Example of workflow

Workflow example

In this example, we will demonstrate how a business could set up and utilize a workflow within the PIM. Building on the previous examples from the How to Use Workflows tutorial, we will focus on each state and transition in the workflow.

In this example the business manages a large number of products that require configuration and maintenance within the PIM system. To avoid data inconsistencies or potential errors in process, they need a clear and enforceable workflow. The business can, by defining specific states and transitions, ensure that each product and its variants follow a controlled lifecycle, from initial creation to publication, with visibility into every step of the process.

Setting up workflow

Initially, a workflow is created and given an alias and label. In this example, the workflow has been labeled "BusinessFlow" to identify this specific use case. In practice, you could have multiple workflows depending on team and business structure.

After setting the label and alias, we proceed to configure the states in the workflow.

When configuring each state, an alias and a label are set alongside a color to help identify the state and its context.

In the example above, "Draft" has been chosen to indicate that a draft of a product has been added to the PIM and needs to be enriched. No transitions are added since we start by setting up all the stages in the workflow.

Below you can see the all the states that make up the workflow. Following states are:

• Draft: Initial state when a product or variant is first created. At this point, only basic data may be available.

• EnrichmentInProgress: Teams are actively adding or updating product content (descriptions, attributes, images, etc.).

• ReadyForApproval: Enrichment is complete. The product is now waiting for validation or approval from a responsible party.

• Published: Product has been approved and published.

• Discontinued: Product is no longer active or available but is kept in the system for future reference.

Each state is assigned a color for visual clarity. For instance, grey here could indicate a new item lacking content, yellow represents an item in progress, and green shows an item ready for completion.

Transitions between states

When all the states are set up, it is time to add the crucial transitions that determine the flow of the workflow.

When adding transitions to a state, start by selecting the state you want to transition from. In the image above, we want to transition from the state "Draft" to the next step in the product cycle, "EnrichmentInProgress."

The label and description help identify the transition and the process behind it. Required permission has not been set, but would be valid to ensure only specific individuals can make some transitions, such as the approval of a product.

Below you can see all the transitions added to the workflow between the states:

• Draft:

  • Draft → EnrichmentInProgress - The product begins enrichment.

  
• EnrichmentInProgress:

  • EnrichmentInProgress → ReadyForApproval - All required enrichment is done, and the product is ready to be approved.

  
• ReadyForApproval:

  • ReadyForApproval → EnrichmentInProgress - The product needs further enrichment and is moved back for revision.

  • ReadyForApproval → Published - The product passes all checks and is approved and published.

  
• Published:

  • Published → EnrichmentInProgress - Updates or corrections are needed after publication.

  • Published → Discontinued - The product is no longer active or offered.

  
• Discontinued:

  • Discontinued → Published - The product is republished.

  

Each transition is designed to clearly track the status of products in sequence. With all states and transitions established, we've crafted a user-friendly workflow that assists in maintaining product tracking.

Assignments of workflow

Now that the workflow is created, we just need to assign the products and variants that need to adhere to the workflow. In this case, we focus on the food that the business sells. By creating a product structure for all the various versions of food, we can add it under workflow assignments to ensure that all products and variants with this structure follow the same workflow.

Using the workflow

To use the workflow, we move the newly added product "Chicken Breasts" from the "Draft" state to the "EnrichmentInProgress" state by clicking the "Begin Enrichment" transition. This indicates that the product is in the process of being enriched with the remaining information it needs. From here we can continue following the workflow and change the state depending on the products status.

After changing the state, our collection of food products is now easy to track, showing which workflow state each product is in. This can be seen in the image below. This is valuable for managing a large collection of products and variants efficiently.