Configuring the Workflow

A Workflow in the iFlows platform represents a structured sequence of stages and processes that mirror a company's real-world operations. It defines the journey of an order, from the moment of receipt to final delivery to the customer.

The primary goal of configuring a workflow is to standardize processes, provide clarity to all involved employees, and allow real-time monitoring of each order's progress. The iFlows platform transforms this process into a visual, interactive, and intelligent one.

Transposing operational processes into a digital system like iFlows is an exercise in analysis and standardization. The goal is to create a digital mirror of your company's operational reality. The process takes place in two distinct phases: mapping the macro-process (Stages) and detailing micro-processes (Instructions).

In this phase, we look at the process from a high level. Gather department heads or key individuals and answer the following fundamental question:

Through what distinct sets of activities or responsibility transfer points does an order pass, from initiation to completion and payment collection?

These transfer points define the Stages in iFlows. They do not represent individual tasks, but rather boundaries between responsibilities or major milestones.

Identification elements of a Stage:

• Transfer of responsibility: The moment an order passes from one department to another (e.g., from Sales to Design; from Production to Packaging).
• Change of physical or logical state: A major transformation of the product (e.g., from raw material to semi-finished product; from unassembled to assembled product).
• Major validation or control points: An essential check before proceeding (e.g., Quality Control, Contract Approval).

Example (Manufacturing Company):

1. Technical Design: Creation and validation of execution documentation.
2. Procurement: Ordering necessary materials.
3. Equipment Processing 1 (Cutting): Cutting materials.
4. Equipment Processing 2 (Edge Banding/Milling): Secondary processing.
5. Assembly: Fitting components.
6. Finishing: Manual painting and lacquering.
7. Final Quality Control: Checking the finished product.
8. Logistics (Packaging & Delivery): Preparing and shipping the order.

The result of this phase is an ordered list of 8-10 macro-processes that will become the main columns in the iFlows Workflow.

In this phase, analyze each previously identified Stage, this time involving operational staff. The key question for each Stage is:

What is the exact set of tasks, checks, and documented information (the checklist) required for an operator to complete the work in this stage correctly and fully?

These granular elements become the Instructions in iFlows.

Identification elements of an Instruction:

• Execution tasks: Concrete actions performed by the operator (e.g., "Apply lacquer").
• Validation/verification tasks: Control steps (e.g., "Confirm color according to sample").
• Documentation tasks: Information that must be recorded (e.g., "Note actual material consumption", "Attach product photo", "Obtain delivery signature").

Transposing into iFlows:

• For simple checks, you will create a Custom Instruction of the Yes/No type.
  • Reality: "I need to check if the client sent proof of advance payment."
  • iFlows: Yes/No Instruction: "Client Advance Confirmation".
• For notes and observations, you will create a Custom Instruction of the Text type.
  • Reality: "I need to note why a machine problem occurred."
  • iFlows: Text Instruction: "Production Incident Comments".
• For processes that must automatically update the system, you will use Predefined Instructions in iFlows.
  • Reality: "At the end of cutting, I need to note how much material remains usable for other orders and put it back in stock."
  • iFlows: Predefined Instruction: Usable Scrap.

When configuring the workflow in iFlows, it is recommended to adopt a comprehensive approach: design a "master" workflow that includes all possible stages an order might pass through, even if not all orders will require every step.

Why is this approach recommended?

1. Standardization and Accuracy: It ensures you have a standardized and complete process for the most complex scenarios. It is much easier to remove stages from an existing flow than to manually add forgotten steps for exceptional orders, risking errors or omissions.
2. Maximum Flexibility at Order Level: iFlows is designed for flexibility. Even if the "master" workflow contains 10 stages, at the time of creating a specific order (or even during its progress), you can specifically deactivate stages that do not apply. This is done directly from the order details without modifying the main workflow template.
3. Complete Data Collection: A comprehensive flow allows you to collect data and generate complete reports on all aspects of the business. Even if a stage is used rarely, its inclusion in the main flow ensures that when it is needed, it can be used.

