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  1. Inova Payroll
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  3. Workflows

UKG Workflows

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Workflows automate tasks like approvals and notifications. They can be created from scratch or default workflows can be used. Steps include approvals, checklists, notifications, and more. Define actions for each step to control workflow progression. Notification steps require setup of email details, recipients, and optional attachments.

Creating A New Workflow

Workflow Generate Notification Setup

Troubleshooting

Additional Resources

Creating A New Workflow

Workflows run in the background of the system to automate tasks such as obtaining signatures on forms, requesting approvals for employee changes, or generating email notifications. 

  1. Go to Settings > Global Setup > Workflows.
  2. Select "Add New" to create a workflow from scratch or "Add Default" to use a predefined workflow.  
    • Default workflows can be edited to meet your specific needs.
  3. Select a workflow type from the dropdown list, based on the task to be completed.

    • If the default workflow is used, the system may request additional information on the specific type of request, the request approver(s), or default email addresses for generated emails and will auto-fill this information for you. If you are unsure of how you would like these fields utilized, you can leave these fields blank and add later. 

      Please Note: Default workflows that include Generate Email steps may have generic wording in the email that may not relate to the reason for your workflow.  Be sure to review the emails and reword them as needed.

  1.  After adding the workflow shell, use the "Add Step" button to add new steps, or select steps on the default workflow to edit them.

    TIP: Although the Name field is optional on each step, a descriptive label/Name will assist with identifying the next action when connecting the steps.

    • Commonly used steps include (available steps will vary based on the workflow type):
      • Approve Automatically: Automatically applies the necessary approval.
      • Approve/Reject: Prompts a user to approve or reject before moving to the next step. 
        • This step requires an additional "To Be Completed By" field that will dictate who is responsible for completing the step. 
      • Checklist: Allows you to define a previously set up checklist for the recipient(s) to complete.
        • This step requires additional setup to choose which checklist to apply. 
        • Once the step is executed, the checklist will appear in the assignee's To Do Items, and immediately move to the next step - it will not wait for the Checklist to be Completed before it moves to the next workflow step.
      • Collect Document: Add this step to a workflow to prompt recipients to add a document.
      • Collect Note: Allows or requires notes to be entered at various stages.
      • Generate Notification: Generates communications to specific users or managers.
      • Initiate HR Action Request: Initiates an HR Action.
        • This step requires selecting a previously configured HR Action.
      • Join Steps: Allows multiple steps to be joined together before proceeding to the next step in the workflow.
      • Split Step: Allows a step to be split into multiple steps before proceeding to the next steps in the workflow.
      • Terminate Employee: Allows a step to terminate an employee.
      • Wait: Allows a pause to be placed on the workflow for a pre-determined period of time.
    • Available steps depending on the module or selected workflow type:
      • Finalize (HR): Add this step to the Compensation Proposal Request workflow to prompt recipients to finalize the proposal
      • Sign Opt-Out (HR): Allows a specific account or group to sign the chosen opt-out type.
      • Initiate Form (HR): Allows a step in the workflow where recipients will add the Government or Custom Form that is selected.
      • Close: Closes an incident after an approval or rejection. 
      • Employee Sign: Allows an employee to acknowledge the step with their e-signature. 
      • Approver Sign: Allows an approver to acknowledge the step with their e-signature.
      • Generate Time Entry Email (TLM): Used in TLM Time Off Request workflows to generate a time entry when approving a time off request. The timesheet will populate with the time off used in the request.
      • Counter Distribution (TLM): Used in TLM Counter Approval & Distribution workflow to determine who completes the counter distribution function. 
      • Modify Leave Case (HR, TLM): Will allow the manager to modify a leave case's Start/End Dates, as well as categories, from the Leave of Absence case. 
      • Close [Leave] Case (HR): Closes the [LOA] case after an approval or rejection. If this is enabled, a manager will not be able to close the case from the To Do Item because it will already be closed. 
      • Approve/Reject Timesheet (TLM): Prompts the user to approve or reject time entries in a timesheet before moving to the next step in the workflow. 
      • Auto Approve/Reject Timesheet (TLM): This step ensures timesheets are automatically approved and will move to the next step in the workflow. 

