................................................................................... 18
Workflow Roles....................................................................................................................... 20
Defining Workflow Roles................................................................................................. 20
Assigning Users to Roles at Initiation ............................................................................. 21

Chapter 5
Using the Process Step ............................................................................................................... 23
Copying an Attachment ..................................................................................................... 24
Resetting Attribute Values.................................................................................................... 25
Sending an E-mail ................................................................................................................. 26

Chapter 6
Working with Due Dates............................................................................................................. 27
How Livelink Calculates Due Dates .................................................................................... 28
Using Durations with No Recalculation ........................................................................ 28
Using Durations with Recalculation .............................................................................. 28
Recalculating After Loopbacks and Evaluate Steps ................................................. 29
Using Explicit Start Dates for Steps ................................................................................ 29
Using the Milestone Step................................................................................................ 30

Appendix A
Recommended Additional Reading ........................................................................................ 31

Index............................................................................................................................................ 33

v
vi
Chapter 1
Introduction to Designing Workflow Maps
As you have probably already discovered, it is easy to master the basics of the Livelink
Workflow module. However, there are many pitfalls you encounter when you begin
designing more complex and complicated workflows that take full advantage of the
module’s functionality.
This guide provides in-depth examination of particularly difficult aspects of Workflow. It
is not designed to introduce users to the basics, or to provide details of every activity you
can perform.
Since the scope of this guide is limited, the steps you see instruct you more generally than
in other Workflow help. For example, in the section that deals with the Expression Builder,
you are instructed to “Add a Text:Popup attribute named Color whose values are Blue
and Green,” rather than walked through every step in the add attribute procedure. If you
are unfamiliar with a particular procedure discussed in this guide, see the Livelink
Workflow QuickStart or the Workflow User Online Help for more detail.
The following topics appear in this guide:
• "Defining a Business Process," page 3, describes the necessary steps to complete before
painting your workflow map.
• "Using the Expression Builders," page 7, demonstrates how to use the workflow
painter’s expression builders to design evaluate steps, dynamically assign user steps,
and display desired workflow status.
• "Using Complex Step Assignments," page 17, clarifies the use of workflow roles and
how to use the group assignment capabilities.
• "Using the Process Step," page 23, describes the use of Process steps to copy
attachments, send e-mails, and reset attribute values.
• "Working with Due Dates," page 27, summarizes the way Livelink calculates due
dates and details how you can use due dates to monitor the course of a workflow.

Introduction to Designing Workflow Maps 1

2 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide
Chapter 2
Defining a Business Process
Before you begin painting a workflow map, you should map out your business process on
paper or with a flow chart program. By clearly defining the process you want to automate
with Livelink Workflow, you save time and prevent logical errors and other mistakes.
When defining a business process, review the following topics:
• "The Business Process," page 4
• "Designing a Flow Chart," page 5
• "Mapping the Flow Chart to Livelink Workflow Steps," page 6

Defining a Business Process 3

The Business Process

The Business Process

You can think of a business process as a set of interrelated tasks that lead to a defined or
predetermined outcome. Think about the function you want to perform. If you plan to use
Livelink Workflow to automate a business card ordering process, for example, write down
the steps currently involved on a piece of paper, as in the following illustration.

Now, you can easily translate the steps into a flow chart.

4 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Designing a Flow Chart

Designing a Flow Chart

When you design your flow chart, think about the function of each activity, and break it
down into its fundamental components as a step. Remember implied functions, like
checking to see whether a manager has approved the step. Although in real life such a
review is implicit (the manager knows whether she has approved the step and routes it
accordingly), in business processes it is explicit and a separate activity.
Also remember that although fancy flow chart programs are fun, they are not typically
necessary. A quick sketch, as shown below, can be just as helpful.

