With the eConnect workflow engine you automate the approval process for incoming invoices, expense claims and other documents. You configure rules that determine which checks are performed automatically and who needs to approve documents. The workflow functionality is available as an add-on with an SLA subscription (subscription and/or setup costs). The functionality is located under Workflows in the customer environment; without a contract or subscription it is not present.

• Basic workflow: the conversion task on the platform. Emails on rejection of a PDF invoice come from this basic workflow.
• Custom workflow: built on request in the customer environment. Applies by default to all organisations in that environment. Organisation-specific routing is added via an extra step or condition that only checks that organisation (for example on document.extra.receiverId).

A workflow has:

• exactly 1 Initial/first step
• 1 or more Intermediate steps
• 1 or more Final steps
• optionally: a Method or a step without an Actor

A Method (without an Actor) is used, for example, with purchase invoices to reset the download date. This means the document only goes to the software package after it has been approved and passes this step.

In the Next steps tab you choose which other steps the document may go to. Routing can be automated based on conditions, usually at the first step or a step without an actor.

A workflow consists of a series of steps that a document goes through as soon as it arrives. Each step can be an automatic validation (the system checks a condition) or a manual action (an employee must review the document).

The workflow engine validates against UBL/XML fields known to the platform. Examples:

• Is an order number present?
• Does the order number start with a specific prefix?
• Is the currency different from EUR?
• Has the document been recognised as a duplicate?

Based on the outcome, tasks are assigned or the document is automatically forwarded.

The field picker only shows platform XML fields. Raw UBL extensions from IDR are not included there, unless available elsewhere via functions or XPath. Operators and functions are possible, for example length or substring checks. For look-ups without a workflow change when a list is extended, use a data list lookup (dl:getFirstResult).

Common condition patterns:

When a document cannot be approved automatically, a task is created and assigned to a user, group or role. The assignment can be based on the validation result, for example: invoices above EUR 5,000 go to the financial director, invoices below EUR 5,000 go to the bookkeeper.

The employee who receives a task can:

• Approve: the document proceeds to the next step or receives the status "Approved for payment"
• Reject: the document receives the status "Rejected" and the workflow stops
• Delegate: the document is forwarded to a colleague (also in a partner environment)

For tasks assigned to multiple people, you can configure whether all people must act or whether it is sufficient if one person approves.

The workflow is available for:

• Purchase invoices
• Draft sales invoices
• Expense claims
• Conversion tasks
• Trusted senders (Email Receivers)

A workflow can start automatically when a document arrives, or be started manually from the Inbox.

1. Create a visual overview of the invoice flow and determine process steps and workflow elements.
2. Create the workflow in the customer environment under Workflows (subscription required).
3. Determine tasks and transitions (Initial / Intermediate / Final / optional Method).
4. Assign executors: users and/or groups. All assigned users see the task.
5. Optionally create email templates.
6. Add email-sending steps to the workflow.

Pilot first: always build and test the workflow in Pilot first; then set it up in production.

An admin or manager can intervene in the workflow under Administration (Workflow admin).

The Templates menu item is used to create data lists. Data lists are used in the workflow for automatic approval or rejection, routing and mapping (for example EAN to cost centre). Invoice, conversion task and other standard templates cannot be customised by customers.

Data lists are filled via CSV upload. Column names must exactly match the data list in the platform, the order must be the same, and there is a limit of a maximum of 5,000 rows. Save the CSV without UTF-8 formatting (ANSI/Windows-1252). A downloadable template is available via the "Upload data" tab.

The workflow automatically sends email notifications at each step:

• To the employee who receives a task
• To the supplier or the internal contact person on approval or rejection
• To the administrator on escalations or exceptions

Menu: Development > Email templates. You need rights to develop email templates (typically Professional subscription or higher). The list shows templates in the account and can be empty if there are no custom templates yet. Tabs: Environment (account templates) and Platform (platform templates from all channels).

Workflow notifications and other platform emails use email templates. Variables differ per context. You link platform templates and your own templates in workflow notification or email-send steps.

1. Plus/New (bottom right or New button).
2. Fill in subject and body; on save a pop-up with metadata appears.
3. Name and Description: internal label.
4. Context: required and unique; determines when the template is selectable.
5. Channel: the customer channel (for example eConnect or UWV).
6. Language: the platform picks the English template when the email address is known and the language setting is English. Extra language variant via context menu Create variant (translate content manually).

1. Platform tab: all platform email templates from all channels.
2. Find the template; via the three dots open a preview with the customer channel.
3. Copy to environment.
4. The template then appears under the Environment tab and is customised for this account only.
5. The customised platform template is used immediately for the matching email.

Placeholders differ per context; not every placeholder is available everywhere. Examples: [[params.INVOICEID]], [[params.SENDER]], [[params.RECEIVER]]. Available placeholders are often listed under Properties of the (platform) template.

For invoices you can also use XPath on XML, for example:

• [[document.xpath(//urn1:ID)]] = invoice number
• [[document.xpath(//urn2:AccountingSupplierParty/urn2:Party/urn2:Contact/urn1:ElectronicMail)]] = sender contact email

After creating or changing a template, link email-send steps in the workflow.

Every step in the workflow is recorded in a complete audit log. You can always look back to see who approved what, when, and which validations were performed. This is essential for compliance and internal control.

For managing workflows a special administrative role is available. A user with this role can restart tasks, reassign them and override steps, without breaking the regular workflow.

The Workflow Engine provides insight via the Timeline per document and the admin overview:

• Step history per document: open an invoice and view the Timeline to see which workflow steps have been completed. As Workflow Admin you can also view all executed steps via the "All executed steps" tab.
• Rejected documents: as Workflow Admin you can filter on completed documents with status "Rejected" via "All instances". Prerequisite: give your steps clear descriptions so it is recognisable in the overview which step rejected the invoice.
• Granularity: if a step checks multiple criteria simultaneously, it is not visible which specific criterion caused the rejection. Split validation steps into one criterion per step for maximum insight.

Important: the export function within the Workflow is currently not working. Validation reasons and workflow steps cannot be exported as CSV and cannot be added as a column to the Tasks view. Use the Timeline per document as an alternative.

"The Workflow instance is already executing"

This error message appears when a workflow action is triggered twice, for example by double-clicking the approve button.

Solution as Workflow Admin:

1. Find the relevant instance via "All instances"
2. Resubmit the workflow
3. Move the document to the next step (for example the download step)

For error messages in outgoing workflows, as admin you can resume the task via the resume option after correction. A cancelled task remains at the same status.

Want to know how tasks work in practice? Read Tasks on the platform.