How To Use Workflow Automations

Workflow Automations can be applied across various business processes to improve efficiency, accuracy, and consistency.

When setting up Workflow Automations, you have the flexibility to define the steps involved in the workflow. Each step can be either a function, function group or a manual step. To add more control and specificity to the workflow, you can configure selection filters and condition filters for each step.

A Workflow step of the type Function or Function Group are used to process a task or data by the system. A Manual step is used to indicate that a manual task is required to be performed by a user.

Selection Filters determines which companies will be included in a particular step of the workflow. Condition Filters specifies criteria that must be met for a step to be processed.

Below are a list of several common use cases:

  • Calculation and posting of fixed asset depreciation
  • Generating monthly sales invoices
  • Exporting data required for financial audits
  • Processing outgoing payments
  • Processing incoming payments
  • Reconcile and submit Value Added Tax (VAT)
  • Generating financial statements
  • Importing data files for payroll, general ledger, or other financial processes
  • Exporting data files for reporting, analysis, or regulatory compliance
  • Close income statement accounts
  • Prepare and post journals

Set Up Workflow Automations

Step 1: Create Workflow Automations

  1. Choose the search icon, enter Workflow Automations, and then choose the related link.
  2. Choose the New action.
  3. Enter a unique Name for the workflow automation.
  4. Select the Links field to add the relevant links, if applicable. For example, a manual for how the workflow should be carried out.
    1. Choose the New action.
    2. Enter a Description for the link and enter the URL.
Tip

Use the templates on the Workflow Automations page to create workflows easily. These templates provide a quick starting point, which you can then customize to fit your specific needs. Templates are available for various features or installed apps. For example, if Smart Swedish VAT is installed in your environment or multiple environments if you have several, you can select templates such as Retrieve Tax Agency Account Entries or Report VAT.

Step 2: Create Workflow Functions

  1. Workflow functions can be added in three ways:
    1. Choose the Functions & KPIs Guide action to create multiple functions (and KPIs).
    2. Choose the New From Template action to create one function at a time.
    3. Choose the New action to configure a function manually.

Step 3: Create Workflow KPIs

  1. Workflow functions can be added in three ways:
    1. Choose the Functions & KPIs Guide action to create multiple KPIs (and functions).
    2. Choose the Use Template action to create one KPI at a time.
    3. Choose the Edit action to configure a KPI manually.

Step 4: Add Workflow Steps

Follow below steps to select from available functions, function groups and manual steps:

  1. Choose the Select and Insert action.
  2. Choose one or several lines and then select OK.
  3. If you have selected more than one record in previous step then choose the Card action to edit the step.
  4. Edit the Description field if necessary.
  5. Select the Links field to add the relevant links, if applicable. For example, documentation for how the workflow step should be carried out.
    1. Choose the New action.
    2. Enter a Description for the link and enter the URL.
  6. Add Selection Filters and/or Condition Filters if applicable.
  7. Specify whether the step should start and/or process automatically.
  8. Specify if the step in the workflow is supposed to be processed with manual filters. It is not possible to use Process Automatically setup and Manual Filters setup at the same step.
Note

If a manual step should be used in multiple Workflows you can save it by selecting the assist edit button in the Description field and then select the New action. By saving the manual step, users can select them in all workflows by choosing the Select and Insert action on the Steps FastTab.

Selection and Condition Filters

Selection Filters

Selection Filters enables users to control which companies will be included in a particular step of the workflow. Users can set up filters based on specific parameters to filter out the relevant companies for the workflow step.

Note

Only the companies within the filter will be included in the workflow. It is possible to bypass Selection Filters manually in the workflow instance by selecting the Include Selected action.

Tip

For example, use selection filters in a payments workflow to include a step to start an approval request for (only) the companies that have vendor invoices of more than 100,000 in the payment suggestion.

Condition Filters

Condition filters enables users to set criteria that must be met for a step to be processed. These conditions act as checkpoints and ensure that the step is only executed when certain requirements are fulfilled. Users can configure these filters to control the flow of the workflow based on specific conditions.

Note

It is possible to bypass Condition Filters manually in the workflow instance by selecting the Condition Fulfilled action.

Follow below steps to apply Selection Filters and/or Condition Filters:

  1. Choose the link in the KPIs field on the Steps FastTab.
  2. Specify the filter in the Selection Filter and/or Condition Filter field for the relevant KPIs.
Tip

It is also possible to apply Selection Filters and/or Condition Filters via the Card action.

Note

Read general information about how to enter filter criteria on Microsoft Learn.

By leveraging both selection filters and condition filters, users can customize their workflow automations to suit their specific business processes and requirements effectively.

Step 5: Activate Workflow Automations

The final step is to select the Enabled toggle on the General FasTab. This will activate the workflow automation and make it available for use.

Note

It is only possible to deactivate a workflow automation if there are no active instances.

Start Using Workflow Automations

You can start a workflow automation in two ways.

  1. Directly from the Workflow Automations page by selecting the Start Workflow action and then selecting the companies.
  2. From the My Companies page by selecting the companies first, then choosing the Start Workflow action.
Note

When a workflow is started, all connected KPIs are updated. All KPIs are updated every time a step of the type Function or Function Group in the workflow is processed.

Tip

At every step that contain a function, a preview of filters is displayed on the FactBox pane. This makes it easier to ensure that a step in a workflow instance has the correct filters before it is processed.

  • Select the Complete Step action when manual steps are done.
  • Select the Process Step action to enqueue steps of the type Function and Function Group.
  • Select the Start Next Step action to initiate the new workflow step.
Tip

It is possible to specify that a workflow step should start and/or process automatically which means that the above actions do not necessarily need to be used.

Note

It is possible to bypass Condition Filters manually in the workflow instance by selecting the Condition Fulfilled action.

Note

Only the companies within the filter will be included in the workflow. It is possible to bypass Selection Filters manually in the workflow instance by selecting the Include Selected action.

[TIP] Utilize the Category Code and Group Code fields in Workflow Automations to organize workflows more effectively. These fields can be used to group and categorize workflows based on criteria such as purposes or tasks.

See Also

Workflow: Set up Eagle KPIs
How To Use Filters
How To Perform Operational Tasks
How To Use Date Filter
How To Overview