Defining a Business Process 5

Mapping the Flow Chart to Livelink Workflow Steps

Mapping the Flow Chart to Livelink Workflow Steps

Once you have designed a flow chart, decide what steps in the flow chart correspond to
the step types in Livelink Workflow. This is where it becomes especially important for you
to have a thorough understanding of the different step types. Review the Livelink
Workflow Online Help, and play with the steps, checking out their features and functions.
Also, decide what work package (information associated with the workflow) follows along
with the flow of the business process, and write that down as well. Again, for this
component, you should familiarize yourself with the package types available in the
Workflow module. It might seem a little obvious, but writing each detail helps prevent
errors later. For our example flow chart, the steps map as follows:
Note Your Livelink system will not have the Form work package type if the Forms
module is not installed.

Table 2-1: Steps

Flow Chart Step Livelink Step Work Package

Employee completes form Start step Business card order form
Supervisor approves User step Business card order form
Approval attribute
Is approved? Evaluate step Approval attribute
Admin approves User step Business card order form
Approval attribute
Is approved? Evaluate step Approval attribute
Printer step User step Business card order form

When you map out your business process, you will notice that since Livelink does not
allow loopbacks to the Start step, you need to add an Initiator Revision step for the
Evaluate steps to loop back to. Your final map should look like this:

6 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

Chapter 3
Using the Expression Builders
The expression builders in Livelink Workflow allow you to do the following:
• Define criteria for an evaluate step, which allow you to route the workflow along true
and false paths
• Dynamically assign user steps during workflow execution
• Display only certain executing maps on your workflow status page
Although the criteria that appear in the drop-down lists differ, depending on which
expression builder you are using, the basic elements are the same:

Table 3-1: Expression Builder Elements

Element Name Action

Edit Expression icon Click to launch the Expression builder
Add Expression icon Click to add another Expression field

Delete Expression Click to delete an Expression field (at least one field
icon must remain)
Add New Row Click an expression type in the list to add to the current
drop-down list row in the Expression Builder
Delete Row icon Click to delete a row in the Expression Builder

Using the Expression Builders 7

The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder

The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder

Defining a Simple Expression
The Evaluate step uses the Expression Builder to create a statement that Livelink
Workflow evaluates, and routes the workflow accordingly. For example, if you want your
workflow’s path to depend on whether the user in a prior step sets an attribute’s value to
“Blue” or “Green”, you define the following expression:
“Color = Blue”
This is a basic expression, and simple to define. Once you modify the Evaluate step’s
expression, you create links from it, set them to true or false, and define the route of the
workflow.
To define the “Color = Blue” expression:
1. Define a Text:Popup attribute named Color that includes a value of Blue.
2. Double-click an Evaluate step.
3. Click the Edit Expression icon.
4. Click Attributes on the Add New Row drop-down list.
5. Click Color in the first drop-down list.
6. Click = in the second drop-down list.
7. Click Blue in the third drop-down list.

8. Click the Submit button.

8 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder

The Evaluate step’s Expression field is populated with the expression you defined.

Defining an Expression With Multiple Rows

In most cases, a simple expression like the one above will suffice for routing workflow
maps. However, you may need to define more complex criteria. In the following example,
the workflow will follow the same path in each of three cases:
• The Color attribute is set to Blue and the Workflow Status is OK
• The Manager Approval check box on the Workflow Form attached to the step is
selected and the Workflow Status is not Late
• The Disposition of the Reviewer Step is Return for Review
(“Color = Blue” AND “Status = OK”) OR (“Workflow Form: Manager
Approval = True” AND NOT “Status = Workflow Late”) OR “Reviewer =
Return for Review”
As you can see from this expression, it is important to plan out your criteria, first in plain
language, and then as an expression that can be logically evaluated, prior to using the
Expression Builder. Moreover, the better you understand the options available in the
drop-down lists, the more efficiently you will be able to plan your expressions.
In this case, the Evaluate expression uses the following types of criteria:
• General criteria, which check the workflow’s status
• Attributes criteria, which check the values of attributes defined for the workflow
• Forms criteria, which check the values of fields on Webforms attached to the
workflow
Note If the Forms module is not installed on your Livelink system, you cannot use
the Livelink Forms object type with the Livelink Workflow module.
• Parentheses, which allow you to create complex expressions.
• Dispositions, which check for the status of a disposition required on a User or Initiator
step’s Permissions tab.

