Types of Tasks (Workflows)

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You can add different types of tasks to your workflow to suit your specifications. We have conveniently categorized the tasks in our workflow builder. See Create a Workflow for more information on creating a workflow.

Workflow tasks are categorized into the following types:

We strongly recommend that your first task be a web form user task. This task gathers basic information from the participant, like names and email addresses, for the roles you will need later in the process. Name all your tasks appropriately to identify its purpose.

In this article:

• User task
• Send & save tasks
• Document processing tasks
• Logic tasks
• Workflow state tasks
• Task assignee

User Tasks

User tasks are for participants to fill in, edit, or view documents when the workflow is run.

Reminders Tab

Note: Task and escalations reminders are available in all user tasks except a web form that starts a workflow.

A reminder adds a branch to the user task and allows a participant to perform some action after the set amount of time has expired.

To set reminders:

1. Click and open a user task.
2. In the right sidebar, click the Reminders tab to access the toggle buttons to set the following:
   • Task Reminder – Reminds participants of tasks they need to complete.
     For example, send an email reminder. Adds an email task to the task reminder branch that sends an email to the originator reminding them that they have a task waiting.
   • Escalation Reminder – Alerts an organization administrator that participants have tasks requiring urgent attention or an incomplete task.
     For example, send an email to an administrator. Adds an email task to the escalation reminder branch that sends an email to an organization administrator notifying them that the specific workflow assignee has left a task incomplete for a period of time.

See Reminders and Escalations in Workflow for more information.

Web Form

Add a web form to your workflow and add fields on it. When the workflow is run, the participant can fill the fields yielding initial input, such as name and email address, to be used in other tasks of the workflow. See Create a Web Form for more information.

Fill and Sign

Upload a document or select a workflow document from the dropdown that was previously uploaded in another step. When the workflow is run, it can be filled and signed. You can add fields on it for signature, date, etc. The system securely embeds input data into the document with full legal compliance e-signatures. See Fill and Sign Task (User Task) for more information.

Create Document Form

This task block is made up of a pair of tandem tasks: Create Document Form (parent task that references a document) and Fill Document Form (child task that assigns a participant). You can insert other tasks in between as needed.

• Create Document Form – Reference your previously uploaded document (obtained from another task in the workflow) for participants to edit, add signature, date, etc., in the subsequent Fill Document Form task. See Create a Workflow | Choose a Document to Configure for information on referencing previously uploaded documents.
• Fill Document Form – Assign a participant to fill the form referenced in the parent task, Create Document Form.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the Create Document Form task.
2. In the General Configuration tab, enter a task label, description, assignee, and click Add Instructions For The User to provide custom instructions that will be displayed to the participant when they arrive at that task.
3. In the Document Settings tab, select an available workflow document and choose to have it digitally certified by turning on the Digitally Certify the Completed Document toggle.
   Note: Digitally certifying the document basically certifies the document using a Trust Service Provider and will slow the processing of the document. This feature should be used for documents that must include this level of security and verification.
4. Click on the Fill Document Form task.
5. In the General Configuration tab, enter a task label, description, and assignee.
   Note: The assignee of this task will fill the form created in the Create Document Form task (parent task). You can have a different participant fill the form than the one that created it by putting an email task between the parent and child tasks with a task link in it to fill the document form.

Edit .docx File

Provide a .docx file for participants to view, suggest changes, or edit (based on permissions) in a running workflow. You can assign multiple participants to collaborate on editing a .docx file in a workflow and assign them different permissions.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the General Configuration tab, enter a task label, description, and click Add Instructions For The User to provide custom instructions that will be displayed to the participant when they arrive at that task.
3. Click Add Participants and manage access permissions.
   There are two types of permissions for participants in the Edit .docx File task:
   • Document Permissions
     • Edit – Participants can make edits and comment on the document.
     • Suggest – Participants can comment and suggest edits to the document. Actual editing is disabled.
     • View – Participants can view the document. Editing and suggestions are disabled.
   • Task Permissions
     • Complete task – Participant can complete the task.
       • At least one of your participants must be granted this permission.
       • A participant without this permission will not be able to complete the task and will not be presented with the action buttons you’ve configured for this task.
4. In the Document Settings tab:
   1. Select a workflow document in one of the following ways:
      • select an available workflow document 
      • upload a document
      • select a document from the Documents Library.
   2. Choose to have it digitally certified by turning on the Digitally Certify the Completed Document toggle.
      Note: Digitally certifying the document certifies the document using a Trust Service Provider and will slow the processing of the document. This feature should be used for documents that must include this level of security and verification.

View File

Reference a previously uploaded document (obtained from another task in the workflow) for a participant to view when the workflow is run. See View File Task for more information.

Send & Save Tasks

Send and save tasks allow communication with participants and exporting documents and data.

Email

Sends email notifications to participants informing them of a task to complete or the status of a task. See Add Email Notifications in a Workflow for more information.

