Vtiger CRM’s Process Designer module facilitates users with a graphical interface to create systematic business workflows.
Process Designer offers a convenient flowchart tool that helps in:
The Vtiger CRM Process Designer:
The Vtiger CRM Process Designer:
Note: Under Settings > User Management > Profiles > Name > Other Modules the Process Designer’s fields are non-editable.
In this article, you will learn about:
Click here for the availability of the Process Designer for different editions of Vtiger CRM.
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Let us first understand what a process design or flow is.
A process design is a systematic illustration of your business workflow and comprises various tasks, criteria, and task durations.
An illustration of a process design
With Vtiger CRM Process Designer, you can:
Note: The Process Designer allows a maximum of 5 workflows for one process design.
The Add Process screen is where you create flows for your business processes. It has the following components:
Let us now learn about these components.
The Trigger component allows you to choose when to trigger a process. You can trigger a process under the following conditions:
1. Create - Triggers a process when a record is created.
2. Update (Includes Creation) - Triggers a process when a record is updated. Selecting Update, allows you to select a below Recurrence (when to trigger a process) by setting up All conditions or Any Conditions.
3. Manual - It allows you to manually add records to a process. It triggers a process when a record is manually added.
Follow these steps to access the Trigger symbol:
With this, you have successfully set up Trigger for a process in the Process Designer.
Clicking Process Details, lets you edit the Name, Module, Status, and Assigned to details for the specific process design record.
The following Save options are available:
The Components Menu lists the prime components of the Process Designer. To access the Process Designer's prime components you have to click the + (plus) mark on a symbol for the Components Menu to appear.
The following components are available in the Components Menu:
Add Action
Submit For Approval
Add Conditions
Add Wait Time
Add Label
Connect
Delete
The Add Action component helps you set up a task or an action for a process. It allows you to select an action from a list of actions and configure its properties as well.
Follow these steps to access Add Action:
Note: The above actions once executed for process records will be displayed in the Process History for their respective process design records as well as the record’s Summary View’s Activity section.
With this, you have successfully set up an action for a process on the Process Designer.
The Process Designer's Email action lets you very conveniently merge the Meet Me Appointment Page URL of the process record owner in the emails called the Owner Appointment Page URL. This facilitates easy and quick interactions between agents and the customers.
To add the Owner Appointment Page URL to your emails in the Process Designer you must first add your Meet Me Appointment Page record as Default. This record which is added as Default will be listed as the Owner Appointment Page URL in the emails you send from the Process Designer. This is available under Process Designer > Email Action > Send Mail window > General Fields.
Follow these steps to add your Meet Me Appointment page as Default:
You have now successfully added your Meet Me Appointment page as Default.
Note: Only one Meet Me Appointment Page record can be added as Default.
Follow these steps to add the Owner Appointment Page URL to your emails in the Process Designer:
With this the Meet Me Appointment Page URL of the process record owner is successfully added in the email.
Clicking the same, customers will be redirected to the Meet Me Appointment Page of the owner where they can set up a meeting.
The Submit For Approval component helps you submit your process records for approval. To select this option you have to configure the Approval Trigger under Approvals settings:
Note: The Approvals’ Status for which you configure the Via Process Approval Trigger should be Active (Settings > Approvals > Approval record > Status > Active).
Follow these steps to configure the Approval Trigger Via Process:
You have now successfully configured the Approval Trigger Via Process for approvals submitted via processes in the Process Designer.
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Follow these steps to submit a record for approval:
You have now successfully submitted a process record for approval in the Process Designer.
Once you submit a process record for approval it can either be approved or rejected. Submit For Approval helps you set up different processes for approval statuses Approved and Rejected.
Follow these steps to set up a process if Approved:
You have now successfully set up a process when a record is approved.
Follow these steps to set up a process if Rejected:
You have now successfully set up a process when a record is rejected.
Process Flows now include support for AI-driven Actions and Prompts. Let’s say a new lead comes in through a web form or email. You can set up an AI Action within your process flow to perform lead enrichment automatically.