Using the Expression Builders 9

The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder

The illustration below shows the Expression Builder for this expression.

To define this complex expression:

1. Define a Text:Popup attribute named Color that includes a value of Blue.
2. Require a Disposition in an earlier User or Initiator step that includes a value of
Return for Review.
3. Attach a Form that contains a check box called Manager Approved (in our case the
form is called Workflow Form).
4. Double-click an Evaluate step.
5. Click the Edit Expression icon.
6. Click Paren Left ( in the Add New Row drop-down list.
7. Click Attributes on the Add New Row drop-down list.
8. Click Color, =, and Blue in the Row 2 drop-down lists.
9. Click General in the Add New Row drop-down list.
10. Click AND, Status, =, and OK in the Row 3 drop-down lists.
11. Click Paren Right ) in the Add New Row drop-down list.
12. Click Paren Left ( in the Add New Row drop-down list, and then click OR in the Row
5 drop-down list.
13. Click Forms in the Add New Row drop-down list.
14. Click Workflow Form : Manager Approval, =, and True in the Row 6 drop-down lists.
15. Click General in the Add New Row drop-down list.
16. Click AND NOT, Status, =, and Workflow Late in the Row 7 drop-down lists.
17. Click Paren Right ) in the Add New Row drop-down list.
18. Click DIspositions in the Add New Row drop-down list.

10 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder

19. Click OR, Supervisor Approval, =, and Return for Review in the Row 9 drop-down
lists.
20. Click the Submit button.
The Evaluate step’s Expression field is populated with the expression you defined.

Using the Expression Builders 11

Dynamically Assigning User Steps

Dynamically Assigning User Steps

As discussed previously, you can design a workflow that uses an Evaluate step to route a
workflow in different directions based on the evaluation of a step attribute or other
property. For examples Evaluate step in the illustration below routes the workflow based
on a attribute set in the Approval Required step that indicates whether a document was
approved or not.

In some circumstances, however, you may simply want to assign a workflow step to
different users, depending on certain criteria.
For example, if you are designing a workflow map where a manager needs to approve a
document, but you know that Nina Johnson, the manager, is going on leave to get her
MBA on September 1, 2003, you could easily create the following statement in the
Expression Builder to assign the step to another user after that date:
“Date < 09/01/2003”
Once you define the expression, you select Nina to appear as the user in the If field, and
Daisy McCann, the employee taking Nina’s place, in the Else field.
The criteria available in the User step Expression Builder are the same as those in the
Evaluate step Expression Builder, discussed above. Therefore, you can easily define
complex statements for step assignment.

12 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Dynamically Assigning User Steps

Moreover, the If and Else fields that contain the expressions can be expanded by clicking
the Add Expression icon to include an unlimited number of Else If statements, as
illustrated below.

Note If you want to reorder the statement, type a new 10-power integer in the
Order fields in the order you want them to appear, and then click the Add to
Workflow Definition button.
To define a user assignment statement:
1. Define a Date Field attribute called Date.
2. Double-click a User step, and click the Assignees tab.
3. Click the Expressions radio button.
4. Click the Edit Expression icon.
5. Click Attributes in the Add New Row drop-down list.
6. Click Date, <, September, 1, and 2003 in the row’s drop-down lists.

Using the Expression Builders 13

Dynamically Assigning User Steps

7. Click the Submit button.

8. For each assignee, click the Choose User or Group icon , find the user you want to
receive the step, and click his or her Select link.
Note When dynamically assigning User steps, you can also set the Initiator or any
Workflow Roles, if defined, to receive assignments.
9. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.

