Managing Errors in Workflow

• Email
• Workflow Builder
• Document List
• Document Workflow Status View

Kuali has the ability to help you identify errors in your apps and specifically in your workflows. Below are just a few common errors:

• You delete a gadget from a form that you think you no longer need, but unbeknownst to you, the information in that field is part of your workflow. 
• You have system-wide categories, groups, and roles set up, but you don't realize that some roles are not assigned to users in a few of the groups. This leaves some steps in the workflow unassigned.
• You have assigned a specific person to approve each document that is submitted, but that user is no longer with the institution and has been removed from all systems.

These are just a few of the errors we have seen app administrators make, but don't worry. Kuali alerts you to these issues in a few ways.

Email

If an error occurs when a workflow is in the process of being executed, Kuali will send an email to the app administrators notifying them of the error. That email also lets the app administrators know which app is having the problem, and it includes suggestions for troubleshooting the error. 

Workflow Builder

The Workflow Builder also has the ability to alert you if there is an issue with your workflow. In the example screenshot above, the app administrator created a form and its associated workflow, but sometime later deleted a field that the workflow was dependent on. In this case the Workflow Builder was able to alert the app administrator with red wording and the red exclamation point that the field could no longer be found.

Document List

The Workflow Status column in the Document List can also notify you that there is an error in your workflow. In the screenshot above we see that there is an error in the workflow for documents 12 and 20.  We can learn more information by clicking into the document.

Document Workflow Status View

Initially when you click into the document you will see the completed document and on the top header it will show the status of Error.  In the top menu options you can select Workflow Status option which will slide in from the side of the screen so that you can view all workflow details.  

From the Workflow Status you will be able to see all steps in the workflow--those that have been completed, those that haven't been completed, and any errors that have occurred. 

Notice in the screenshot above there is error for Approval indicated by the red lettering and the red exclamation point.

In this example we can see that the document is routing to the Department Chair for approval, but the Department Chair role in Computer Science department has not been assigned to any users. Therefore, the workflow has stopped.