Overview: Workflow workspaces (Console)

This article explains each of the workspaces of Workflows in Console.

In this article

Overview

In Console, the Workflows workspaces are where you can view and edit workflows. These workspaces include:

• List workspace (see a list of all workflows)

• View workspace (view a workflow’s structure)

• Editor workspace (add, modify, or remove modules on a workflow version)

Continue reading this article to learn more about each of these workspaces.

List workspace

The List workspace is the first workspace you’ll see when interacting with workflows. This workspace is where you see all the workflows and folders of workflows currently built on your account.

Each workflow in the list can be in a different state of development. Some might be published and actively in use. Others might be published, but not in use. And others still might be in active development.

You can right-click any item in the list workspace to move or rename a workflow. You can delete folders, but you cannot delete workflows. You can use the Search bar to search for workflows. You can use the Create Workflow  button to create new workflows from this workspace.

View workspace

The View workspace is where you can look over a published workflow to get a sense of how it was designed.

Once you publish a workflow, you can’t make any further changes to it without duplicating a version. This means that, when you open a published workflow, the only immediate action you can take is to view it.

While you’re in the View workspace, you can do any of the following actions:

• Duplicate the workflow: You can duplicate the workflow from the view workspace. When you duplicate a workflow, you’re creating a new version that you can modify (or start from scratch from) and publish. For more information, see: Duplicate a workflow version

• Make the version the current version: You can make any version the “current” version. For more information, see: Make a workflow version the current version

• Switch between versions: You can switch between workflow versions to review all other iterations of the workflow to see how it’s been set up in the past or how unpublished versions are being designed.

• Review and update workflow settings: You can modify some settings that apply to the entire workflow, including the name of the workflow. For more information, see: Overview: Workflow settings

• Review the workflow design and logic: Finally, you can simply use the view workspace to view the workflow. You can use the mouse to drag around the workflow view workspace. You can also use the map to more quickly navigate the workspace.

Editor workspace

Once you’ve created a new workflow, the next step is to build it. The workflow editor workspace is where you build out the logic of your newly created workflow. This workspaces consist of:

• The workflow editor itself

• The workflows module library

• The workflow settings panel

The workflow editor is where you use drag-and-drop functionality to add, configure, and link together modules to build a workflow. This workflow could contain one or several branches depending on its complexity. From this workspace, you can then publish the workflow to make it active and available for use.

You can also use this workspace to duplicate the workflow version, either as an exact copy or as a blank, fresh workflow to start anew with. A workflow can contain an unlimited number of versions.

Continue reading this article for more of the basics on building a workflow in the editor workspace.

Basics for building workflows

Each workflow has a starting point called a Start module. 

Once created, the Start module automatically populates into the workflow editor. From the Start module, you can build upon the workflow’s logic by adding and linking together modules from the Start module onward.

All branches of a workflow must have an ending point called an End module.

The End module tells the system when to terminate the workflow session. All workflows need at least one End module, and all branches of a workflow must end at a workflow module. All of your branches can share the same end module, or you can use individual end modules for each branch.

Once you’ve finished building the workflow’s logic, and each workflow branch has an endpoint, it’s time to publish, route, and test the workflow to ensure it behaves as expected. 

Manipulating and configuring workflow modules

After you drag and drop a module from the Workflows module library onto the editor, double click it to open it. The configuration workspace for a module is where you set one or more actions that Hammond executes when he reaches this point in the workflow. 

Some modules are very complex, so they could have lots of fields and toggles to configure. Other modules complete one action, so you won’t have as many settings to configure.

Below are all of the common actions that you’ll take when manipulating workflow modules in the editor.

• Add modules from module library to the editor: Add modules to the editor from the Workflow modules library to include them in your workflow. Do this by clicking and dragging each module you need from the module library and dropping them onto the editor. If you know the name of the module you are looking for, the module library search bar is useful for finding the exact module you need.