To correctly configure a flow, it is essential to understand its constituent elements:

• Workflow: The entire process, from start to finish. A company can have multiple workflows for different types of business lines.
• Stage: Represents a main macro-process that an order passes through. It is a major milestone in the order's lifecycle.
  • Examples: Graphics, Contract, Equipment Processing, Finishing, Quality Control, Parceling, Delivery.
• Action: These are the standard ways an operator interacts with an order in a specific stage. iFlows monitors the time spent by employees on each action, from pickup to completion. Available actions are:
  • Pickup: The action of starting the processing of products/services in the order.
  • Digital File Completion: An action specific to the "Equipment" stage, which involves creating the digital files necessary for the machinery.
  • Pause: The action of temporarily interrupting processing.
  • Resume: The action of restarting processing after a pause.
  • Complete: The action that marks the end of work in that stage.
• Instruction: These are specific tasks or checks, predefined or customized, that can be added within an Action. These guide the operator and ensure certain steps are not omitted.

The Equipment Stage is a special, predefined, complex, and dynamic stage designed to manage technological processes in a production flow in detail. Unlike a standard stage you create from scratch, the Equipment Stage is an intelligent template that refers to all operations a raw material or semi-finished product passes through to be processed using a machine (CNC, circular saw, edge-banding machine, painting station, etc.).

Key features:

• Predefined: You don't have to build it manually. It comes pre-populated with essential production actions and instructions.
• Dynamic: This is the most important aspect. The Equipment Stage automatically multiplies in the main workflow view based on the number of machines a product must pass through. If a product (e.g., a chipboard sheet) needs to pass through 4 different machines (cutting, edge banding, painting, sanding), 4 distinct columns will automatically appear in the workflow: "Equipment 1", "Equipment 2", "Equipment 3", and "Equipment 4".

How to Configure the Equipment Stage

There are two ways to add this special stage to your flow:

Method 1: Using a Flow Template (Recommended for beginners)

1. When creating a new flow (Settings > Flow > Flows > + New Flow), select a production-specific template (e.g., "Furniture Production #1").
2. The platform will automatically populate the flow with relevant stages, including the configured Equipment Stage.

Method 2: Manual Addition in a Custom Flow

If you want to build a flow from scratch or add equipment processing to an existing flow, follow these steps:

1. Add a new stage in the workflow using the + New Stage button.
2. Rename it descriptively (e.g., "CNC Processing", "Cutting", etc.).
3. From the left panel, locate the "Predefined Stages" section.
4. Drag the purple block named EQUIPMENT and drop it into the green area inside the new stage, which indicates "Drag a predefined stage here".

How It Works in Practice: Clarity for the Operator

The Equipment Stage multiplies. A natural question is: “How does the operator know which 'Equipment' stage corresponds to the machine they are working on (e.g., CNC vs. Painting)?”

iFlows solves this intelligently:

1. In Workflow view: Columns will be labeled generically ("Equipment 1", "Equipment 2"), indicating the sequence of processes.
2. Upon Task Pickup: When the operator clicks the task pickup icon, the pop-up window that appears will have a specific and clear title, indicating the exact machine and product.
   • Example: Instead of "Equipment Pickup", the window title will be "Pickup Circular saw cutting in order #11". Thus, the operator knows unequivocally to start work at the circular saw.

This guide details the process of creating and customizing a new workflow.

Step 1: Accessing the Configuration Section

1. From the main menu located on the left side of the screen, navigate to Settings.
2. In the "Settings" submenu, select Flow.
3. Access the Flows tab. Here you will see a list of all workflows already created.

Step 2: Initiating a New Flow

1. In the top-right corner of the "Flow Settings" page, press the blue + New Flow button.
2. You will be redirected to the configuration page for the new flow.

