Standard Procedures

A procedure is a collection of tasks which are normally performed together in a predetermined sequence.  When a file is opened in the workflow system, it must have a procedure associated with it.  For example, if a file is opened for foreclosure, we would choose the foreclosure procedure when opening the file.  Each of the tasks that constitute the foreclosure procedure would be added to the file.  On the other hand, if a file is opened for bankruptcy, we would choose the bankruptcy procedure when opening the file, and the bankruptcy related tasks would be added to the file.

Multiple Procedures

In some cases, files may go through more than one procedure.  For example, if we have a file opened for foreclosure that later proceeds to bankruptcy, we can add the bankruptcy procedure from the File Procedures screen.  The tasks associated with the foreclosure procedure will be accessed by clicking on the Foreclosure procedure, and the tasks associated with the bankruptcy procedure will be accessed by clicking on the Bankruptcy procedure.  Note the following:

Procedures are merely common groupings of tasks, intended to simplify the addition and tracking of tasks for a file.  If the foreclosure procedure comprised 25 tasks, it would be tedious to have to add 25 tasks individually to a file.  By grouping these tasks into a procedure and adding the procedure to a file, we have saved data entry time.  Having multiple distinct procedures associated with a file (e.g. foreclosure and bankruptcy) will help you divide and more efficiently manage your workflow.

Exception Procedures

Occasionally, a file is subjected to a series of tasks within a procedure.  For example, a file in foreclosure may require that a series of related eviction tasks be added.  In this case, there is no need to track a seperate Eviction procedure (with seperate tasks, etc.); we simply want to allow the user to added a small group of tasks to an existing procedure.  This is referred to as an "exception procedure".   You create an exception procedure precisely as you create any other procedure; add it from the Procedure Search screen, and then added the appropriate tasks.  The difference is in how the procedure is used.  Rather than adding a new procedure from the File Procedure screen, the user adds it from the Procedure Task list (or Current Task list) screen.  This causes each task in the procedure to be added to the existing procedure (e.g. 5 eviction tasks are added to the list of 25 foreclosure tasks).  The user may definate at which point in the list of foreclosure tasks to add the eviction tasks, but they will be added sequentially.   This simply enables the user to avoid adding 5 tasks individually each time a file requires eviction.

Procedure Design

Procedures are collections of related tasks.  For example, if a file going through foreclosure typically steps through 25 different tasks, each of those 25 tasks may be included in a foreclosure procedure.  When deciding whether or not to include a task with a procedure, estimate how often the task is performed for all of the files you deal with.  If the answer is 50% or more, it generally makes sense to include the task in a procedure.  If you decide to exclude a task from a procedure, a user may add it manually to an individual file.  Likewise, if you decide to include a task in a procedure, a user may delete it manually from an individual file (with the appropriate permissions, of course).

Each procedure generally contains two or more tasks.  A task may belong to one or more procedures.  For example, the File Opened task may belong to the foreclosure and bankruptcy tasks, while the Bankruptcy Filed task might belong only to the bankruptcy procedure.

Tasks included in a procedure may have triggering relationships determined.  For example, the tasks File Opened and Client Letter Mailed have no inherent relationship.   However, if they each belong to the Foreclosure procedure, you may decide that the Client Letter Mailed should be completed 1 day after the File Opened task is completed.   On the other hand, you may decide that in the Bankruptcy procedure, the Client Letter Mailed should be complete 2 days after the File Opened task is completed.   These relationships are determined in the Procedure Task Update screen.

Changing a Procedure After Files Have Been Entered

Once the workflow system is in production, if you decide that a task should be added to or deleted from a procedure, you may do so from the Administration system.  Such an action WILL NOT impact any current files.  For example, if you add a Title Ordered task to the Foreclosure procedure, any files which already have a foreclosure procedure will not have the Title Ordered task added to them.  Likewise, if Client Letter Mailed is deleted from a procedure, any files which have a Client Letter Mailed task already in them will keep the task.  If you need to change existing files, that must be done manually.  If you change the Bankruptcy procedure, and then add a new file for bankruptcy, or add the entire Bankruptcy procedure to an existing file, these files will reflect the latest changes to the bankruptcy procedure. 

A summary of the impact of changing an existing procedure follows:

Add a task to a procedure
  • Existing procedures remain the same.
  • New procedures added include the new task.
  • New procedures added include the new task.
Delete a task from a procedure
  • Existing procedures remain the same.
  • New procedures added do not include the deleted task.
  • New procedures added do not include the deleted task.
Change the triggering between tasks.
  • Tasks which have an actual date set do not inherit the new tigger.
  • Tasks which have a projected date set do not inherit the new tigger.
  • Tasks which have only an estimated date set do inherit the new tigger.
  • All tasks inherit the new trigger.
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