Budget and Workflow
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Before you add a workflow - that is, a list of components - to a job, you should choose how the budget will be calculated.
As you are creating a job, you may be prompted to select how to budget for this job, or when adding the workflow you will be asked to confirm the budget method.
- Time Only - you only wish to track the number of hours for each component (and thus the overall job has an hourly budget). Tracking the $$ value and invoicing is not neccessary. - SUITABLE FOR INTERNAL JOBS.
- Fixed Price - the overall budget should be a fixed amount, regardless of the budget that is calculated by the components/tasks inside the job.
- Workflow Defined - you want the budget to calculate by summing the budget of each component that is added to the job workflow.
Add or Edit Workflow
This is where you define the big pieces of work in your job. A workflow is made up of 1 or more components (though they might be called something different in your system - such as Services). The workflow is also important for developing your project plan or schedule.
- If your job doesn't have any components/services yet, you can click the Add button just below the project details section whilst viewing the job. If the button says Edit then you already have a workflow but you can of course edit it now.
- If you are adding a new workflow, the next screen allows you to start from a blank workflow, or choose a template for the workflow.
You may also have the opportunity to change the budget method. Once the workflow is added, you cannot change budget method.
- You can change the title of the workflow if you like. It is there so you can see which template the workflow may have come from.
The Start date for a workflow is when you think the first component (or service) should start. As long as the job has not been activated you can adjust this date from the workflow edit screen.
Remember to click Save details to keep any changes to the workflow details.
Adding a component to a workflow
Components give your workflow structure and depth, and provide a specific place where you can record hours worked as well as give a description of what needs to be done. You might think of them as line items or services provided. To get started adding components follow these steps:
- Select Add Component from the grey menu bar on the Edit Workflow screen.
- A dialogue will come to the front of the screen, prompting you to select a component to add to the workflow:
The components available in your system are completely configurable. You can also define a blank one (in our case, it's the one called "Other") which once added to your workflow should be renamed. If your list is empty, check with your admin user.
Note that components can be grouped, so if you click on a parent component, all its children will be included too. Click the + icon to expand a parent.
When you select a component, the dialogue will fade out, and back on the Edit Workflow screen the component will be listed:
To change the order of components, mouse over the blue pin on the left, then click and drag the component to its new position.
Editing components in the workflow
Click the component name, or the edit icon. The component will expand to allow you to update a number of details:
- The first field shows the component name - which you can edit. The component will still have the same type as it had before. That means if you rename a "Design" component to "Logo design" the component will still be found if you search for all components whose type = "Design"
- Duration - set the number of days this component is expected to run for (or be active for). For example, 1.50 will translate to 1 ½ days. Note that this does not mean 12 hours of work - rather it is for estimating the total elapsed time for the project.
- To create a sub-component for a component, click the New Sub-component icon. Or to remove this component, click the Delete component icon.
At the moment there is no special relationship between sub-components are the parent components. The budgets and durations remain independent of one another.
- Description - this is the large space on the left. You can provide details about the work to be completed here.
- Assignee/Manager - underneath the description field you can select a single staff member who is in charge of completing this work. Other staff may be assigned work within a component by using tasks.