Beyond the Flowchart

A workflow’s true power lies not just in its path, but in the rules and logic embedded at each step. Advanced Status Settings transform a simple flowchart into an intelligent, secure, and automated business process.
These settings are configured by clicking on a Status within the workflow design canvas. They add layers of control over the transition into that status.
This guide covers the three main types of advanced settings you can configure on any Status.

1. Conditions: The Gateway to a Status

Conditions act as a smart gateway that an Object must pass through to enter a status. If the combined conditions are not met, the user is blocked from making the transition. You can set two types of conditions—Data Validation and User Permissions—and combine them for powerful control. [Image Placeholder: A screenshot of the status configuration panel with the ‘Conditions’ tab open, showing both a data validation rule and a user permission rule configured.]

Condition Type: Data Validation

This checks the data on the Object itself before allowing the transition.
  • Use Case: Prevent a Contract from moving to SENT_FOR_SIGNATURE unless the Contract Value field is filled out AND the Legal Approval Checklist is 100% complete.
  • What you can validate: Data Fields (e.g., not empty), Checklists (e.g., completion %), Sub-objects (e.g., all sub-tasks are DONE), and more.

Condition Type: User Permission

This checks who the user attempting the transition is, acting as a secure approval gate.
  • Use Case: Ensure that only a user with the ‘Manager’ Role can move a Purchase Request to the APPROVED status.
  • Who you can grant permission to: User accounts, Groups, Roles, and users listed in User Fields (like ‘Assignee’ or ‘Supervisor’).
By creating multiple transitions out of a single status, each leading to a different next status with its own unique condition, you can create dynamic routing. For example, a REVIEW status could have a transition to APPROVED (if Score <= 8) and another to NEEDS_REWORK (if Score > 8).

2. Input Screens: Collecting Data in Context

An Input Screen is a form that automatically pops up when a user transitions an Object into this status, requiring them to fill in specific fields before the transition is complete.
  • Use Case: When a support ticket is moved to the CLOSED status, an Input Screen appears that requires the agent to fill out the Resolution Summary and Time Spent fields.
  • Why it’s useful: It ensures you collect the right data at the right time, improving data quality and saving users from having to remember to go back and fill in details later.
[Guidejar Placeholder: A short tutorial showing how to configure an Input Screen for a ‘CLOSED’ status, then switching to the user view to show the pop-up form appearing during the status change.]

3. Workflow Automation: Triggering Actions

You can attach a series of automated actions that fire the moment an Object successfully enters a status.
  • Use Case: When a Candidate Object enters the HIRED status, a workflow automation can instantly:
    1. Create a new Object in the ‘Employee Onboarding’ Function.
    2. Update the ‘Onboarding Task’ Assignee field to the HR team.
    3. Send a pre-written welcome email to the candidate.
  • Note: This is a specific type of automation tied directly to the workflow. The main Universal Automation engine allows for even more complex rules that can run in the background or be triggered by other events.

What’s Next?

You now have the tools to build secure, intelligent, and automated workflows. The next step is to learn how to analyze their performance.