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 Workflows Module, Data Module, Bubble Room and Company Profiles
It's also possible to manually apply a blank Workflow (Project) to a Company
Who is this article for?
All Planhat users
Series
This article is part of a series on Workflows:
Manually applying a Workflow Template β¬ οΈ You are here
Article contents
Click below to jump to the relevant section:
Via the Workflows Module - for single Companies or End Users
Via the Data Module - for multiple (or single) Companies or End Users
Via the Bubble Room in the Customer Intelligence Module - for multiple (or single) Companies
Via the Company Profile - for single Companies
Introduction
π 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. π
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 Module, 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 Workflows Module
For single Companies or End Users
In the Workflows Module (where have you been building your Workflow Template):
Click on the Workflow Template name in the list on the left-hand side
Click the green "+" icon
Select the Company or End User (depending on the model of your Workflow) that you would like to apply the Workflow Template to
Click "Save"
Via the Data Module
For multiple (or single) Companies or End Users
In the Data Module:
Select one or more Companies or End Users
Click on the icon of three vertical dots in the top right
Select "Apply Workflow"
Choose the Workflow Template you would like to apply
Click "Apply Workflow"
Click the GIF to view it enlarged
An example use case is if you are launching a new training course or new feature, and you create a Sequence of emails to promote it. You create a filter in the End User Module of appropriate recipients (who the new course or feature would be most relevant to), select all, and then apply that Workflow Template.
Via the Bubble Room in the Customer Intelligence Module
For multiple (or single) Companies
The Bubble Room displays Companies in a way that's both insightful and playful. Read here if you would like to learn more about the Bubble Room.
Within the Bubble Room, 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 icon of three vertical dots in the top right
Select "Apply Workflow"
Choose the Workflow Template you would like to apply
Click "Apply Workflow"
A typical use case here is you use the Bubble Room to identify Companies most at risk of churn, and select those, and apply your "Churn Risk" Project.
Via the Company Profile
For single Companies
When you're viewing the Profile of a particular Company:
Click on the icon of three vertical dots in the top right
Select "Apply New Workflow"
Choose the Workflow Template you would like to apply
Click "Apply"
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 apply a blank Workflow:
Go to the Company Profile
Click on the icon of three vertical dots in the top right
Select "Apply New Workflow"
Leave it on the default "Empty Workflow"
Click "Apply"
This will open up an empty Project, where you can fill in the details (e.g. adding the Workflow owner) and add steps (actions) as appropriate.