Workflow delegations

Workflows · Delegations

Keep approvals moving while someone is away by handing their steps to a colleague for a set period.

A delegation hands the workflow steps that wait for one user (the delegator) to another user (the delegate) for a period. The delegate sees the steps in their own task list and can complete them. The delegator keeps seeing them too. NIM records in the case history that the delegate acted on behalf of the delegator.

Administrators manage everybody's delegations in Studio. Users can manage their own delegations from a NIM App: see Workflows in Apps.

How delegation worksDirect link to How delegation works

Only personal steps are handed on. A step that waits for the delegator personally is delegated. A step that reaches the delegator through a group, or through Anyone signed in, is not: the rest of the group can still pick it up.
Delegations do not chain. A delegate does not pass on steps that were delegated to them.
Delegations apply immediately. Nothing is stored on the case, so a new, changed, or removed delegation applies right away to every open step, including steps that were handed out before the delegation existed.
Delegated steps count as the delegate's own in task counts. When a step reaches someone in more than one way, it is shown as personal first, then delegated, then group.
Delegates read what the delegator may read. While a step waits for them, a delegate can read the case data that the delegator's participant may read.
Delegates get the mail. When a delegated step is handed out, NIM also mails the active delegates, with the delegator's name in the delegatedFromName property. See Workflow notifications.

User tasks and message events of published configurations can be delegated. A delegation of selected steps names the step as it is published, so republishing a configuration does not break it.

Manage delegations in StudioDirect link to Manage delegations in Studio

Go to Configuration → Workflows and open the Delegations tab. The Workflow delegations grid shows:

Show delegation grid columns

Column	Shows
From	The delegator, whose steps are handed on.
To	The delegate, who gets them.
Steps	all steps, or the selected steps as Configuration: Step.
Valid from	When the delegation starts. `-` means from the moment it was made.
Valid until	When it ends. `-` means until it is removed.
State	active, off, or not at this moment (outside its period).
Enabled	Whether the delegation is switched on. Tick or clear it directly in the grid.
Note	Why the delegation exists.

Add a delegationDirect link to Add a delegation

Select Add delegation.
In From, pick whose steps are handed on.
In To, pick who gets them.
Under Steps, choose:
- All steps that wait for this person, or
- Only these steps, and tick the steps. They are grouped by configuration, and each shows its participant.
Optionally, set Valid from and Valid until. Leave them empty to start now and continue until the delegation is removed.
Optionally, enter a Note, such as Parental leave.
Keep Switched on ticked. Clear it to keep the delegation without applying it.
Select Save.

Save stays disabled while the delegation is not valid, and the reason is shown next to it:

A delegation needs the user whose steps are handed on.
A delegation needs the user who gets the steps.
A user cannot delegate to themselves.
A delegation has to end after it starts.
A delegation of certain steps has to name at least one.

The built-in accounts (anonymous, support, and system) cannot delegate or receive delegations.

Change, pause, or remove a delegationDirect link to Change, pause, or remove a delegation

Select Change this delegation to edit it. The dialog shows Delegation of X to Y.
Clear Enabled in the grid to pause a delegation without losing it.
Select Remove this delegation and confirm to delete it.

A delegation is active when it is enabled, its Valid from has passed, and its Valid until has not.

Who may manage delegationsDirect link to Who may manage delegations

Who	May
Any user, from an App	Add, change, enable, disable, and remove their own delegations. In an App, the delegator is always the signed-in user.
A NIM administrator	Manage the delegations of every user, in Studio.

Users see their own delegations, given and received, in the workflow.my_delegations table. The steps they can choose from are in workflow.delegatable_steps. See Workflows in Apps.

Workflows in Apps — let users manage their own delegations.
Workflow notifications — notify delegates when a step waits for them.