Table of Contents
Workflow Tools
Updated
by Lesley
Workflow defines the process, steps, and actions that get your work done.
In Knack, workflow is what turns your static data into dynamic processes designed to impact your business: it moves jobs to the right employee, it alerts customers when an order is ready, it requests approvals from a manager.
Knack doesn’t have one specific workflow feature. Instead, workflow is included in many features throughout the Knack platform.
Below is a list of the commonly used features for creating your own unique workflows. Each feature includes:
- A description of the feature
- Examples of how the feature is used in workflows
- A link to an article that explains how to use the feature
For a sample of common workflows, check out our Learn More Workflows article.
Fields
Fields form the foundation for many workflows.
Multiple Choice Fields
Multiple choice fields present a group of options users can choose from.
In a workflow, multiple choice fields are often used to denote status or stage.
Workflow Example:
- Set the status for a contact, a project, or an invoice.
For details on how to create multiple choice fields, check out this article: Field Types - Multiple Choice.
Yes/No Fields
Yes/no fields differentiate between a true or false value.
Workflow Examples:
- Mark whether an inventory item needs to be reordered or not
- Mark whether a record is approved before displaying it
- Mark whether a user needs to reset their passwords the next time they log in
For details on how to create yes/no fields, check out this article: Field Types - Yes/No.
Equations
Equation fields combine field values, numbers, and other mathematical functions to calculate values for each record.
Workflow Examples:
- Calculate how many spots remain available for an event
- Calculate the total costs for a completed task or project
- Calculate how many days an invoice is overdue
For details on how to create equation fields, check out this article: Equations.
Formulas
Formula fields run automatic calculations on connected records, which can be used by other features in a workflow, like conditional rules.
Workflow Examples:
- Calculate the sum cost of all items added to an order
- Calculate the sum of all inventory received and sent
For details on how to create formula fields, check out this article: Formulas.
Default Values
Default values populate fields if no value is entered. They are also used to populate forms that add new records.
Workflow Examples:
- Ensure that new invoices are set to a status of "Unpaid" by default
- Ensure that new project are set to a status of "In Progress" by default
Default values are only available for specific fields. To find out which fields allow for default values, check out this article: Field Types.
Conditional Rules
Conditional rules set the value of a field based on conditions that you define.
Workflow Examples:
- Automatically set a Yes/No field to "Yes" when inventory is low
- Automatically help update the cost of an item that's been discounted using a discount code
For details on how to add conditional rules to fields, check out this article: Conditional Rules.
Validation Rules
Validation rules define which values are or are not allowed on a specific field. This ensures that data meets the defined criteria.
Workflow Example:
For details on how to add validation rules to fields, check out this article: Validation Rules.
Views
Views determine what your users see for any given workflow.
Source
The data source determines which records are displayed and how they are displayed in views. This allows views to be customized to show only records with a specific status in a workflow.
Workflow Examples:
- Display only contacts that are in the lead, proposal, or customer/won stages
- Display only unassigned tasks
- Display only approved records
For details on how to customize the data source of a view, check out this article: Source.
Grid Groupings
Grid groupings group records by a common value.
Workflow Example:
For details on how to add groupings to grids, check out this article: How to Add Groupings to a Grid.
Display Rules
Display rules can either show/hide fields or customize a field's appearance based on specified criteria. Display rules are available in form, grid, list, and detail views.
Workflow Examples:
- Hide fields not associated with a specific stage of project on a details view
- Add status indicators to a grid by changing a field's background color, text style, and adding an icon
- Show a paragraph text field when the "Other" option is selected on a multiple choice field
For details on how to add display rules to views, check out these articles: Forms - Display Rules, Grids - Display Rules, and Lists & Details - Display Rules.
Custom Text on Submit Buttons
Submit buttons appear on all forms. The "Submit" text on those buttons can be customized to streamline user actions in a workflow.
They can also be combined with record rules to create one-step button forms.
Workflow Example:
- Clearly direct a user to next part of a multi-part form
- Create a one-click form that sets the status of a record to "Approved" using record rules
For details on how to change the text of a submit button, check out this article: How to Customize the Text on a Submit Button.
Users
If you need multiple user roles in your workflow with different access, you’ll need to activate users. With users, you can set up custom pages, views, and triggers.
User Roles & Permissions
User roles are different types of users. Using roles and users, you can ensure that the data displayed is relevant to the logged-in user in order to move a workflow forward.
Workflow Examples:
- Create a Managers user role to assign tasks, and an Employees user role to view assigned tasks and mark them as complete
- Create an Admin user role that has access to all records
For details on how to create user roles, check out this article: User Roles. For details on how to manage permissions, check out this article: Permissions.
Logins & Registrations
Logins require users to validate their access using an email and password before they can access your app. In a workflow, this ensures that users only have access to the data and functionality that you've defined.
Registrations control whether or not a new user has the option to sign up for approved or immediate access to your app.
Workflow Examples:
- Show records connected to the logged-in user
- Show records connected to the logged-in user's company or other group
- Give users the option to sign up for access to a member directory
For details on how to add logins and registrations to your pages, check out this article: Logins & Registrations.
Triggers
Triggers make it possible to add automation to your workflows.
Record Rules
Record rules perform automated actions behind the scenes when a form or inline edit on a grid is submitted.
Those actions include automatically setting field values in a workflow, which can save time for users and reduce data entry errors. Record rules can also insert or update connected records.
Workflow Examples:
- Create a button that automatically updates a contact from the lead to proposal stage
- Add a link to a grid that automatically marks a task as complete
- Add a link to a grid that automatically adds a recipe to the logged-in user's favorite recipes
For details on how to add record rules to your forms, check out this article: Using Record Rules.
Submit Rules
Submit rules determine where a user is directed after successfully submitting a form, which includes redirecting the user to a relevant page in a workflow.
Workflow Examples:
- Redirect a customer to a custom page after making a payment
- Automatically move a user to the next part of a multi-part form
- Redirect a customer to add items to a new order
For details on how to add submit rules to your forms, check out this article: Submit rules.
Email notifications can be sent to users using forms in a workflow. Also, time-based email reminders can be sent using scheduled tasks.
Workflow Examples:
- Notify a customer that they have a new invoice or that an invoice is overdue
- Notify a hiring manager that a new application has been submitted
For details on how to send automatic emails from your forms, check out this article: Send Emails. For details on sending emails using scheduled tasks, check out this article: Scheduled Tasks.
Page Rules
Page rules automatically trigger actions when a page is loaded based on conditions you define. They can be used to show only the views (grids, forms, etc.) relevant to the user or the page's record. In workflows, this ensures the page’s content is relevant to the user and stage.
Workflow Examples:
- Hide a tasks grid on a project page when the project is still in the planning stage
- Display a message when a deadline is approaching
For details on how to create page rules, check out this article: Page Rules.
Scheduled Tasks
Scheduled tasks automate actions that can be scheduled on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, which allows you to sent email reminders to users in a workflow.
Workflow Example:
For details on how to create scheduled tasks, check out this article: Scheduled Tasks.