14 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Monitoring Workflow Status

Monitoring Workflow Status

You can use the Expression Builder to limit the number of executing workflows that
appear when you first access your Workflow Status page. Setting the Status Defaults
makes monitoring workflow status simpler and faster.
In addition to changing the default display of workflow status page by modifying the
Workflow Settings page, you can also modify the display while viewing workflows on the
Status page.
You can limit the display based on workflow status, name, and date. You also must choose
whether you want to display archived or non-archived workflows on the page.
A common modification is to limit the display to workflows that are late, as in the
following expression:
"Status = Late"
To set workflow status page defaults to display only the workflows that are late:
1. Choose Settings on the Tools menu, or click the Settings quick link.
2. Click the Workflow tab.
3. Click the Not Archived radio button.
4. Click the Edit Expression icon next to the Not Archived radio button.
5. Click Status in the Add New Row drop-down list.
6. Click Status, =, and Late in the Row 1 drop-down lists.

7. Click the Submit button.

Using the Expression Builders 15

Monitoring Workflow Status

16 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

Chapter 4
Using Complex Step Assignments
In addition to using the Expression Builder to dynamically assign user steps, as described
on page 12, you can also assign a step to:
• An individual user or group
• Multiple users or groups
• An assignee from a previous step
• A workflow role

Using Complex Step Assignments 17

Assigning to Individual or Multiple Users or Groups

Assigning to Individual or Multiple Users or Groups

When you assign a step to an individual, the workflow automatically routes that
assignment to the user when the step becomes ready.
To assign a step to an individual:
1. Double-click a User step.
2. Click the Choose User or Group icon in the Assignee field, find the user to whom you
want to assign the step, and click the Select link.
3. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.
When you assign a step to multiple users or groups, the step routes to each recipient
simultaneously.
To assign a step to multiple users or groups:
1. Double-click a User step.
2. Click the Assignees tab.
3. Click the Multiple Users/Groups radio button.
4. For each user or group you want to add, click the Choose User or Group icon, find the
user or group to whom you want to assign the step, and click the Select link.

Note Click the Remove User icon to delete an assignee from the list.
5. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.
If you want to assign a step to a previous assignee, you must first define a specific
assignee for any prior step.
To assign a step to the assignee of a previous step:
1. Double-click a User step.
2. Click the Assignees tab.
3. Click the name of the step whose assignee you want to execute this step in the
Assignee from Prior Step drop-down list.
4. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.

Dealing With Group Options

If you assign a workflow step to a group or multiple groups, you must decide which
group members need to execute the step. The Group Options list on the Assignees tab
contains the following options:
• Member Accept, which requires only one member of the group to perform the task.
When ready, the task appears on the Assignments page of all group members. When
one member accepts the task, the task is removed from the Assignments page of the
other members of the group.

18 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Assigning to Individual or Multiple Users or Groups

• Member Accept (Maintain), which also requires only one member of the group to
perform the task. If a loopback occurs to make that step ready again, the same user
who worked on the step initially is assigned it again, without it appearing on the
Assignments page of all individuals in the group.
• One Level Expand, which requires each member of the group to perform the task. If
the group contains one or more sub-groups, only one member from each of the sub-
groups is required to perform the task. After a member of a sub-group accepts the
task, it is removed from the Assignments page of other members of the sub-group.
• Full Expand, which requires each member of the group and any of the sub-groups
within that group to perform the task. The workflow does not move on to the next
step until every member of the group and its sub-groups completes the task.

Using Complex Step Assignments 19

Workflow Roles

Workflow Roles
Workflow roles allow you to postpone assigning User steps to Livelink users until the
workflow is initiated. Using roles can improve the flexibility of your maps. For example,
instead of using the Expression Builder to dynamically assign a workflow step to the
manager of the person who initiated the workflow, you can simply define a Role called
Manager, which the user then assigns at initiation.
At initiation, Livelink requires that all Workflow Roles have assigned performers.
Otherwise, the user receives the following error message:
Could not start workflow. All of the roles have not been assigned
performers.
Implementing Workflow roles can allow you to reuse workflow maps across departments
and projects.
When you define user steps, you can substitute a workflow role for any explicit user or
group.