You can send details such as:
The Add Condition component helps you set up a condition or criteria for a process.
Follow these steps to access Add Condition:
Click + mark on a component. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Add Conditions. You will be directed to the Conditions window, where you can set the necessary conditions for a process such as:
All conditions must be met
or
At least one of the conditions must be met
Under All Conditions or Any Conditions (both if required) click + Add Condition to set the necessary conditions.
Click Save Conditions. The Saved notification is displayed.
You have now set up a True condition.
Add Conditions also helps you set up a different process if the condition is False.
Follow these steps to set up a Condition as False:
Click + mark on Add Conditions. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click False.
Click + mark on the False symbol. You will be directed to the Components Menu where you can set up the further process.
You have now set up a False condition.
With this, you have successfully set up conditions for a process on the Process Designer.
Process Designer allows you to add conditions not just for the Main Record but for all the previous actions that you have set up for a process. Clicking any condition will list all the previous actions in the Conditions window. You can select the required previous action and set conditions for it. This will evaluate the set conditions for the previous actions and execute them accordingly.
The Process Designer allows you to add conditions for the following actions only:
Follow these steps to add conditions for previous actions:
You have now successfully added conditions for previous actions.
Note: If the same Action exists multiple times for a process, its previous actions will be listed number-wise. For instance, If there are 2 Email Actions for a process, clicking + mark lists them as Email 1 and Email 2 as per their occurrences.
Once you set up conditions for various actions in a process. The Process Designer provides the following Types for conditions:
Let us learn each of these condition types with examples.
If you select type Immediate for a condition, the condition immediately proceeds to the next task in the process if the conditions are met and stops if not. Type Immediate option is by default selected for conditions.
For instance, consider the above screenshot,
Process:
When the above process is executed using the Immediate option for Condition 1 the following occurs:
Once Task 1 is created and Task 1’s Stage is not set to Interested then immediately Action 3 for the False Condition is executed where in an Email is sent to the Manager.
If you select type Listener for a condition, the condition listens (waits) until the time period (listen time) that you have set up for the conditions to meet. And then proceeds to the next task in the process.
Process:
When the above process is executed using the Listener option for Condition 1 the following occurs:
Once Task 1 is created and Task 1’s Stage is not set to Interested. Then Condition 1 listens until the set listen time i.e. one day. If Condition 1 is met anytime during one day, Action 1 for the True Condition is executed. Where in Task 1’s Description is updated as Task to be Executed.
Follow these steps to set up Type Listener for a condition:
You have now successfully set up a listen time for a condition.
Note: Immediate and Listener options are available for conditions on previous actions as well.
Vtiger CRM Process Designer’s Listener listens to and executes multiple conditions for an action parallelly. It simultaneously listens to and processes the following multiple process design scenarios at the same time:
Note: As the listener executes parallelly, all actions for multiple conditions, wait times, true or false blocks, and approved or rejected blocks will have the same start time. End times may differ.
Multiple Conditions for the same Action
For instance, let us consider multiple Conditions for the same action to understand the listener's parallel executions. For instance, consider the below screenshot.
Process:
Here, we have to understand that after creating an Event from Deal, after Conditions 1, 2, and 3 are satisfied, Updating Contact, Sending an email to the Manager, and Sending an SMS to the customer actions are respectively parallelly executed. Although these actions have different listen times, they will have the same start time. The below actions will be parallelly executed in the below order and patterns:
(Note: The listener start time is 08:00)
The Wait Time component helps you set up a wait time until you move to the next action in a process. It allows you to time in minutes, hours, and days.
Follow these steps to access Wait Time:
Click + mark on a component. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Wait Time. You will be directed to the Wait Time window.
Enter the time (an integer value) in the Wait For field.
Select a unit of time.
Click Save. The Saved notification is displayed.
The Add Label option helps you label a component.
Follow these steps to add a label to a component:
Click + mark on a component. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Add Label. You will be directed to the label box.
