Approval Status Workflow: StateMachine or by Condition - Parallel Actions - Switches

[ellie5225]

I am a newbie so I greatly apologize up fornt as this maybe a very simple solution and I am overthinking it with all the different ways of doing this.

I've created several types of workflows however might be making it more complicated on rather to start off with Parallel Actions or into a switch or Branch by condition, value or state.

Submit Form information for approval

Status: moves from Draft to In Review

Send Email Notifications & Request for Review & Approvals (send all at the same time)

1. Email notification sent to group "watchers" Informative only. No action needed to take.

2. Email notification /Flex Task sent to 3 different "Reviewers" that are required to update Status Columns and Comments in the log.

The items log has a different fields to track their status & comments separately for each of them.

Review Fields:  for all 3 reviewers

Reviewer Status - (AS)

1. In Review
2. Reviewed - w/Comments
3. Reviewed - No Comments

Reviewer Comments (AS)

Reviewer Status - (RF)

1. In Review
2. Reviewed - w/Comments
3. Reviewed - No Comments

Reviewer Comments (RF)

Reviewer Status - (SB)

1. In Review
2. Reviewed - w/Comments
3. Reviewed - No Comments

Reviewer Comments (SB)

3. Email notification/Flex Task sent to "Approver" for Review & Approve sent to Approver.

Approver provides the following updates on: If reject or requires more information needs to go back.

• Approver – (RD)
  1. In Review
  2. Approve – Red
  3. Approve – Orange
  4. Reject
  5. Requires more discussion

Approver Comments:

SharePoint List fields will be automatically updated as the workflow progresses.

In addition to sending notifications and restarting process if rejected or needs more discussion.

Any suggestions or advice is appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Ellie

[ellie5225]

I think I figured it out. Seems to be working. 

Ellie

[kunalpatel]

@ellie5225 ....I see you're not ending the state machines. You need to make sure that if you're not changing the state then you need to end state machines...otherwise it will impact your farm perfomance.

[ellie5225 · Accepted solution]

Thank you! Do I need to end the workflow at the end of each stage?

[ellie5225]

Looking at the workflow. Do I need to end the workflow at each stage?

[kunalpatel]

@ellie5225 ...It's fine if the branch is changing the state but if the particular branch is not changing the state and if it's part of state machine logic then yes, you need to end state machine (note: Stopping workflow is not same as end state machine). I'll recommend to create another state where it will have only 1 action end state machine, this way you won't have to put multiple end state machine. 

Also, in the last 3 branches on the right, after sending notification you don't need to use action to stop workflow, if you follow those branches after sending notification, it goes straight to the end of the workflow.