Defining Workflow Roles

You define workflow roles as an aspect of the workflow’s properties. Define as many roles
as you like.
To define workflow roles:
1. Choose General on the Map menu.
2. Click Map Based in the Role Implementation drop-down list.
3. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.
4. Click the Roles tab.
Note Once you activate role implementation, you can choose Roles on the Map
menu to display the Roles page.
5. For each role you want to add, type a workflow role name in the Role field, and then
click the Add Role button.
Tip If you want to modify the order of the roles, click its name and then click the
up or down arrow. To delete a role, click it and then click the Remove Role
icon .
6. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.

20 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Workflow Roles

Assigning Users to Roles at Initiation

When you initiate a workflow that contains Map Based role implementation, a Roles link
appears in the left frame.
To assign users to roles:
1. Do one of the following:
• Choose Initiate on a workflow’s Map menu.
• Click a workflow’s Functions icon, and choose Initiate.
2. Click the Roles link.
3. For each role you need to assign, click the Choose User or Group icon , find the
user or group you want to complete the step, and click the Select link.
4. Click the Apply button in the right frame.
5. Click the Initiate button in the left frame.

Using Complex Step Assignments 21

Workflow Roles

22 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

Chapter 5
Using the Process Step
The Process step can be used to automate workflow procedures and streamline your
business processes.
This chapter provides detail about the following process step operations:
• "Copying an Attachment," page 24
• "Resetting Attribute Values," page 25
• "Sending an E-mail," page 26
Note Your Livelink system may contain custom options for the Process step, since it
is one of the most frequently customized aspects of the Workflow module.
The functions described in this chapter are available by default in all Livelink
systems.

Using the Process Step 23

Copying an Attachment

Copying an Attachment
Instead of requiring that a step assignee copy an approved document to a certain folder in
Livelink, you can use a process step to automatically send the step to the correct location,
as in the workflow illustrated below. If the manager approves the document, the
workflow automatically saves it to Livelink; if not, it routes back to the Initiator who
submitted the item (in this case, for revision).
Tip If you create a workflow that requires an attachment to be added at initiation,
instead of setting the process step to copy an individual attachment, create a
folder for it to copy instead.
When you set a Process step to copy specific named attachments, make sure to instruct
users not to rename the attachments during the workflow’s execution. If the attachments
are renamed, Livelink cannot recognize them.

To define a Process step that copies an attachment:

1. Double-click a Process step.
2. Click the Attachments tab.
3. Click the Add Attachment icon .
4. Click the Browse Attachments button.
5. Navigate to the workflow attachment you want to copy, and click its Select link.
6. Click the Browse Livelink button, navigate to the location where you want to copy
the attachment, and click its Select link.
Note Folders can only be copied to other folders, but you can set the Process step to
copy documents to other documents and added as versions.
7. Click the Submit button.

24 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

 Resetting Attribute Values

Resetting Attribute Values

In addition to copying attachments, you can also use process steps to reset attribute
values. In the above example, suppose an editor must approve the document in addition
to the manager. Instead of using two attributes, one named Editor Approval and the Other
Manager Approval, you could simply define an attribute called Approved and reset its
value after the first review, as shown below.

To define a Process step that resets an attribute value:

1. Double-click a Process step:
2. Click the Attributes tab.
3. For each attribute whose value you want to reset, do the following:
• Select the check box.
• Define a valid value for the attribute.
Note Valid values for each attribute may differ, depending on the attribute type.
For more information, see Livelink’s Workflow User Online Help.
4. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.

Using the Process Step 25

Sending an E-mail

Sending an E-mail
You can also use the Process step to send an e-mail message to a step recipient when a step
is activated. In this way, you can ensure that the assignee is aware that a workflow step
has been received.

