Workflow Basics

Automation Engine enables you to create very powerful and automated workflows. You can customize them to do exactly what makes sense in your environment. You can make them extra smart by using SmartNames, subworkflows, routing, integration points with external systems and much more.

A step in a workflow is an Automation Engine Task performing an action on an input file to produce an output file. It can be also be a Workflow Control . Workflow controls can be about deciding which route the workflow will take or about file management (selecting, sorting etc.) or about other administrative decisions in the workflow.

Here is an example introducing some main tools:

1. A Transition is the green line that connects each step in the workflow. It is a graphical representation of an output file of a step being used as the input for the next step.
2. By default each step has an OK and Error Output Pin. When a step ends in the OK state, the output file will be sent to the step connected to the OK output pin. When a step errors out the workflow will continue with the step connected with the Error output pin. In the example workflow above the Preflight with PitStop task has 2 extra pins, matching the possible Preflight statuses.
3. This subworkflow handles the approval process. This sub-workflow opens when you double click it.
4. Here we used the workflow control Router.
5. See how this Router shows 3 output pins. When hovering over them with your mouse you see their name, in this case the route to 'Off site printing'

Apart from creating your own workflows, you can also download sample workflows per market segment. These are advanced workflows that can serve as a head-start when creating your own. Learn more about these in Sample Workflows.