Question 1

How do I create routing via rules / logic flows in a Workflow?

Accepted Answer

When creating a Workflow (you might prefer to call it a form or a user journey) you may want to vary what is presented to the user based on their earlier inputs. For example if you sell different types of product and want to build a returns form the information you ask for might vary from product to product. So you'd ideally ask the user to choose the type of product they want to return, then show them further relevant questions that related to that type of product only.

Rules and routing in Malcolm! Workflows let you do just this - you can create complex and adaptive multi-step user journeys / forms easily via this feature.

Below is a simple example of how rules and routing work. In this example we create a simple form that asks a user for some basic details (their name, email address and "further details"). If they select "yes" to the question "Do you have documents or files to upload?" we'll include a screen for them to upload those files before they complete the form. If the user selects "no" we won't show them this screen and they will go direct to the Thank You screen.

Here is the setup in the Workflow builder in MyMalcolm:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/HwJyEPPI3q/resources/LFuUvRSKYT/screenshot-my.malcolm.app-2019.08.18-12_06_04.png (Building a Workflow with conditional routing in MyMalcolm)

Conceptually it is important to understand that rules and routing works at a page level (not at a question level). So where you have questions that will only be shown to the user in certain scenarios you should put those questions on their own page. You then use rules to show or hide those pages.

In our example we have set the "Include page by default" setting on page 2 to be off. By doing this page 2 is "hidden" and can only be seen by routing to it via a rule.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/HwJyEPPI3q/resources/sAdJrWv6tR/screenshot-my.malcolm.app-2019.08.18-12_10_51.png (Include page by default setting in Workflow builder in MyMalcolm)

You configure rules at a question/element level.

So in our example we now need to set up a rule on the "Do you have files or documents to upload?" question/element. To do this click on that question/element.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/HwJyEPPI3q/resources/xQvhNmZZk4/screenshot-my.malcolm.app-2019.08.18-12_09_39.png (Question elements in Malcolm! Workflow Builder)

In the overlay that appears select "rules". Then add the rule that if the value is equal to yes to include page 2.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/HwJyEPPI3q/resources/iVFe0tmYNZ/screenshot-my.malcolm.app-2019.08.18-12_09_10.png (Configuring rules in the Workflow Builder of MyMalcolm!)

The available options in values will vary according to the type of question/element you are editing. In "Then...." you have the option of including a page, hiding a page or moving to it. If you move to a page the Workflow will then continue from that page and jump over any pages before.

You can see the full range of options for this element type below.

Question 2

Can I set Workflow values in a URL?

Accepted Answer

A very powerful feature of Malcolm! is the ability to populate one or more values within a Workflow via the URL to the Workflow itself.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/HwJyEPPI3q/resources/4pDguyLGuN/Set%20Workflow%20Values%20via%20URL.png (Set Workflow Values via URL)

This is extremely powerful if - for example - you want to pass into a Workflow information that lets you identify who has completed it - such as a customer ID or perhaps some other form of unique reference that lets you know what the information relates to (eg an order or transaction id)

For example, let's say a customer has created an order with order ID 12345 and you need some further information to fulfil the order. Rather than send them a Workflow which asks them for their order ID as one of the questions (or relies on you manually linking the submitted Workflow with a completed order your side) you could send them a link in the format https://url.com/workflows/order-info-needed?orderid=12345

You can put values for multiple fields in the URL too eg https://url.com/workflows/order-info-needed?orderid=12345&anotherfield=abcde

You can choose whether the user filling in the Workflow will see the Order ID repeated on their Workflow or not. If they can see it you can choose whether they can edit it or not. You can also choose what the descriptors in the URL (in the example above the "orderid" part) actually are. All these configurations are made by clicking on the individual element in the Workflow builder in MyMalcolm and scrolling to the "Settings" area.

When the Workflow is submitted you will receive the Order ID (and any other fields you have completed via the URL) as part of the submitted information.

When you combine the ability to populate fields by variables in the URL with the integration functionality of Malcolm! it becomes even more powerful as you could programmatically send out Workflows for completion (with some identifying information inserted via an auto generated URL) and then combine them with your other systems on submission via an integration or a webhook using the identifying information to link things together.

This becomes a great way to send out surveys, create follow ups to marketing campaigns, extend the functionality you offer to "logged in" users etc etc - the possibilities are endless!

How do I create routing via rules / logic flows in a Workflow?

Can I set Workflow values in a URL?

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