Note The Livelink Administrator must enable Notification in the Livelink Server
before you can send e-mail message from a Process step. For more
information about how to enable Notification, contact your Livelink
Administrator or see Administering Livelink Notification in the Livelink
Admin Online Help.
To define a Process step to send an e-mail message:
1. Double-click a Process step.
2. Type a valid e-mail address or addresses in the To field.
Tip Use a comma to separate multiple addresses.
3. If desired, type a description of the e-mail message in the Subject field.
4. Type the text of the e-mail message in the Message field.
5. Click the Add to Workflow Definition button.

26 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

Chapter 6
Working with Due Dates
The Livelink Workflow module provides many methods of monitoring workflows to
ensure that they execute as timely as planned.
You can:
• Set Livelink to skip weekends when calculating due dates
• Define Milestone steps that check the workflow’s progress against target dates
• Define durations for User, Initiator, and Sub-workflow steps
• Set Livelink to recalculate dates after a loopback occurs or use absolute due dates
• Set explicit start dates for User, Initiator, and Sub-workflow step execution

Working with Due Dates 27

How Livelink Calculates Due Dates

How Livelink Calculates Due Dates

Livelink adds the duration of each step to the workflow’s initiation date to calculate the
due date of the entire workflow. If you choose the Recalculate due dates check box on a
User or Initiator step’s General Properties page, Livelink repeats the process and comes
up with a new due date for the entire workflow.
When a workflow map includes a loopback link, Livelink skips the loopback when
calculating a due date for the workflow. It does not recalculate automatically after a
loopback, unless you select the Recalculate due dates check box for a step after the
loopback.

Using Durations with No Recalculation

In the workflow map shown above, the durations of the steps are as follows, and none of
the Recalculate Due Dates check boxes are selected.
• The Manager Approval step has a duration of 3 days
• The Initiator step has a duration of 1 day
• The HR Approval step has a duration of 2 days
When the workflow begins executing, Livelink calculates the due date as 6 days from the
initiation date. Unless you modify the workflow, this workflow due date remains the
same, even if one of the users completes a step early or late.

Using Durations with Recalculation

In the same workflow map, the durations are redefined as follows:
• The Manager Approval step has a duration of 3 days with the Recalculate due dates check
box selected
• The Initiator step has a duration of 1 day
• The HR Approval step has a duration of 2 days
In this scenario, Livelink calculates an initial due date for the workflow of 6 days from the
initiation date. However, the due date can change when the Recalculate due dates check
box is selected. Livelink adds the durations of the steps after the step in question
completes to obtain the new due date. Remember that durations of the subsequent steps
do not change, even if a step is late.
• If the assignee of the Manager Approval step completes the step in 3 days (the original
duration), then the due date of the workflow remains the same.
• If the assignee of the Manager Approval step completes the step in 4 days, the step
status is marked as late until it is sent on. The workflow due date, however, becomes 3

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 How Livelink Calculates Due Dates

days from the completion of the Manager Approval step (the total durations of the
subsequent steps). Note that the workflow as a whole is not late.
• If the assignee of the Manager Approval step completes the step in 1 day, the
workflow due date is set to 2 days earlier than the initial due date. Livelink adds the
durations of the subsequent steps to calculate the new due date.

Recalculating After Loopbacks and Evaluate Steps

When you use a loop back link, Livelink calculates the due date of the workflow without
the loopback.
When a workflow including one or more Evaluate steps initiates, Livelink calculates the
due dates for both branches of the Evaluate step and uses the later date for the workflow’s
due date.

In the above illustration, the durations are as follows:

• The Manager Approval step has a duration of 3 days
• The first Initiator step has a duration of 1 day, with the Recalculate due dates check box
selected
• The HR Approval step has a duration of 2 days
• The Evaluate step has no duration (the Start step, Evaluate steps, and Milestone steps
have no durations)
• The second Initiator step has a duration of 1 day
Upon initiation, the workflow due date is calculated as 7 days, since Livelink skips
loopback links when traversing the path. However, if the Evaluate step branches back to
the first Initiator step, which has the Recalculate Due Dates check box selected, Livelink
will recalculate the workflow’s due date from that point, and it will be due 3 days after the
completion of the loopback Initiator step.

