Defining a Workflow Template
From Tools, select ‘Workflow/Deadline’, then select Workflow Type/Deadline Date.
The Workflow Type/Deadline Date window will be displayed, below. This will display any Workflow Templates that you have created as well as the Pre-defined system default workflows. This will also display any Deadline Templates (you can differentiate between workflow and deadlines templates using the ‘Type’ column).
To Add a New Workflow Template
From the Workflow Type/Deadline Date screen, select the ‘Add’ button to create a new Workflow Template. The ‘Add Workflow Type / Deadline Date’ window will be displayed.
The Workflow Template is divided into four areas:
- Type/Description
- Deadline dates
- Workflow Stages
- Workflow Checklist
Type/Description
Select ‘Type’ of Workflow
Enter a full description of the Workflow
Enter a short description, an abbreviation for the Workflow
Deadline
This is used when planning jobs so that they are not scheduled beyond the Deadline Date and in the overall Management of the Job.
Select a ‘Type of Date’ (if this workflow has a Deadline associated with it). There are three options:
- Fixed
- Variable
- Recurring
Or select ‘No Deadline’ if this workflow does not have a deadline associated with it.
1.Fixed
If the deadline is fixed i.e., it occurs on a specific date e.g., 23rd of January, then enters the Fixed Day/Month in the field, in the format day of the month, month.
2.Variable
If the deadline is variable i.e. it occurs on a date that is calculable/relative to another date e.g. 28 days after the Annual Return Date, then select ‘Variable’ and then enter the number of
- The number of Days, Weeks, or Months
- That must pass either After or Before
- Any one of the following:
- Year-End Date
- Annual Return Date
- Incorporation Date
- Trading Start Date
3. Recurring
If the deadline is recurring i.e. it occurs on a regular frequency e.g. every month, then enter
- The frequency of the deadline
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Bi-Monthly
- Quarterly
- Half Yearly
- Annually
- The Start Date of the recurrence
Workflow Stages
Workflow Stages are optional, they can be defined as the actual job phases/steps, e.g. an Accounts Preparation job may have the following stages:
- Books Requested
- Books Received
- Draft TB
- Partner Review
- Adjustments
- Adjusted Profit Computation
- Final Adjustment
- Ready for Signing
- Accounts Filed
- Closedown
Workflow Checklist
A Workflow Checklist is also optional; the checklist items can be set up to reflect sign-off issues required for the job, e.g. a Personal Tax job could have a checklist of items such as:
- Deposit Interest Certificates
- Rental Income Schedules
And for Accounts Production it could be:
- Cheque Books
- Bank Statements, etc.
Once you have defined a Workflow Template you can then start your workflow planning. To do this you need to use the Workflow Management module. The Workflow Management module consists of the Workflow Scheduler and the Workflow Manager.