Export Document

Exports a document and data to an account in any of the following systems:

• Sharepoint
• Amazon S3 bucket
• Google Drive
• Salesforce
• Dropbox

Webhook

When the workflow is running, webhooks collect field information and send the field values to a URL for integration to other applications/systems. This triggers an event in the other system by making HTTP requests to that system.

Use webhooks to keep your tools up to date as your workflow progresses or on completion of the workflow you can trigger an event in other systems. See How to Use Webhooks for more information.

Zapier Event

Configure Zapier to use the occurrence of certain events in their solution as  triggers to start  instances of your Docubee workflow. See Zapier Integration with Docubee for more information.

Document Processing Tasks

Combine Documents

Workflows can be built to use conditional logic to combine documents. You can either use documents added from previous tasks in a workflow or you can upload a document. 

This task is useful to set up conditional logic to assemble packets of information based on participants’ responses. For example, consider this sample use case of creating rental contract packets based on whether the participant owns a pet. The workflow can include a condition that will automatically create and add a pet deposit agreement to a renter’s new rental contract packet if the renter specifies they have a pet while filling out their forms with Docubee. So, if this condition is met, Docubee will automatically create a packet including both the rental contract and the pet deposit agreement. If the renter does not specify they have a pet, they would simply receive the standard rental contract for fill and sign.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. On the left sidebar, either select an existing document or upload a document.
3. In the Result Document tab:
   1. Enter a property name. This is how the created document will be referred to in later workflow steps.
   2. Enter a document name. This will be the filename for the combined document when it’s downloaded from Docubee. You can use properties in the document name to dynamically name each document. For example, you can choose to include an applicant’s first and last name in the document name for easy identification.

Create Zip File

This task combines multiple documents from your workflow into a single .zip archive. After the Zip file is created, you can send it via email or an Export Document (Send & Save) task, as well as access it from the Docubee dashboard.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the Result Document tab, enter a name for the resulting Zip file and the output property name.
3. In the Included Documents tab, select the documents to be included in the Zip.
   Note: You must choose at least one file.

When the workflow is run, it will create a Zip archive and attach a signing certificate to included documents when appropriate.

Generate Document from Form Data

When the workflow is run, it generates documents using data collected in its previous steps. It supports arithmetic conditions in the task’s conditional placeholder settings, consequently providing greater capabilities when collecting data using numeric fields. It can use values selected from a multiple-choice field within a workflow.

• Placeholder tags such as {%Your_Property_Name%} will be replaced with the property value set during runtime.

• Conditional placeholder tags, such as {%#Your_Property_Name%} Your Text {%/Your_Property_Name%}, will have their enclosed text shown or omitted based on the conditions you configure in this task.

An example is when property data values collected in a web form are merged with the corresponding placeholders for that property in the document.

The quick {%Fox_Color%} fox jumps over the {%Dog_Adjective%} dog.

The above example has two placeholders that would be detected on upload to the Generate Document from Form Data step. You can map previously filled out web form fields to replace them.

After the documents are generated, it can be routed to other workflow tasks for further edits or approval and signature. See Using Docx Templates in Docubee Workflows for more information.

Generate Document Summary with AI

When the workflow is run, it generates a document summary using AI that you can display or use in the workflow.

Opt for AI generated summaries for Quick Sign emails to give signers an overview of what the document they’re signing contains before opening it. When configuring emails, the Generate Document Summary button is available to generate the summary of the email. You can modify the generated summary to your preferences.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the Input Document tab, choose the document to summarize.
3. In the Summary Result tab:
   1. Enter a summary property name. You can use this to reference your document summary in later steps.
   2. Enter a default answer. This is returned if the document can’t be analyzed.

Logic Tasks

Create Properties

1. In the Create Properties window, set the:
   • Property Name – A name to identify the property. This is how it is referred to in other workflow tasks.
   • Property Value – Text that could include other properties defined earlier in the workflow. You can modify previously set values.
   • Type – Property type can be text, email, or number. Select it from the dropdown.
2. Click Add Property to add and define another property.

Property rows defined in a task are processed in sequential order, from top to bottom. The first property row is processed, then the second property row begins, and this continues for the remaining property rows defined in this task.

Properties can be used in multiple steps in a Create Properties task in the workflow builder to perform more complex calculations. See How to Use Properties in Docubee for more information.

Logic Branch

Logic Branches use conditional logic to follow a certain path in the workflow based on the rules specified.

For example, if a purchase over $10,000 requires additional approval, you can use a Logic Branch to build out your normal and large value purchase paths.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the right sidebar, click on a branch to open the Edit Logic Branch editor.
3. Define the property (Originator Email or Originator Name), condition, and value.

Note: The default branch:

• will be followed if no other conditions are met.
• will cause the workflow to end if you have not customized it to your preference.
• cannot be deleted.

Parallel Branch

A Parallel Branch allows a workflow to follow multiple paths simultaneously. The two (or more) paths operate independently of each other.

For example, when a customer application can be started right away but you still need to collect some supporting documentation from them. In this case, you can use a Parallel Branch to both ask the customer for their additional evidence and start the application internally.

