Setting Workflow Status on Documents Referenced by a Map

An administrator can configure the system to automatically set the workflow status on referenced documents when changing the status of a map. Additionally, a workflow job step can be defined to automatically change referenced topics' status only when the status of the map is changed.

System-Wide Setting

An administrator can configure this option to affect all workflow definitions through a setting in the application document.

To configure this option, edit the application document to specify a Set workflow status on referenced documents option.

Option	Description
Off	Workflow status is not set on any referenced documents.
Only directly referenced documents	Workflow status is set only on topics directly referenced by the map. It is not recursive; that is, it does not apply to submaps, or topics referenced by the map's first-level topics.
All referenced documents	Workflow status is set on all submaps and subtopics.

When enabled, the status is changed only on topics with the same status of the map, or topics with no status. If a topic has a different status than the current status of the map, the status of the topic won't change. It is ignored for reset status operation. See About Workflow Status Definitions.

When explicitly changing status on a topic, if there is a map that references this topic, and the map has a status set, then you cannot set the status of the topic lower than the map's value.

Note: An additional field in the application document, the Allow submitter to Set workflow status on referenced documents: check box, if selected, allows a user who submits a Change Status or Reset Status command to override the setting specified in the Set workflow status on referenced documents field of the application document. See .

If your organization's software developers have modified Astoria's workflow implementation, it is possible and even likely that their implementation ignores these settings. Consult your system administrator for further information.

Workflow Task Sequence-Level Setting

This feature enables status changes in topics referenced by a map when the map's status changes that are not available to users in the Change Status dialog or Check-in dialog. That is, this transition can change the status of referenced documents only when the map's status changes.

This option builds on the above-described system-wide setting in the application document when that option is set to other than Off. However, instead of applying to the entire system, it is enabled for a specific workflow job step.

Enable this feature by editing the Task Sequence document for the workflow you want to configure. Ensure you have defined a job transition for every current status to next status that you want to automate by changing the status of the map. Select a defined job transition, then select the Allow automated status changes in Maps through Workflow check box. Check in your changes to the repository.

Note: If selected, users cannot change the status of an individual topic referenced by the map through the Change Status dialog. The status can be changed only by changing the status of the referencing map.

When this feature is enabled, resetting status on a map resets the status on referenced topics regardless of the respective states of the referenced topics, subject to:

The settings of the Set workflow status on referenced documents option
A job transition definition that allows the status change for each referenced topic

Tip: If you want to preserve the ability to manually change the status of documents referenced by the map, create a second job transition in the Task Sequence document, but do not select the Allow automated status changes in Maps through Workflow check box.

Example of Automated Status Changes in Maps through Workflow

Consider a Task Sequence document that defines job transitions as follows:

Current Status	Next Status
Informal Review	Informal Review Edit
Informal Review	Verification Review
Informal Review Edit	Informal Review Edits Complete
Informal Review Edit Complete	Verification Review allow status change in Maps through Workflow check box selected

Map A references Topic B and Topic C, each in the following states:

Object	Status
Map A	Informal Review
Topic B	Informal Review Edit
Topic C	Informal Review Edits Complete

The user changes the status on Map A from Informal Review to Verification Review. The result is:

Object	Status	Reason
Map A	Verification Review	The map changes status because this transition ( Informal Review --> Verification Review) is defined in the Task Sequence document.
Topic B	Informal Review Edit	The topic does not change status because this transition (Informal Review Edit --> Verification Review) is not defined in the Task Sequence document.
Topic C	Verification Review	The topic changes because this transition (Informal Review Edits Complete --> Verification Review) is defined in the Task Sequence document.

Prior to using the map to change the status on Topic C (whose status is Informal Review Edit Complete), if a user tried to change the status directly on Topic C, the dialog would not have provided any choices. This is because the Task Sequence document specifies Allow status change in Maps through Workflow for the Informal Review Edits Complete --> Verification Review transition.