Substitution Rules

In ELMA, it is possible to configure substitution rules to automatically reassign tasks of the substituted users. These rules set up substitution parameters for a specific user. When creating a substitution with the specified parameters, the substitute will be the user, whose rules will satisfy the substitution conditions.

The substitution rules are applied:

To a "Reassign tasks" task. In this task, in the Tasks section in the Executor column opposite the selected tasks, the substitute users will be displayed in accordance with the established substitution rules.
To a process task. The executor is selected automatically according to the set up substitution rules.
To the standard Approval and Acquaintance tasks. In these tasks, the executor is selected similarly to the process task (see fig. 2).

The rules are configured in Administration – Users – Substitutions. This feature is available only to users with access permissions that are assigned by the system administrator in Administration – Users – Access settings – Global access settings – Administration – Substitution Administration.

To configure the rules, you must select a substitution in the Substitution schedule section and in the context menu, click on the Substitution Rule item (see Figure 1).

Fig.1 Context menu in the in the Substitution schedule section

The Substitution page opens (fig. 2).

Fig.2 Substitution rules page

On this page, you create and configure substitution rules for a specific user and set up rules priority.

To create a new substitution rule, in the toolbar click Add rule (Figure 2). To edit the rule click the

button to the right of the rule. When you click this button, a form similar to the creation form opens. To delete a rule, click the

button.

Creating a Rule

To create a new substitution rule, in the toolbar click Add rule (Figure 2). In the opened form (Fig. 3), fill in the required fields and click Save.

Fig.3 "Create Substitution Rule" Form

Rule Parameters Section

Rule name* - the name of the rule to be added.

Object\Property* - a drop-down list of task types with a user-defined property that identifies the user's role in the task. There are two options available in the drop-down list: Task base class\ Executor and Task \ Supervisor.

Substitute* - the field for selecting the substitute.

Substitutions Assignment Rule Section

This section contains a certain set of parameters, which is similar to a set of parameters on the form for advanced task search. When you select an object in the Object\Property field, the attributes of the section will be changed, depending on the selected object.

Configuring substitution priority

The Configure Order button in the toolbar allows you to arrange the list of rules in accordance with their priority. The rules will be applied in order of priority. This setting is necessary when several substitution rules have partly similar conditions.

To change the substitution rules order, click on the Configure Order button in the toolbar (see Figure 2). A window with a list of created rules will open (Figure 4). Using drag-n-drop technology, change the rules priority. Rules will be applied in the "top-to-bottom" order.

Fig.4 Configuring rules order

The default rule is a rule that includes all the current settings. If no rule is applicable to a new task, then the task will be assigned to the default substitute.

Once the substitution period is over, the created rules will be saved in the system for further use. These rules will be displayed, if new substitutions for this user are created.

Example of a substitution rule

Consider creating a substitution with the following parameters:

User to be substituted - Miller;
Substitute - Collins.

For the substituted user we will create several substitution rules. Configure the following rules:

Rule 1 (Figure 5):

Object\Property - Task base class\Contractor;
Substitute - Brooks;
Object type - Document approval task.

Fig.5 Creating Substitution Rules

Rule 2 (Figure 6):

Object\Property - Task\Supervisor;
Substitute - Webb;
Object type - SMART- task.

Fig.6 Creating Substitution Rules

Since the parameters of the created rules are different, it is not necessary to set up their priority.

When the substitution period starts, the created task will be assigned to a substitute whose parameters meet the substitution rules requirements (provided that the substitution rules are applicable to this task type ).

For example, send the document for approval to Miller (Miller is absent, but the substitute user is assigned for him). In the notification, in the "To" field, Collins will be displayed, as he is a the default substitute (Figure 7).

Fig.7 Sending for approval

After you click the Send button, the Assign Access Permissions dialog box opens (Figure 8). In this window, you must grant document access permissions to the substituted user. To learn more about it, see the respective Help article.

Fig.8 Assigning access permissions

After clicking on the Save permissions button, the document will be sent to the substitute user.

However, in this example, the parameters of the new document approval task match the parameters of the first substitution rule. Therefore, the document will be submitted for approval to Brooks, and not to the default user (Figure 9).

Fig.9 Approval task