Workflows

Overview

The Workflows feature, located in Global Settings ⚙️, is the heart of your process management in Zymmr. A workflow defines the specific set of steps, or states, that a work item can move through from creation to completion. By creating custom workflows, you can enforce consistent processes and ensure every task, bug, or story follows a predefined path.

1. Understanding the Core Concepts

Before building a workflow, it's important to understand its three main components:

Concept	Description
States	The distinct stages in a work item's lifecycle (e.g., Open, In Progress, QA, Done).
Transitions	The allowable paths between two states. A transition represents a user's action to move a work item.
Actions	The specific operation or "button" a user clicks to trigger a transition (e.g., "Start Progress").

The fundamental structure of a workflow is a series of State → Action → Next State definitions.

2. The Main Workflows Dashboard

This screen provides a list of all the workflows available in your Zymmr instance. From here, you can:

• See a list of all custom and system workflows.
• Identify System Workflows via the System tag. These are built-in defaults that may have limited modification options.
• Click + Add Workflow to create a new workflow from scratch.
• Click on any workflow title to view and edit its details.
• Use the Delete (trash can) icon to remove a custom workflow.

3. How to Create a New Workflow

1. Click the + Add Workflow button from the main dashboard.
2. On the "Add New Workflow" screen, first enter a clear and descriptive Workflow Title.
3. Next, build the workflow's structure:
   • Add States: Begin by clicking the Add State button at the bottom of the screen to define all the stages your workflow will need.
   • Add Transitions: For each state, click Add Row to define a path. In the new row, select the Start State, the Transition Action, and the Next State.
4. Continue adding states and transition rows until all desired paths are defined.
5. Click Save to create the workflow.

4. How to Configure an Existing Workflow

Clicking on a workflow from the dashboard takes you to its details screen, where you can customize its behavior.

Understanding the Details View

Column	Description
STATE	The starting state for a group of transitions.
TRANSITIONS (ACTION + NEXT STATE)	Shows the available actions from the starting state and the resulting state for each.
IS START	A checkbox to designate the default starting state for any new work item. A workflow must have exactly one start state.
IS DONE	A checkbox to mark one or more states as "completion" states (e.g., Done, Closed). This is important for reporting.
ACTIONS	Icons to manage states and transitions.

Modifying the Workflow

• Add a New State: Click the Add State button at the bottom of the page.
• Add a Transition: Find the state you want a new path from and click the + icon in its "ACTIONS" column.
• Delete a State or Transition: Use the trash can icon next to any state or transition row to remove it.

Advanced Transition Rules (The ... Menu)

For each transition, click the ... (more options) menu to add powerful rules and automation:

• Add Rule: Define conditions that must be met for this transition to be available. For example, a rule that only users with the "Team Lead" role can perform the "Approve" action.
• Edit: Modify the action name or the next state for the transition.
• Link Form: A key feature for process gates. You can require users to fill out a specific Form when they execute a transition. For example, when moving an item from QA to Done, you could link a "QA Sign-off" form to capture testing details.
• Remove: Deletes that specific transition path.

Best Practices

• Map It Out First: Before building in Zymmr, sketch your workflow on a whiteboard to visualize all states and transitions.
• Start Simple: Create a basic workflow first. You can always add more states, rules, and complexity later.
• Use Clear Names: Name your states and actions with clear, intuitive language that your users will understand (e.g., use "Send for Review" instead of an internal code).

Editing Live Workflows

Be very cautious when editing a workflow that is already in use by a project. Changing or deleting states that currently contain work items can cause those items to become "orphaned" or stuck. It's best to migrate work items out of a state before deleting it.