• Open and configure modules: Once a module is added to the workspace, double click to open and configure its settings. Each module is different and varies in complexity. So, you might have one, none, or several settings available to customize the module to function as you need.

• Arrange modules: After adding a module to the editor, click and drag it around to move it around the editor to place it where you need it. You can select multiple modules by clicking while pressing the Shift key.

• Link modules together: Connect modules together by clicking and dragging a link between them. This creates a branch within the workflow.

• Delete objects from the editor: At times, you might add a module or link to the editor that you don’t need or  realize you want to remove. To remove a module or link, select the object that you want to remove and press the Delete key on your keyboard. This removes it from the editor.

• End a workflow branch: Each workflow branch needs a satisfying endpoint. The endpoint is what tells Hammond to terminate the workflow session. If a workflow branch doesn't have a defined endpoint, the workflow session continues to run. A workflow branch reaches an endpoint when one of these modules is the final module in the branch: Transfer module or End module.

• Publish the workflow: When you’ve ended each workflow branch and you’re ready to lock the workflow from other changes, it’s time to publish it. There are two ways to publish: Publish or Publish+Make Current.

• Duplicate the workflow to make a new version: If you need to make a new version of the workflow, you can duplicate it. When you duplicate it, this creates an editable copy of the workflow version. You can then continue to add, remove or make other modifications to the workflow logic. 

• Modify workflow settings: The Settings panel is where you update workflow’s settings. The setting details that are available in this menu include: the workflow’s name, date stamp for when the workflow version was created, default voice settings for when Hammond uses text-to-speech capabilities, and more. 

Visual breakdown

• Workflow version menu (A): The workflow version menu is where you select the workflow version that you want to see. This menu includes all versions of the workflow. These versions can be published or unpublished workflows. If the workflow version is published, the workflow name will include ‘Published’ in it. Also, if the published workflow is the current workflow version, then the workflow will include ‘Current-Published’ in the name.

• Publish + Current: The Publish+Current button allows you to publish the workflow to lock it from any future changes. This also makes this the current workflow version that’s running in all instances where the workflow version is routing to ‘Current’.

• Duplicate: The Duplicate button is how you create an editable copy of this workflow version that you’re currently viewing. Once you click the Duplicate button, you’ll then decide if you want to create a new, blank workflow version or to copy this version to continue building upon it.

• Settings (B): The settings menu (vertical tri dot icon) is located in the top right corner of the editor. This is where you access details about the workflow, like the date for when it was created, the workflow’s title, and more. This is also where the Publish button is located.

• Module library (A): The module library includes the module search field and it displays all of the available modules you can use to build a workflow. These modules are broken into four broad categories: Engagement, Manipulating Data, External Communication, and Analyzing Data.

• Module (B): Any module that you add to the workspace is considered an active module. There isn’t a limit to the number of modules you can add to the workspace, but it’s important that all of your active modules are configured appropriately. Each module has different configurable settings, so double click on the module to open and configure it. 

• Module link (C): A module link is the connecting line between active modules that builds pathways from one module to the next. There can only be one link per exit port on a module, but there can be many links connected to an entry port. Ensure that all of your workflow pathways are complete with the necessary module links so that your workflow sessions do not get stuck before reaching the end of the workflow. An error message will appear if you attempt to publish a workflow that is missing module links. 

• Port: The port of a module is where data either enters or exits the module. So, there are ports at the top and bottom of the module.

  • • Entry port (D): The entry port is located on the top of the module and serves as the entrance into an active module. There is no limit to the number of module links connected to an entry port.

    • Exit port (E): The exit port serves as the exit point(s) leading from one active module to another. Each module has different configurations, so the number of exit ports per module varies. For linking modules together, there can only be one link per exit port.

• Map button (F): The map button opens and closes the workflow map tools to look more closely at the workflow. Click the map button to open the map tools. The map tools include zooming and search features to more easily look around the published workflow.