When setting up the conditions for a Workflow, you may come across this warning message:
This warning message is displayed when you add one or more conditions to your Workflow and the system detects that these very same conditions already exist in another workflow in this occurrence. It displays the matching Workflow(s):
Does it matter?
Yes, but don't worry if you see it just after cloning a Workflow, as you will no doubt change the conditions before you make the Workflow live. As you add a new condition the warning message disappears as the conditions are now unique.
If you do have two Workflows with the same conditions, what happens?
Let's say you have two Workflows with identical conditions but they each send out different Touchpoints. Now, if a new arrival (let's say an Application) theoretically matches both Workflows' conditions, how does the system decide?
After all, it can only be added to one Workflow, not both.
The answer is that each arrival is checked against all the 'live' and 'finishing' status Workflows in 'Processing Order' and is added to the first Workflow it matches. (NB: On being added to the first matching Workflow it looks no further down the list.)
Which order do Workflows get processed in?
The Processing Order sorts all workflows by:
"Valid from" date (a Workflow with a valid date of 12 Nov 2020 is sorted above one with 11 Nov 2020).
Conditions Complexity (a Workflow with complex/longer conditions is sorted above one with simple/shorter conditions).
Workflow ID (a Workflow with an ID of 5000 is sorted above one with 4999.
FAQs:
Q. Can I have two or more live Workflows with identical conditions?
A. Yes, while they are in draft, but it is not recommended when they are live.
Q. I see the warning, what can I do to fix it?
A. Add or modify a condition in the current workflow OR the matching one.
Q. Do I see the warning in both Workflows that match?
A. Yes you do.
Q. Does the warning message show even if one of the matching Workflows is set to draft?
A. Yes.
Q. Can I change which order my Workflows get processed in?
A. Yes. To move one Workflow further up the Processing Order you can a) change the Valid From date to a newer date, and/or b) add a neutral condition such as Enrolled = "0", as all applications aren't enrolled until they're 100% finished, and/or c) change one of the workflows' status to 'Finishing'.