Create an action in a template

In a workflow, all transitions can include an Action if an additional step needs to be done before the next Activity. For example, you can add an action for a process that is completed outside of Inspire, such as Hire a copy editor. You can also use an action to specify something a user should do in Inspire after the activity is completed, such as Take a snapshot. There are a limited number of actions you can create to tell Inspire to perform automated actions. Currently, the automated actions are limited to create a review, create an approval, and approve components in a previous Activity.

Tips and tricks

  • Inspire does not provide any default Actions that are manually completed by a user.
  • You can create an Action first and then select it when creating a Transition.
  • You can create a Transition without an Action and add it later.
  • A Transition can only include one Action.
  • An Action is unique to the template it's included in.
  • If you want to use the new or updated Action in a different template, you have to re-create it in that specific template.
  • You can use an Action to tell Inspire to perform an automated task.

    Automated actions are only available in a topic workflow template (not a sequential reviewer template), or a completely new workflow template component.

    • Review actions. The Action is called InspireCreateReview.

      • By default, the Transition from the Developing topics Activity to the Reviewing content Activity is completed manually by the user in the Writer Workgroup.

      • To automate the process, you can add an Action to have Inspire open a new Create Review screen automatically and populate any known details so the workflow user can quickly create the review and advance the workflow to the next stage (Reviewing).

      • This Action is only available in the Topic Workflow template.
      • You must configure it exactly as described in Add a Create Review Action to a topic workflow template. Otherwise, Inspire won't understand the Action as an automated process.

    • Approval actions. To automate some or all of the approval process, you can add an Action to have Inspire send notifications to confirm components to be included in the approval screen, or have Inspire approve the associated components automatically without user intervention.

      • Use the approval notification action (InspireCreateApproval). Inspire sends an email notification to each user in the Review workgroup (or the workgroup assigned to the previous user activity). The workgroup users can confirm if they want to include component references in the approval process.
        • If a user in the Review workgroup confirms that they want to include component references in the approval process, then Inspire opens the Review Approval screen for the approver with the appropriate components included.
        • If a user in the Review workgroup confirms that they do NOT want to include component references in the approval process, then Inspire opens the Review Approval screen for the approver with only the source components included.
        • You must configure it exactly as described in: Add a Create Approval Action to a topic workflow template. Otherwise, Inspire won't understand the Action as an automated process.
      • Use the automatic approval action (InspireApprove). When the workflow advances to the Send for Approve Transition, Inspire automatically approves the components in the review.

To create a new action:

  1. Click Components.
  2. In the Folders pane, select Workflows.

    If you have moved the template to another folder, go that location instead.

  3. In the Components pane, select a workflow.

    To open the template, do one of the following:

    • Double-click the file
    • Right-click the file, and then select Edit...
    • Click the Options menu, and then select Edit...
    Results: You see the workflow activities and transitions in the editor.
  4. In the toolbar at the top of the editor, click Actions.

    Results: The Action Management screen opens.

  5. On the Action Management screen, click Create.

    Results: The Create Action screen opens.

  6. In Name, enter a unique title that describes a manual step that occurs during a transition.
  7. Optionally, in Description, you can enter more details about what the user should do to complete this action.
  8. To save your changes to the Action, click Create.
    Results:
    • You can see your new action listed on the Action Management screen.
    • You can select your new action when creating or updating a Transition.
  9. To save your changes to the template, do one of the following:
    • If you are done updating the workflow, to close the workflow editor, click Save and Submit.
    • If you want to keep working but save your changes locally, click Save Progress.
    You can manage actions in the following ways: