Parallel State Transitions

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You can define multiple workflow state transitions between two states. This is useful, for instance, if you need to define multiple automatic transitions based on different criteria. For more information about creating state transitions, see Adding State Transitions to a Workflow.

Example: Creating a Workflow with a Parallel State Transition

The target in this example is to modify an existing sample vault workflow, such as Reviewing drawings, to be automatically moved to the Rejected state if no one moves it to the Approved (or Rejected) state within 10 days after the transition to the Listed for approval state.



The workflow moves to the Rejected state automatically if if nobody moves it to the Approved state.

To modify the workflow, do the following steps:

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand a connection to M-Files server.
  3. Expand Document Vaults.
  4. Expand a vault.
  5. Select Workflows.
  6. In the Workflows list, select one of the existing workflows, such as Reviewing drawings.
    Result:The workflow is shown as a flowchart in the graphical workflow designer below the Workflows list.
  7. Click New State in the Tools pane to create a new state for the workflow.
    If you already have a state called Rejected in your workflow, you can skip this and the next step, and proceed to step 8.
    Result:The State Properties window is opened.
  8. Enter the name Rejected in the Name field and click OK to close the State Properties window.
  9. In the graphical workflow designer, place your cursor on the border of the Listed for approval state (or any other intermediary state, if your workflow does not have the Listed for approval state) so that your cursor changes to a crosshair.
  10. Hold down the left mouse button and drag the crosshair to the Rejected state to draw a state transition between the Listed for approval and Rejected states.
  11. Repeat step 8 to draw another state transition between the Listed for approval and Rejected states.
  12. Right-click one of the state transition connector arrows and select Edit.
    If you are seeing only one connector arrow between the states, the connectors are most likely on top of each other. Click the topmost connector to select it and click and drag the handles to reshape the connector.
  13. Go to the Trigger tab, select the Trigger the state transition after option, and enter 10 in the days field.
  14. Click OK to close the State Properties window.
  15. Click Save in the upper-right corner of the graphical workflow designer to save the changes you have made to your workflow.
You should now have a workflow with two parallel state transitions from the Listed for approval state to the Rejected state: one that is initiated by users and another that is triggered automatically after 10 days if it is not initiated by users in 10 days.