Type a label in the label box.
You can drag and drop the label wherever required.
Double-clicking the label will allow you to edit the label.
With this, you have successfully labeled a component for a process on the Process Designer.
The Connect option lets you connect one symbol with the other.
Follow these steps to access the Connect tool:
With this you have successfully connected two symbols
The Delete option lets you delete a component.
Follow these steps to delete a component:
Click + mark on a component. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Delete.
The chosen component will be deleted.
With this, you have successfully deleted a component.
Note: Delete option is not provided for the Trigger component as you cannot delete Trigger on the Process Designer.
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Follow these steps to go to the Process Designer and create a process design.
Login to your CRM account.
Click the User Menu.
Click Platform.
Look for Designers.
Select Process Designer. You will be directed to the Process Designer module.
Click +Add Process. You will be directed to the Add Process window.
Enter the following information in the below fields:
Name: Enter the name of the process.
Module: Select the module for which the process is designed.
Status: Select the status as Active or Inactive. While setting up a process, status is always Active.
Assigned to: Assign an owner to the process design record.
Note: Status and Assigned to fields are auto-filled but can be edited.
Click Edit Process.
You will be directed to the Add Process window, where you can design and publish process designs for your business processes.
Let us now learn how to create a process flow for a business process with a precise illustration.
For instance, we have considered the below scenario for a business process:
Note:
We recommend creating a business flowchart for a business process (To a Notepad or a document) before creating the process flow on the Process Designer.
Name of the Business Process: Deal Process
Module Chosen: Deals
Number of Workflows: 1
Deal Process Workflow:
If Deal Amount > 1M, Is True then, (Criteria)
Update the next action (Action)
Wait for an hour (Wait Time)
Check if the Sales Stage is still new (Criteria)
Send an email to the Manager (Action)
Is False, then,
Send an SMS notification to the Team lead (Action)
Let us learn how to create a process flow for the Deal Process on the Process Designer.
Follow these steps to create a process flow for the Deal Process on the Process Designer:
Step1: Setting up a Process Design
Follow these steps to set up the Deal Process:
Login to your CRM account.
Click the User Menu.
Click Platform.
Look for Designers.
Select Process Designer.
Click +Add Process. You will be directed to the Add Process window.
Enter the following information in the below fields:
Name: Enter Deal Process.
Module: Select Deals.
Status: Select Active.
Assigned to: Select the user or group to whom the process is assigned.
Click Edit Process. You will be directed to the Add Process window.
Step2: Configuring the start of a Process
Follow these steps to start Deal Process:
Click + mark on Trigger. The Trigger Properties window opens up.
Select Update (Includes Creation).
Under Recurrence select, Every time record is saved.
Click Save. The Saved notification is displayed.
Add the label Deal is Updated /Created.
Step 3: Configuring a Condition (True)
Follow these steps to configure a True Condition for Deal Process:
Click + mark on Trigger. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Add Conditions. You will be directed to the Conditions window.
Under All Conditions, click + Add Condition.
In the Select Field dropdown, select Amount.
In the Select Condition dropdown, select greater than.
In the Set Amount value window, enter 1000000. (You can also select a Field or Expression by clicking the Raw Text dropdown).
Click Ok.
Click Save Conditions. The Saved notification is displayed.
Add the label Amount >1M.
Step 4: Configuring an Action (Update)
Follow these steps to configure the Update action for Deal Process:
Click + mark on Add Conditions. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Add Action. You will be directed to a list of actions.
Select Update. You will be directed to the Update Fields window.
In the Add Field dropdown, select Next Step.
In the Next Step field, enter Follow up call in the Set Next Step value window. (You can also select a Field or Expression by clicking the Raw Text dropdown).
Click Ok.
Click Save Task. The Saved notification is displayed.
Add the label Update Next Step.
Step 5: Configuring Wait Time
Follow these steps to configure a wait time for Deal Process:
Click + mark on Add Action. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Wait Time. You will be directed to the Wait Time window.
