Avoiding Workflow Traps
Identify and Avoid Common Workflow Caveats
Posted on 1/10/2007 (originally published in print on 11/1/2004)
by Jonathan Wakefield
At a recent PeopleSoft user's group meeting, I listened to a grinning presenter tout the benefits of workflow, claiming it's easy to set up. "But there is one caveat," he said.
One?
Try telling that to those who have implemented workflow only to overlook certain vital details, springing traps that inflict far-reaching damage. Suddenly, a bunch of misleading emails are sent to all the wrong people. Nobody on the PeopleSoft implementation team realizes this, of course, until the phones ring incessantly, and the team has to answer a barrage of questions from confused users about errant employee terminations, requests for printed W2s and marital status changes. The team launches into damage control mode, apologizing for the incorrect emails, explaining why they were sent mistakenly and how it certainly won't happen again.
But by now all the executives have gotten wind of the problems, and they are second-guessing the entire concept of workflow, which was supposed to have dramatically streamlined their organization's business processes. They're even considering pulling the plug on workflow—and possibly some future projects—because of the implementation team's new credibility gap.
Of course, there's no need for any of this. Though setting up workflow in PeopleSoft can be tricky, it needn't damage your reputation. As long as you know what you're getting yourself into, you can minimize your risk.
Which is where I come in. In my own surge toward greater efficiency for my company's business processes, I have uncovered many traps embedded in the process of designing and maintaining workflow applications. I will highlight for you the most common traps and provide specific suggestions for bypassing or dismantling them. This information should help you to create and maintain a healthy workflow environment, reducing the number of phone calls from confused users.
Delivered Workflow Applications
Let's begin at the beginning. Before you even consider designing your own workflow applications, you should examine those that PeopleSoft delivers as part of their package. In doing so, though, you may actually find that you have no interest in ever using many or all of them. But that's no problem. Just don't turn on those ones you don't want, right?
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