How to trigger workflow in EC using API to the manager of a Contingent Worker to extend or not extend the WorkOrder EndDate

[rahulsharma]

Introduction:

Our Business requirement:

For the contingent employees we need a process that will automatically update their termination  date to 3 months later.​
           This process should be under workflow to be approved by the manager:​

• If the manager dose not approve, the employee will be terminated as scheduled ​


• Other wise - the termination date will update accordingly

Technically, our target is to trigger workflow in EC to the manager of a Contingent Worker to extend or not extend the WorkOrder EndDate X days prior to the termination date.

Solution:

In order to trigger workflow to the manager, we have to create a MDF in Manage Data to keep track of the records i.e., which records manager is extending end data and which records manager is  not extending.

Also, we can only trigger workflow for MDF and not for standart portlet using API.

Note : The API user should not have “Admin access to MDF OData API” permission in order to trigger workflow.​


So, we have created one MDF. Which looks like the below image.

I am using CPI as a middleware. And my iFlow looks like the below image.

CPI iFlow

In CPI we are fetching data from Work Order to compare the End Date is -15 Days, if the work order end date equals current date, then the workflow will trigger to the contingent worker’s Manager.

In order to trigger workflow, there is one mandatory step which you need to follow. Please see the below image.

This workflowConfirmed=true need to mentioned in your query in order to trigger workflow.

We also need to set business rules, if the the MDF get updated then the wokflow will be trigger to their manager.

Business Rule

Using all the steps mentioned above the workflow will be triggered to the manager.

Workflow

Now manager can select the status of the contingent worker weather they want to extend the Work Order End Date or they don't want ot extend the end date.

If the manager selects to extend the Contingent Worker End Date then the process in CPI mentioned above will run again and it will extend the end date of Contingent worker to three months and the Integration execute will be update so that the process won't process the same record. And in MDF it will look like the below image.

And if manager doesn't wants to extend the Contingent worker end date then the process will only update the integration status and the Contingent worker will get terminated on the previous date.

Conclusion:

Using the above mentioned steps you can trigger workflow in EC using API to the manager of a Contingent Worker. And also you can update the Work Order end date according to the selection of the manager.

Please let me know if this blog helps you or you have any question for me.

[NathanWilkinson]

Interesting - But why not use the standard alert and ask them to update the work order end date?

[rahulsharma]

Yes we can also use standard alert notification but many times user ignore the alert notifications. But when we are triggering the workflow to the user we are making them to do task whether to approve or not and using one workflow we are also being able to update the Work Order End Date without going to user's profile and update there manually.

[Dirk_Witkowski]

Thanks a lot for your post 👍

[Jonas_Kyhnau]

Very interesting!

@rahulsharma - Would it be possible to share more details on the configuration? Additional screenshots of the Configure Object Definition screen?

I would like even more knowledge on:
How the MDF is configured?
How the iFlow is configured?