Enter 1 in the Wait for field.
Select a unit of time Hours.
Click Save. The Saved notification is displayed.
Add the label After 1 Hour.
Step 6: Configuring a Condition (False)
Follow these steps to configure a False Condition for Deal Process:
Click + mark on Wait Time. You will be directed to the Components Menu.
Click Add Conditions. You will be directed to the Conditions window.
Under All Conditions, click + Add Condition.
In the Select Field dropdown, select Sales Stage.
In the Select Condition dropdown, select is.
In the (third field) Set Sales Stage value window, select New from the dropdown. (You can also select a Field or Expression by clicking the Raw Text dropdown).
Click Ok.
Click Save Conditions. The Saved notification is displayed.
Add the label Deal is still New.
Step 7: Configuring an Action (Email)
Follow these steps to configure the Email action for Deal Process:
Note: You can configure the Timezone field to show date and time information based on the Contact’s time zone rather than the assigned user’s time zone.
Step 8: Publishing or Saving a Process Design
Once you have created a process design on the Process Designer:
For Publishing a Process Design
Click Save and Publish.
Once you publish a process design you will not be able to edit or delete it. You can only Preview (view) and Clone (duplicate) it.
Saving a Process Design
Click Save as Draft.
Once you save as draft a process design it will be saved in the Process Designer module which you can edit or delete at a later time.
With this, a process design record Deal Process will be created and saved in the Process Designer module.
We have now successfully created a process flow for Deal Process on the Process Designer.
Once you have created a process design on the Process Designer, clicking Save as Publish or Save as Draft will save the process design as a process design version in the Summary View of the Process Designer Module. Every time you Clone a process design version a new version will be created for a process design record.
Once you Save as Draft a process design, you can still publish the process design version by Activating (enabling) it.
Once a process design version is Active you will not be able to edit or delete it. You can only Preview and Clone it.
Note: Activating a process design version is the same as publishing it. Hence Process Designer allows only one Active or Published process design version for a process design record.
A process design version remains Inactive by Deactivating (disabling) it.
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When selecting DateTime or Time fields in Process Designer, the following conditions are available to trigger workflows:
These conditions apply to both Create and Update actions.
Follow these steps to go to the Process Designer List View:
The Process Designer List View lists the following information for the process design records:
Note: The Process Designer List View columns can be customized using the Manage Columns option.
The Process Designer List View conveniently lets you change the status of the process design. Enabling or disabling the process design record will activate or deactivate the process design for the respective module. Only process design records with an active process design version can be enabled from the List View.
Note: In the List View, if you enable a process design record with no active process design version, the system displays the following error message Process will not work without an active version. Please enable it from the Summary View.
The following actions can be performed in the Process Designer List View:
In this section, let us learn how to import and export process design records in the Process Designer.
The Process Designer lets you do the following:
Let us learn how to import process design records into the Process Designer.
Note: Process design records with the same name cannot be imported. If imported the system displays the following error message, Duplicate exists. Please choose another name.
Follow these steps to import a process design into the Process Designer:
You have now successfully imported a process design into e Process Designer.
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Let us learn how to export process design records in the Process Designer.
Note: Only Active process design records will be exported.
Follow these steps to export a process design:
You have now successfully exported a process design record in the Process Designer.
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Follow these steps to go to the Process Designer Summary View:
The Versions section displays the following process design records information:
The Records section displays the following related process records information:
Let us now learn how to view the Process History for process design records.
What is Process History?
Process History is the complete history of a process flow executed by the Process Designer. The Process History window details every activity, action type along with its title field performed by the Process designer for the record as well as the related process. Along with the time and date. It also displays the status of the process in the end.
Follow these steps to view the Process History for a process design record:
Go to the Summary View of a process design record.
Click Records.
Click the required process record.
You will be directed to the Process History window of the specific record. You can now view the complete Process History and the status for the process design version.
Click Ok to exit Process History. (Clicking the record Name will direct you to the specific record).