Step 3: Configuring Initial Details

At the top of the page, you will find the "Details" section:

1. Templates:
   • Functionality: iFlows offers a series of pre-configured workflows specific to certain industries to speed up the setup process.
   • Usage: Click on the "Choose Template" field to see the list. Select the template that best fits your activity. Upon selection, the page will automatically populate with relevant stages, actions, and operations.
   • Note: Using a template is optional. You can build a flow from scratch by ignoring this step.
2. Name:
   • Enter a clear and descriptive name for the workflow. This field is mandatory.
3. Active:
   • Functionality: This toggle determines if the workflow is active and can be used on the platform.
   • Usage: Leave it enabled to use the flow immediately after saving.
4. Insufficient Stock Restriction:
   • Functionality: When enabled, this toggle prevents completion of an order if its components do not have sufficient stock recorded in the platform.
   • Usage: Enable it for rigorous stock control and to prevent processing errors.
5. Order Sorting:
   • Functionality: Establishes the default display order of commands in the main "Workflow" panel.
   • Usage: Choose the desired sorting criterion (e.g., "Delivery Date - ascending", "Order Date - descending").

Flow Visibility (Public vs. Private)

This controls who within the company can view and interact with a specific workflow.

Where to find it: On the flow creation/edit page, in the Details section, under the Active toggle, there is a toggle called Public.

Functionality and Configuration:

• Public Flow (Default Option):
  • What it means: When the Public toggle is enabled (green), the workflow is visible and accessible to all users on the platform. They will see it in the dropdown list on the main "Workflow" page.
  • When to use: Ideal for general processes that most employees need access to (e.g., a main production flow).
• Private Flow:
  • What it means: When the Public toggle is disabled (gray), the workflow becomes private. It will be visible only to manually selected users.
  • How to configure:
    1. Disable the Public toggle.
    2. A new field called User will appear below.
    3. Click in the "User" field and start typing an employee's name.
    4. Select the desired employee from the list. You can add multiple employees by repeating the process.
  • When to use: Perfect for specialized or confidential workflows that are not relevant to the entire company (e.g., service flow, accounting flow, management flow).
  • Important Note: Visibility restrictions primarily apply to the "Workflow" section. Associated data (orders, reports) may still be visible in other sections of the platform, depending on each user's general permissions.

Step 4: Building and Customizing Stages (Drag and Drop)

This is the central section where the flow comes to life.

1. Adding a New Stage: Press the + New Stage button to add a new stage card to the flow.
2. Configuring a Stage:
   • Renaming: Click on the stage title (e.g., "New Stage") and type the desired name.
   • Mandatory Completion: If this toggle is enabled, an operator cannot move an order to the next stage without completing all mandatory operations in the current stage.
   • Optional Stage: If enabled, the entire stage can be skipped, as it is not mandatory in the order's path.
   • Mandatory Previous Stage: This option establishes a direct and strict dependency between the current stage and the one immediately preceding it in the workflow. Practical Example: In a production flow, if the "Assembly" stage follows the "Painting" stage, enabling the "Mandatory Previous Stage" option for "Assembly" ensures the assembly team cannot complete the product before the painting team has confirmed painting completion.
3. Adding Actions and Instructions:
   • Add Action: Drag an action (e.g., Pause) from the left column ("Available Actions") and drop it into the corresponding area within a stage (e.g., in the "Pause" section of the "Finishing" stage).
   • Add Instruction: Drag an instruction (e.g., Comments or Working Time) from the right column ("Instructions") and drop it inside an action you just added.
   • Concrete example: To request the operator to specify the processed quantity when pausing an order in the Finishing stage:
     1. Drag the Pause action into the "Finishing" stage.
     2. Drag the Processed Quantity instruction from the right and drop it inside the Pause action.
4. Reordering and Deleting:
   • Reorder Stages: Press and hold on a stage number (e.g., "4") and drag it to the new desired position. Numbering will update automatically.
   • Delete: To remove a stage, action, or instruction, press the "X" icon in the top-right corner of that element.

In iFlows, "Instructions" are the specific tasks an operator performs within an Action (Pickup, Pause, Complete, etc.). These are of two types:

Predefined Instructions

Definition: Predefined Instructions are special commands integrated into the system that trigger automations and important updates in various platform modules (Stocks, Financial, etc.). They are not simple checklists, but engines of action.

