Workflows part 1

Overview – 00:00

Hello and welcome to our overview of the new Workflows module in Freezerworks 2017. Workflows are templates for standardizing simple yet repetitive tasks, greatly reducing opportunities for user error, and increasing the quality of work done in Freezerworks.  Now workflows include a variety of different tasks that you can strictly predetermine and lock for modification or leave free to user input.  Of course, you can always have a combination of these two options when creating your templates. 

Workflow Types – 00:43

Now there are three types of workflows: Check Out, Check In, and Process Shipment.  As you can probably tell, these tools were previously part of Freezerworks but Workflows has consolidated and updated them.  Process Shipment Workflows will only be used when you process a Shipping File, while Check Out and Check In Workflows can be run from the inventory List View, within samples, and in Explorer Freezers.  

Aliquot Status – 01:20

Essential to Workflows is our new system field, Aliquot Status.  Whenever a workflow is run on aliquots, the Aliquot Status of each aliquot can be changed.  This is similar to aliquots being set to Checked Out or Checked Out Locked in previous versions.  We've taken these two statuses and included them in the Aliquot Status single-select choice list field.  If you open Aliquot Status in Fields Configuration, you'll see all the different possible statuses and their associated attributes and display icon.  Now workflows are the primary way Aliquot Status should be changed.  That being said, Aliquot Status is available for normal modification if the current status has a modifiable attribute, as well as Batch Update modification if the field has been marked as Available for Batch Update.  

Workflow History – 02:25

Whenever a workflow is processed, a record documenting the run gets created and stored in the View Workflow History List View. Like Check Out History File in previous versions, you will be able to open these workflow history records and view details about each run, when it was done, by whom, and what aliquots were involved.  The workflow run name is a name given to this specific instance of the workflow being processed by the user who is processing it.  This field is for organizational purposes as the same workflow can be run numerous times by numerous different users.  You can require this during workflow configuration, but users are always free to supply this when they're processing the workflow no matter what.  

Aliquot Custody – 03:11

Finally we should talk about Aliquot Custody.  The new system field, Custodian, has been provided for you to keep track of who currently holds the aliquots, who they are checked out to, or shipped to.  For example, this single-select choice list field gets filled in with all people records that are marked as custodians.  Our new people module is where you can mark Freezerworks users as custodians and create external contacts that are custodians as well.  Use the Custodian checkbox inside People Records to do so.

Conclusion – 03:42

Well that about does it.  Thank you for watching our overview of the new workflows module.  Please be sure to check out the rest of the videos in this series to learn how to get your workflows configured and then processed. See you then!