Workflows

From Tools, Workflow designer, create and edit processes — known as workflows — to automatically send emails to constituents or assign actions to people in your organization. For example, create a workflow that sends new constituents a series of welcome emails, or that assigns phone calls and meetings to fundraisers to engage prospective donors.

Note: Workflow Designer uses Lists and relies on users to have permissions to those lists. Workflows can't be processed if the user who activated the workflow no longer has the appropriate permissions or access. This includes users who activate a workflow then leave the organization. If this happens, copy the workflow and activate it again under a different user's account. Furthermore, if a list gets deleted, you'll need to copy the workflow, apply a new list to it, then activate it again.

Tip: Admins! To manage who can use and see these features, you can provide access from Control Panel, Security. For more information, see Workflow Designer Security.

  1. From Tools, Workflow designer, select New workflow.

  2. Enter a name and description for the workflow, then select Save.

  3. Select Add first step.

    • To select criteria that determines who your workflow applies to, choose Select crtieria, select a condition, then configure the constituent criteria. For more information, see Constituent criteria.

    • To apply the workflow to a list, choose Select list, and select one to use.

      Note: To create a list, in Lists, Constituents, select how to start, such as with a new list or from a static query. From the list, select Filters and choose criteria to only include records for the workflow. To ensure your list is up to date and recognized by Workflow designer, save the list after you create it. For more information, see Lists.

    • If you haven't identified the constituents, choose Select later.

      Tip: You can select a list later or apply the workflow to individual constituents from their records.

  4. If you select a list, by default, the workflow only applies to the constituents who are in it when you activate the workflow. To also apply the workflow to new constituents you add after activation, select Apply workflow to new constituents added to this list.

    Note: Your workflow list updates approximately every 24 hours from the first time you activate the workflow, and is always performed overnight. When you select Apply workflow to new constituents added to this list, new constituents are automatically added to the workflow in that time frame. Depending on processing times, the list may still be updating the following morning.

  5. Select Save. On the List step, select Show more to verify if your workflow will apply to new constituents in the list.

  6. Select whether to send an email from Raiser's Edge NXT, assign an action for fundraisers in your organization to complete, or set a time delay condition to wait a specified amount of time before executing the next step in the workflow..

    • To send an email, select Add an email, select the first email to send, and select Select email. For more information, see Workflow steps

      Note: The first email in a workflow sends when you activate the workflow.

    • To assign an action to fundraisers, select Add an action, select the type of action and who to assign it to, and then select Save. For more information, see Workflow steps

  7. Add the next step. You can add the next action or email in the workflow or a condition, such as how much time to wait before the next email sends. If you set the workflow to perform an action, you can add a dependent action, which includes a condition to perform that dependent action when the previous action is complete. For more information, see Workflow steps.

  8. Choose whether to activate the workflow or save it for later.

    • To start the workflow, select Activate workflow and choose whether to activate it right away or at another time. If you choose to activate the workflow later, select the date and time.

    • To save the workflow, select Save and close or Save.

      Note: To change the name or description of the workflow, select Properties, update the information, and select Save.

In a constituent's record or list, select Apply workflow, select the workflow to use, and then select Apply workflow again.

Note: You can only apply workflows that are Running. Don't see your workflow in a list? Verify it's activated and the status is Running.

If you have multiple workflows for your organization and need to find a specific one, use the Workflow designer home page to view all workflows, active workflows, and draft workflows. You can also search workflows from the homepage. On the All workflows page, filter, sort, and search to find your desired workflow.

Select Filter , then choose a workflow status or deselect Hide archived Workflow, Hide error Workflow, or Hide deactivated Workflow. You can sort results by ascending or descending workflow name. You can also search for a workflow by entering keywords in the search field, then selecting .

From Tools, Workflow designer, select a workflow to view more details. Under Details, you can view how many people it's been applied to since it was activated, how many it currently applies to, and how many it completed. You can also view when it was activated, who created it, and who last modified it.

To determine which constituents are in a workflow, you can search a list of recipients by their name or ID.

From Tools, Workflow designer, select a workflow. Under Recipients, you can view a list of constituents who are in or have completed the workflow. You can also view their IDs and the dates they were added.

By default, all constituents in the workflow appear. To view constituents based on their status, select Filter, then under Status select In-progress or Completed. To find a constituent in the list, search by their title, first name, last name, suffix, or constituent ID.

To open a constituent record, select their name.

Tip: To reverse the sort order of a column, select its name.

Note: If the search can't access a constituent — such as when their record no longer exists — a SystemID displays instead of their name. If the record exists, you can select the SystemID to open it.

You may need to make changes to a workflow, such as modifying steps or activating it. You may also want to copy one of your workflows. You can copy any workflow, but you can only edit a workflow as long as it's in Draft status and it isn't active.

From the list of workflows under Tools, Workflow designer, View all workflows, select Edit or Copy from the workflow’s menu .

To keep your list of workflows tidy, you can archive workflows that are in Draft, Deactivated, or Finished status. From a workflow’s menu , select Archive to remove it from the list. If you inadvertently archive a workflow, you can select Filter and deselect Hide archived Workflow to view it again.

Warning: If you archive a workflow while it’s in Draft status, you can’t edit or activate it when you show it again.

If you no longer need to run a workflow, you can deactivate it. From Tools, Workflow designer, View all workflows, select Deactivate from the workflow’s menu .

Note: Only workflows in a Running or Scheduled status can be deactivated.

You can delete any workflow in Draft, Deactivated, or Archived status. From Tools, Workflow designer, View all workflows, select Delete from the workflow’s menu.

Note: You can't access a workflow after you delete it.