Key features:

• Automate processes: Collect information from operators and automatically perform updates that would otherwise need to be done manually.
• Internal logic: Each instruction has specific, pre-programmed functionality.
• Non-editable: Users cannot create or modify predefined instructions; they can only use them via drag-and-drop.
• Location: They are found in the list on the right under the "Predefined Instructions" label.

Examples of Predefined Instructions and their Automated Actions:

• Working Time
  • Functionality: Allows the operator to manually enter the time worked on a task.
  • Purpose: It is essential for correcting or adjusting time automatically recorded by the platform. The iFlows system automatically times the interval between Pickup -> Complete, Pickup -> Pause and Resume -> Complete. This instruction overwrites the automatically calculated value, useful in cases of human error (e.g., an operator forgot to complete a stage) or for offline activities.
• Super Product Quantity
  • Functionality: The operator enters the quantity of finished "Super Products". A Super Product is a master product composed of a recipe of other products/services.
  • Purpose: The entered quantity will be automatically updated in the order line.
• Actual Consumption (waste)
  • Functionality: The operator enters the actual material consumption resulting from processing.
  • Purpose: This instruction automatically updates stocks (deducts raw materials consumed) and calculates the actual costs of the order. It also supports consumption merging: if multiple order lines use the same product, the instruction allows selecting them to record a single total consumption.
• Usable Scrap
  • Functionality: The operator can enter product scraps (raw materials) that can be reused.
  • Purpose: The instruction automatically creates a new "scrap" type product in the catalog and adds stock to it, optimizing resource management and reducing waste.
• Completed Quantity
  • Functionality: The operator enters the quantity of products/services actually completed.
  • Purpose: Useful for intermediate reporting before full order completion. It allows management to have a clear picture of progress. The entered quantity cannot exceed the total quantity in the order.
• Change Equipment
  • Functionality: Allows changing the equipment assigned to a product with another, directly from the workflow.
  • Purpose: Provides production flexibility. Another machine can be selected from the list of compatible ones defined in the product profile page. This operation is available only within the Predefined Stage "Equipment".
• Parcel Details
  • Functionality: The operator enters the number and weight (in kg) of the parcel(s).
  • Purpose: Centralizes logistic information necessary for shipping.
• Delivery Details
  • Functionality: Collects complete shipping information: address, delivery method (e.g., courier), AWB code, payment details.
  • Purpose: After completing the action containing this instruction, iFlows can automatically send a confirmation email and/or SMS to the client (if notifications are active in the client profile) and automatically generate the AWB (if a courier integration exists).
• Comments
  • Functionality: Allows the operator to enter text comments.
  • Purpose: Ensures clear and traceable communication between team members, documenting observations or issues.
• Reserved Stock
  • Functionality: Reserves the required stock quantity for products in an order.
  • Purpose: Once stock is reserved, it becomes unavailable for other orders, even if it is still physically in the warehouse. This ensures that products for an active order won't be accidentally consumed by other orders.
• Change Product
  • Functionality: The operator can replace a product in the order with another.
  • Purpose: Allows quick order modification. The replacement product must belong to the same subcategory as the original.
• Customer Signature
  • Functionality: Opens a field to capture the customer's handwritten signature.
  • Purpose: Confirmation of receipt or agreement, directly on a mobile device. The signature is saved as an image in the order history.
• Add File
  • Functionality: The operator can upload one or more files.
  • Purpose: Centralizing all relevant documents (sketches, photos, notices) directly in the context of the order.
• Send Email
  • Functionality: The operator can send an email directly from the workflow.
  • Purpose: Fast and efficient communication using pre-configured templates in Settings -> Templates -> Email Tab.
• Product Quantity
  • Functionality: The product quantity entered by the operator will also change in the order.
  • Purpose: Allows adjusting quantity directly from the workflow. Can only be used for products that have the same unit of measure for sales and stock (e.g., pcs/pcs, but not sqm/pcs).
• Generate Consumption Note
  • Functionality: The operator can generate a consumption note for products in the order.
  • Purpose: Although the system automatically generates the consumption note upon completing an Equipment-type stage (or according to other rules in the Stock module), this instruction offers the flexibility to manually generate the note at another point in the flow if the internal process requires it.