Note: You can also view the Process History for process design versions in the Activity section of the related records.
Let us now understand the actions available for process design versions.
The Add to Process button is available in the Summary View of the process design record under Records. With this, you can add the process design’s specified module records to its process. It is available for records only if the process design version is:
Follow these steps to add a process design’s specified module record to its process:
Note: Adding records to a process limit is 150.
You have now successfully added a process design’s specified module record to its process.
Note: If multiple process design records are added, the first record will be added to the process and the rest will be added to the queue. These records will be added once the process design is executed again.
In the Process Designer, you can terminate a running process record from the Summary View > Records.
Follow these steps to terminate a running process record from the Summary View:
Note: In the Activity section of the process record, the message, Removed this record from process_name process is displayed.
In the Process Designer Summary View, hovering the mouse over :
Preview - Clicking the Preview icon, you can view a process design version.
Clone - Clicking the Clone icon lets you duplicate a process design version.
Delete - Clicking the Delete icon lets you delete a process design version.
Edit - Clicking the Edit icon directs you to the Editing Process window, where you can edit a process design version.
Status Enabler - Lets you enable (activate) or disable (deactivate) or Inactive a saved as draft process design version.
Let us now learn the actions available for process design records.
In the Process Designer Summary View you can perform the following for the process design records:
1. Change Status
2. Delete
Follow these steps to change the status of a process design record:
You have now successfully changed the status for a process design record.
Note: The Status button in the Summary View by default changes to Active or Inactive when the process design version is activated or deactivated (enabled or disabled).
Follow these steps to delete a process design record.
You have now successfully deleted a process design record.
This will help you configure advanced automation flows on other records that might not be directly related to the process record.
Consider these Use Cases:
You can now configure the Process Designer to take actions on records that are already Closed.
Example Use Cases:
This helps keep your records up to date based on deal history, even after the deals are closed.
In Vtiger CRM, you can view the Process Designer’s active (running) processes. In their respective process design records’ related modules’ Summary Views’. From the related module record’s Summary View you can:
What are Running Processes?
Running Process is a process that is running on a record. For instance, if you have designed a process for the Contacts module in the Process Designer, once the process starts processing on a Contact, until it ends you can see the Running Process in Contacts > Summary View > Running Processes section. You can also view its process history and terminate it.
Follow these steps to access running process for a record in CRM modules:
Note: If no running processes for the record are available, the following message is displayed, No Running processes
Running Processes section displays the following information:
You can manually add records to a process from its module’s Summary View.
Follow these steps to manually add records to a process:
You have now successfully manually added records to a process in the Process Designer.
You can view the process history for records for running processes from the process related records’ Summary View.
Follow these steps to view the process history for a record for a running process from the record’s Summary View:
Note: Once a running process is executed, the displayed process under Running Processes in the Summary View of the related record is by default removed.
You can terminate processes running in the Process Designer from the process related records’ Summary View.
Follow these steps to terminate a process from the record’s Summary View:
Note: The stopped process is displayed as Cancelled along with the specified reason in its Process History window.
For running processes, every action type along with its title field being processed by the Process Designer is updated in the Summary View of their records in the Activity section. Displaying the process names and action types.
The Add to Process option is available in the List View of the Process Designer-related modules under More actions. With this, you can add the respective module’s multiple records to a manually triggered process in the Process Designer.
Note: The Add to Process option is available in the List View for all the modules supported by the Process Designer.
Follow these steps to add a module’s records to a manual process in the Process Designer:
Note: Adding records to a process limit is 150.
The 7 Step Prospecting Sequence is a Vtiger CRM's sample process design available by default to all the users in their Vtiger CRM Process Designer. It helps you understand and learn the various aspects and scopes of Vtiger CRM Process Designer. You can preview, clone, edit and delete it.
Follow these steps to access the 7 Step Prospecting Sequence:
You have now successfully accessed Vtiger CRM’s sample process design the 7 Step Prospecting Sequence.