Using Explicit Start Dates for Steps

Explicit start dates are usually only appropriate for workflow maps that will be used only
once. If you set explicit start dates, you can also set durations for other steps, or use the
start dates to enforce implicit durations.
For example, you can set the start date of the Manager Approval step to April 4, 2002, and
then set the start date of the first Initiator step to April 7, 2002. In this case, you have
effectively set the Manager Approval step’s duration to 3 days. However, if the assignee

Working with Due Dates 29

How Livelink Calculates Due Dates

completes the step prior to April 7, the first Initiator step will still not appear on the
Assignments page until its start date.
By using explicit start dates for steps in this way, you can ensure that any durations you
set for the workflow are fulfilled exactly.

Using the Milestone Step

The Milestone step, in conjunction with step due dates, allows you to set a target date for
Livelink to check the workflow’s progress against. If the workflow does not reach the
milestone step by the target date, the workflow status is set to Milestone Late.
When defining a Milestone step, you can either set Livelink to calculate the target date
based on the durations of the previous steps, or you can set an explicit target date. As with
setting explicit Start Dates for workflow steps, you should usually only use the explicit
target date setting if you plan on using the workflow map only once; otherwise you
would have to edit the step every time you initiate the map.
Once you add a milestone step and set a target date, you can monitor it.
Checking the Workflow Status page, you will see if the Milestone is late even if the
workflow itself is not.
Or, you can use an Evaluate step to route the workflow, depending on the status of the
milestone. When you define the Evaluate step’s expression, as discussed in "Dynamically
Assigning User Steps," page 12.

30 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide

Appendix A
Recommended Additional Reading
For further information about the Livelink Workflow module, please see the following:

Table A-1: Additional Reading for Workflow

Document Name Contents

Livelink User Online Help Provides detailed procedures and background information
covering every aspect of the Workflow module, including
painting a workflow, participating in workflows, and
monitoring and modifying executing workflows.
Livelink Admin Online Help Contains instructions for the Livelink Administrator to
configure the Workflow module.
Livelink Workflow Developer’s Guide Instructs programmers how to customize the Workflow
module using Livelink Builder. Contains detailed
procedures, code samples, and examples of common
modifications.
Livelink Workflow QuickStart Provides tutorials that introduce Livelink end users to the
basics of using Workflow.
Livelink Forms Designer’s Guide Describes the Livelink Forms module and how it works
with the Workflow module.
Livelink Forms and Forms Workflow Contains detailed procedures and background information
Online Help about how to use the Form step type and how to use a form
to initiate a workflow.

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32 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide
Index
A R
Additional Reading, Recommended 31 Recalculating After Loopbacks and Evaluate Steps
Assigning to Individual or Multiple Users or 29
Groups 18 Recalculating, after Evaluate steps 29
Recalculating, after loopbacks 29
C Recommended Additional Reading 31
Resetting Attribute Values 25
Copying an Attachment 24
S
D Sending an Email 26
Dealing With Group Options 18
Defining a Simple Expression 8 T
Defining an Expression With Multiple Rows 9
Designing a Business Process 3 The Business Process 4
Designing a Flow Chart 5 The Evaluate Step’s Expression Builder 8
Due Dates, how Livelink calculates 28
Due Dates, Using 27 U
Durations, with recalculation 28
Durations, without recalculation 28 Using Complex Step Assignments 17
Using Durations with no Recalculation 28
H Using Durations with Recalculation 28
Using Explicit Start Dates for Steps 29
How Livelink Calculates Due Dates 28 Using the Expression Builder to Dynamically As-
sign User Steps 12
I Using the Expression Builder to Monitor Work-
flow Status 15
Introduction to Designing Workflow Maps 1 Using the Expression Builders 7
Using the Milestone Step 30
Using the Process Step 23
M
Mapping the Flow Chart to Livelink Workflow W
Steps 6
Workflow Roles 20
Working with Due Dates 27

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34 Livelink Workflow Designer’s Guide