Custom Instructions (Proprietary)

Definition: Custom Instructions are tasks or checkpoints fully created and defined by the user. Their primary role is to guide the operator, ensure compliance, and collect simple information that does not trigger complex system automations.

Key features:

• Total flexibility: You can create as many custom instructions as needed, perfectly adapted to internal processes.
• Checklist role: Ensures operators do not omit important steps.
• Simple data collection: Can be used to add comments or obtain a Yes/No confirmation.
• Location: Found in the list on the right under the "Custom Instructions" label.

How to Create a Custom Instruction:

1. Navigate to Settings -> Flow -> Flows and open a flow in edit mode.
2. In the right column, locate the "Custom Instructions" section.
3. Press the blue + button (or "New Instruction").
4. A modal window called "Add Instruction" will open. Complete the following fields:
   • Instruction Name: Enter a clear and concise title for the task.
   • Instruction Type: Choose the response format for the operator:
     • Yes/No: Creates a simple validation prompt. Ideal for confirmations. Example: "Has proof of payment been sent?"
     • Text: Creates a free text field for notes or details. Example: "Reason for graphics rejection".
   • Mandatory Instruction: Enable this toggle if you want the operator to be unable to complete the action (e.g., Finishing the stage) without completing this instruction.
   • Additional Information: This is a help field. Text entered here will appear in a tooltip next to the instruction to provide additional clarification to the operator. Example: "Check acceptance/rejection batches for products."
5. Press "Save". The new instruction will now appear in your "Custom Instructions" list, ready to be used.

Usage in the Flow:

Both predefined and custom instructions are added to the flow using the same drag-and-drop method: drag the desired instruction from the list on the right and drop it into an action field (Pickup, Pause, Resume, or Complete) within a stage.

Step 5: Saving the Workflow

Once you have finished configuration:

• Press the Save button to save changes and return to the flow list.
• Press Save and Continue to save and stay on the edit page.
• Pressing the Back button cancels any unsaved changes and returns the user to the previous page (flow list).

Once you have created one or more workflows, the Settings > Flow > Flows page becomes your command center for managing them.

The list displays all created flows and provides quick information through the following columns:

• Name: The name you assigned to the flow.
• Active: Indicates the state of the flow.
  • Green checkmark: The flow is active and can be selected and used on the platform.
  • Empty circle with X: The flow is inactive and will not appear as an option in the main "Workflow" panel.
• Public: Indicates the visibility level of the flow.
  • Green checkmark: The flow is public, visible to all users.
  • Empty circle with X: The flow is private, visible only to manually assigned users.
• Actions: A series of buttons allowing interaction with each specific flow.

Available Actions for Each Flow

On the right side of each row, you will find a set of icons:

• View (eye icon): Opens a preview of the flow, showing exactly how it would look in the "Workflow" panel with all defined stages and columns. This mode is read-only.
• Edit (pencil icon): Opens the flow in configuration mode, allowing you to make any changes to stages, actions, and instructions.
• Preview (magnifying glass icon): A powerful function that shows how the workflow would look if applied to existing orders. It helps you visually validate the structure before putting it into production.
• Delete (trash can icon):
  • Important rule: The delete button is available only for INACTIVE flows. You cannot delete an active flow.
  • Safety Condition: Even if a flow is inactive, you cannot delete it if it has active or recurring orders associated with it. You must first complete or cancel all orders in that flow.

iFlows allows managing several distinct business lines by creating separate workflows.

• What Multiple Workflows mean: A company that, for example, handles both equipment trade and service for them, can have two completely separate flows:
  1. A flow for Trade, with stages like Contract, Procurement, Delivery.
  2. Another flow for Service, with stages like Diagnostics, Repair, Testing.
• Availability:
  • Starter and Advanced subscriptions allow the creation of a single workflow.
  • Professional subscriptions allow the creation of multiple workflows to efficiently manage diverse company activities.