Summary
When you design a Workflow Template, you can either set entry criteria to automatically apply it to specific Companies or End Users, or you can manually apply the Workflow Template
There are a variety of places you can manually apply a Workflow Template - the Data Explorer, a Bubble Chart, a Preview or a Full-Page Profile
It's also possible to manually apply a blank Workflow
Who is this article for?
All Planhat users
Series
This article is part of a series on Workflows:
Manually applying a Workflow Template ⬅️ You are here
Article contents
Click below to jump to the relevant section:
Via the Data Explorer, or a Data Table Page or Grouped List Page - for multiple (or single) Companies or End Users
Via a Bubble Chart in a Dashboard or Presentation Page - for multiple (or single) Companies
Via a Company or End User Preview or a Company Full-Page Profile - for single Companies
Introduction
📌 Important to note
This article assumes you are familiar with the basic concepts of Workflows (Projects and Sequences). If you haven't yet read our overview article, start there first before reading this article.
Once you've created and activated a Workflow Template, it can be applied to specific Companies or End Users (depending on which model the Workflow Template is for). This creates a copy of the Workflow for that Company or End User, creating tasks/emails as appropriate, and filling in dynamic values such as due dates and owner(s) of the Workflow and its steps.
Workflow Templates are often configured with entry criteria so they are automatically applied - for example, you could have an Onboarding Workflow Template for Enterprise Companies, and set entry criteria so that this Workflow Template is applied to all Companies that enter your "Enterprise Companies" filter. Automating the application of Workflow Templates like this can save time and improve consistency, meaning customers are added to Workflows more quickly in response to changes in data.
Alternatively, you can manually apply Workflow Templates to Companies or End Users (again, as appropriate for the model of the Workflow Template). This enables you to apply Workflow Templates on a more ad-hoc basis, rather than setting a rule in advance. It can also be useful if you only want to apply your Workflow Template on one occasion (e.g. as part of a product launch) rather than on an ongoing basis.
There are various ways you can apply a Workflow Template manually, and in this article we'll take you through them all. One thing to bear in mind when choosing between methods is whether you only want to apply your Workflow Template to one Company or End User at a time, or whether you would like to bulk apply to a group of Companies or End Users.
As well as applying a Workflow Template you've designed in the "Workflows" Global Tool, it's also possible to apply a blank Workflow to a Company. This can be super useful if you're carrying out tasks as part of an ad-hoc project, and want to just add tasks "on the fly".
Via the Data Explorer, or Data Table / Grouped List Page for the model
For multiple (or single) Companies or End Users
The Data Explorer is perfect for temporary displays of data - it enables you to explore and query your data without needing to build something permanent.
To apply a Workflow to one or more Companies or End Users via the Data Explorer:
Navigate to the Data Explorer
Choose your desired data model (Company or End User) from the dropdown menu
Use the checkboxes to select the Companies or End Users that you would like to apply the Workflow to
🚀 Tip: Apply a filter to show specific records here, e.g. Companies that are in the Enterprise segment
🚀 Tip: You can select the checkbox at the very top (in the column header row) to select all displayed records
Click on the ellipsis icon (3 dots) shown in the menu at the bottom
Click "Apply Workflow"
Select whether your desired Workflow Template is a Project or Sequence
Select your choice of Workflow Template
Click "Create Workflows"
Click the image to view enlarged
You can also follow this same basic method if you have a suitable Page - a Data Table or Grouped List Page for the Company or End User model as appropriate.
Click the image to view enlarged
An example use case for these methods is if you are launching a new training course or new feature, and you create a Sequence of emails to promote it. You apply a filter in the Data Explorer of appropriate recipients (who the new course or feature would be most relevant to), select all, and then apply that Workflow Template.
Via a Bubble Chart in a Dashboard or Presentation Page
For multiple (or single) Companies
A Bubble Chart displays Companies in a way that's both insightful and playful. Read here if you would like to learn more about Bubble Charts, and here to read more about the Dashboard and Presentation Pages they can be part of.
Within a Bubble Chart, you can apply a Workflow Template like so:
Select a group of Companies (or a single Company) by dragging a box around the relevant bubble(s)
Click on the ellipsis icon (3 dots) shown in the menu at the bottom
Click "Apply Workflow"
Select whether your desired Workflow Template is a Project or Sequence
Select your choice of Workflow Template
Click "Create Workflows"
A typical use case here is you use a Bubble Chart to identify Companies most at risk of churn, and select those, and apply your "Churn Risk" Project.
Via a Preview or Company Full-Page Profile
For single Companies or End Users
If you're viewing a single Company record via its Preview or Full-Page Profile, you can easily apply your choice of Workflow Template. You can also apply a Workflow Template to a single End User via its Preview.
In a Company or End User Preview:
Click on the ellipsis icon (3 dots) shown in the top right of the Preview
Click "Apply Workflow"
Select whether your desired Workflow Template is a Project or Sequence
Select your choice of Workflow Template
Click "Create Workflow"
In a Company Full-Page Profile:
Click on the ellipsis icon (3 dots) shown in the top right of the Profile
Mouse over "+ Add related object"
Click "Apply Workflow"
Select whether your desired Workflow Template is a Project or Sequence
Select your choice of Workflow Template
Click "Create Workflow"
Click the image to view it enlarged
Additional tips
Applying a blank Workflow
It is also possible to apply a blank Project to a Company, rather than apply a Workflow Template that has already been designed. With this, you can build your Project fully "on the fly", adding steps as you go.
For example, you might agree on a new bespoke project with a Company, which you know will take several weeks and have multiple steps. Rather than treating this as a number of independent tasks, collecting them in a Project will help you see the full set of work in one place, and later allow you to more easily analyse time taken and so on.
To do this, apply a Workflow via a Preview or Full-Page Profile as described above (where you will see that the "Template" field is not a required field), and click "Create Workflow" without specifying a Template name. (You can also select "Empty workflow" from the Template name list for the same effect.)
Workflow "create form" and field properties
It's possible to edit the Workflow "create form" (shown below). If you don't see these fields and need troubleshooting help, or if you would like to add additional fields here, we explain where to check/change these properties below.
The form itself, and the fields it includes, are managed within the "Data" ("Data Model") Global Tool for admins. Here you should ensure the "Workflows" data model is selected from the column on the left-hand side.
To edit the fields shown in the form above, click on the "Profile" tab, and then select "Create form".
Click the image to view it enlarged
To manage the fields themselves, click into the "Fields" tab. Ensure any field you want to include in the form (e.g. "Template") is not hidden. You can unhide a field by clicking on the field to open up its settings, and deselecting the "Hide this field" checkbox.
Click the image to view it enlarged