      • Populate Timesheet (TLM): Generates leave entries and populates the timesheet through the workflow. 

        Please Note: Some steps feature an "Update Checklist Item" box. If checked, the associated checklist item will automatically mark as Complete once the action is finished. If left unchecked, the checklist will not update, even after the action is finished.

  2. Repeat step 4 for all needed steps.
  3. Arrange your workflow steps in a way that visually displays the flow of the steps. This is done by selecting a step and dragging it to the desired location on the screen. 
  4. Add Workflow Step Actions for each step within the workflow. This is what will determine the next step throughout the workflow.
    1. Within each workflow step, select "Add Action". 
      • On Created: This action kicks off the workflow and contains a Next Step setting to determine which step will be next in the workflow. 
      • On Done: This action typically directs the step to end of the workflow. 
      • On Approved: This action directs what happens next in the workflow after an approval action has been completed. 
      • On Rejected: This action directs what happens next in the workflow after an approval action has been rejected. 
      • On Expire: This action directs what happens next in the workflow once the time for action has passed. 
        • When used with the Timesheet workflow, a checkbox is available for Retain Timesheet Change Request Status. When enabled and the expiration period is reached, the change request remains in its current state when it moves onto the next step.
    2. Set the additional settings: Many of the actions will contain additional settings, such as filters, depending on the type of action being performed. The following descriptions cover the most common settings in an action. 
      1. Name: Enter a name for the action. This name will be appended to the action type in the Step block of the workflow.
      2. Description: Enter an optional description of the step. The description is for informational purposes. 
      3. Next Step: If the next step shown is not the desired next step when the action is completed, select the correct next step here. 
      4. Set Status To: Will default to the name of the action but can be edited to another option. Each action may contain different options. 
      5. Set Status Label To: This is an optional label that is used in reports and can be set to the same option shown in the Set Status To field. This label allows you to enter your own text when the action has been completed. For example, instead of using the system label of Approved, you can be specific and set the status label to Approved by Manager or use a specific name

    3. Repeat for all actions needed for each step. Adding Workflow Step Actions will visually connect each step to the next once saved. 

Workflow Generate Notification Setup

  1. Select the Generate Notification step to complete the setup of the notification.
    • Name:  Enter a name for the step.
    • Description:  Enter an optional description of the step.
    • From:  Enter the email address this email should be sent from.
    • Subject:  Enter the subject line of the email.
    • Message:  Enter the email message.
    • Tags:  Tags can be added to the subject or email message which will pull information from the system such as the requester or employee name.
    • Attachments:  Add any attachments the email should contain.
    • Delay Send For: Delay the email from sending for a certain number of days.
    • iCalendar Attachment Enabled:  Select this box to configure a calendar attachment.
    • Send Notification To:  Select the employee or group that should receive the email.
    • Step Backup:  Select this box to configure a backup user to receive the email.
    • Save:  Save changes to this step (add actions before saving).

Troubleshooting

Issue: The workflow shows a warning stating "There is a loop between two steps!". What needs to be fixed?
Solution: A warning stating that there is a loop in the workflow does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong in the workflow set up. The system is just alerting you that some steps in the workflow form a loop. An example of when a loop is necessary in a workflow would be when a step expires and the workflow resends a notification step, so the user is re-alerted that there is a step to complete. 

Issue: An employee made a time off request, but the approve/reject step is not in their managers To Do bell. Why?
Solution: If an employee's assigned manager is changed after the workflow is initiated, the approve/reject step will be assigned to the manager that was assigned to the employee at the time the request was made. 

Additional Resources

UKG Employee Checklists Guide

UKG HR Actions