If one of the branches encounters an interrupted task, then only the branch containing the interrupted task is suspended while any other parallel branches will continue to execute.
See Create Branches in a Workflow and Suspend & Resume Feature for more information.

If one of the branches reaches a Complete Workflow task or all of its tasks are completed, then all branches are completed and the instance is moved to the Complete tab of the workflow instance list (Workflow section).

Link

A Link task must be a terminal task on a branch, like a Complete Workflow or Cancel Workflow task. While the latter tasks end the workflow, the Link task allows you to point the workflow execution to another branch. This can be useful for back buttons or reusing business logic. Link tasks cannot have another task following it.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the Link Configuration tab, click Show Available Connections to view the available connection points in your workflow.
3. Select the + above the task to connect.
   Note: Workflows will continue with the task below the selected connection point.
   Note: Be attentive to the participant assigned to the tasks before and after the link task.
4. In the Link Configuration tab, select one of the following:
   • Navigate to Connection – Navigates to the selected task.
   • Edit Target Task – Opens the selected task for you to edit its configuration.
   • Choose a New Connection – Displays the workflow with available connection points so you can select another one.

Timer

Add timers to the workflows. Timers allow delays in a downstream process in the workflow for a set duration of time (minutes, hours, days, or months) or until a specified date.

Note: Any timer that is set to the date in the past will proceed to the next task immediately.

To configure this task:

1. 1. Click on the task.
   2. In the Timer tab, set the timer either by date or duration.
      • Date Time
        1. Select the Static Date radio button and click in the Date Time picker to set the date.
           • To delay the timer from being triggered on the current date:
             1. Turn on the Enable Duration Offset toggle.
             2. Select an offset duration and a time unit (minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years).
        2. Select the Date Property radio button and select an existing date property from the dropdown.
      • Duration
        1. Set a duration for the timer by specifying months, days, hours, and/or minutes.

A common use case for this would be to schedule emails to go out on a specific date and time.

Workflow State Tasks

Complete Workflow

Complete a workflow that takes a particular path on a branch. It will be the terminal node task on a branch.

When a workflow reaches the complete workflow task:

• It terminates the workflow and tasks will no longer be available to participants.
• On the dashboard, the workflow is transitioned to the complete state. This task terminates the execution of the workflow.

See Complete Workflow (Event Task) for more information.

Cancel Workflow

Cancel a workflow that takes a particular path on a branch. It is also a terminal node task.

When a workflow reaches the cancel workflow task:

• It cancels the workflow and tasks will no longer be available to participants.
• On the dashboard, the workflow is transitioned to the cancel state.

See Cancel Workflow (Event Task) for more information.

Milestone

Set milestones to mark important points of progress in a workflow. They are useful for tracking achievements during workflow execution.

Milestones are visible in the workflow Instance List’s History tab.

Static Content

Display static informational content that requires no action from a participant. 

The Static Content task allows the workflow to continue for other tasks while letting you add custom messaging to individual participants who have completed all of their assigned tasks. Example uses include: 

• Informing participants that required steps are complete.
• Informing about the next steps to be taken by the organization.
• Custom thank you messaging.

See Static Content (Event Task) for more information.

Update Title

Update the workflow instance title by using data values collected from the radio buttons and dropdowns in previous tasks of the workflow. The old title will be overwritten.

To configure this task:

1. Click on the task.
2. In the Title Configuration tab, enter the instance title and customize it by choosing to include fields from the dropdown. 
   • When the workflow is run, data from those specified fields will be used to populate the custom instance title.

The workflow can be built to update the title of a workflow instance at any point when it is running. For example, when starting a workflow, the instance may be named “Tina Wilson – Vaccination Status” and after verification by HR, authorized users can change the title to “Tina Wilson – Verified Vaccination”.

Task Assignee

Any task that requires a participant to complete it will have a designated assignee identifying the person who will be able to complete this task.

Types of Assignees

Docubee supports four general categories of assignees for tasks:

• Workflow Originator – The person who starts the workflow. Users can start a workflow from the Run button on the dashboard, using a shared link, or scanning a QR code.
  Note: This person may or may not be logged in to Docubee when starting the workflow.
• Email Properties – When a web form includes a required email field, that property becomes a valid assignee for all tasks that occur after the web form submission. This allows the workflow to collect the email address of a participant during the process to later assign tasks to them.
• Email Recipients – Emails can be sent either to configured properties (see Email Properties above) or to a static email address entered in the To field on the email task. If the email contains a View Task button, that email address will become a valid assignee for all tasks occurring after the email is sent.
• SMS Recipients – SMS can be sent to configured properties. If the SMS contains a workflow link, that property will become a valid assignee for all tasks occurring after the SMS is sent.

Known Limitations

Need help setting up your workflow or missing a task you need? Contact us or  join our weekly office hours for live support.

Related Information

All About Workflows (Quick Reference)
Create a Workflow
Getting Started with the Workflow Builder
Download Workflow Documents
Additional Resources

Need more help getting set up? Contact us for assistance from our customer support team.