Task Workflows are extensionions of Tracking Statuses.

Whereas Tracking Statuses capture major milestones within your workflow and can be visually overplayed in the Models Viewer, Task Workflows enable you to automate your tracking status changes at granular checkpoints.
Task Workflows let you track Shop Productivity and time stamping by person, station, or activity.
A Task Workflow combines a filter, a category, and item type to apply a tracking status when tasks are started and completed.
A Task Definition can also be used to make Task Workflows more granular by appying status changes at the task level to the Assembly or Package.
A Task Workflow can be triggered manually or automatically by a tracking status change.

* See the Task Workflow Examples article for more information.

Time Saving Note: The STRATUS Customer Success Team has configured and can transfer to your company database Task Definitions, Task Workflows, Task Categories, Cost Categories, Cost Types, Tracking Statuses and other Admin configurations. Contact the STRATUS Service Desk for more information. Screen shots below are taken from the Customer Success Team's configuration.

Video

STRATUS 06-06-19 Implementation Webinar (Task Workflow 28:06)

Configure Task Workflow Prerequisites

Before Task Workflows can be defined, Task Categories, Cost Categories, Cost Types, and Task Definitions must be defined. Below are some examples.

Task Categories

Task Categories are used to categorize Task Definitions like Bending, Cutting, Detailing, Installing, etc. Task Categories are large buckets of work that are done in the shop. Examples might be welding activities, grooving activities, trade activities like hangers and supports, mechanical piping, plumbing, process piping, sheet metal, electrical, shipping, and receiving.

Cost Categories

A Cost Category is a way to assign a cost category to each part when the model is published. Rules are defined by you to assign parts to each cost category. See the Cost Categories article for more information.

Cost Types

A Cost Type is a way categorize costs. See the Cost Types article for more information.

Task Definitions

Task Definitions are process tasks. You can make them as detailed or broad as you like. In this example Cut Pipe using TigerStop and saw, Order Materials, and Weld Pipe. Each definition is assigned to a Task Category, Cost Category, Cost Type, and is applied to a Tracking Status which enables items to automatically change to the selected Status (Ex. Fabricated, Materials Received, Fabricated, etc.). Task Definitions display in STRATUS as either the Name or the Image. The image will be used if it is uploaded.

Name – Name of the Task Definition Ex. MP - Clean And Sort.
Description – A description as descriptive as you like.
Task Category – Represents a large bucket of work. Use the header as a filter to sort by Mechanical Piping, for example.
Cost Category – Ties a Task to a Cost Category. Examples include Field Labor, Shop Labor, Teamster labor. What kind of cost do you apply to that task?
Cost Type - Ties a Task to a Cost Type. Examples include Mechanical Piping Field Labor, Field Management, Shop Labor, or Shop Management. Thie Cost Type will allow you to add in your hourly rate so that when you apply it to your task definition, when you say this Mechanical Piping Shop Labor did this task you’ll be able to extract costs for the task.
Apply Tracking Status – Very useful feature which automates the update of the tracking status when all tasks are complete.

Task Workflow Configuration

Define a Task Workflow

Define a Task Workflow under Admin > Company > Task Workflows.

To configure a new task workflow, click the New Task Workflow button. A new row will display. This example will show an example Weld Pipe Spool task workflow.
1. Task Workflow # - The Workflow number is used in the scenario where several similar task workflows exist, but there is a preference as to which Task Workflow should be applied first. For example, if you want a Task Workflow where Apply to Type = Assembly, the targeted assemblies have both pipe and valves in them, you can write a filter for either one or both. Two or more Task Workflows can return the same number of parts. To break a tie, the sequence number will be used as a priority.
2. Move Arrows - Move Task Workflows up or down.
3. Name (Required) – Enter the short name (Ex. Weld Pipe). This name will display on the Package’s Items tab when selecting the Task Workflow.
4. Description (Required) – Enter a description which could be a longer name since it does not display anywhere. (Ex. Weld Pipe Spool).
5. Apply to Type (Required) – A task workflow can be applied to either a Part or an Assembly.
6. Task Sequence (Required) – Configure the sequence of tasks that will be used in STRATUS. Tip: When configuring a Task Sequence, it’s a good idea to have the Task Workflow page and the Task Definition page open side-by-side.
  1. Click the Add a Task Definition button to select the first Task Definition in the task sequence (Ex. Cut).
  2. Click the to select the 2^nd task definition in the task sequence (Ex. Tack).
  3. Continue as needed.
  4. The Task Sequence will look similar to the following:
  5. You can Remove a Task Definition by clicking the button or reorder the tasks using the Move buttons.
7. Initiated by Tracking Status (Required) – Set the Initiated by Tracking Status to the Package tracking status that will initiate the task workflow. The drop-down list only includes tracking statuses where the Can Package and Can Assemble columns have been unchecked, meaning the package or assembly cannot be edited once a task workflow has started. Below is an example.
8. Apply to Package Category (Optional) – Once you are familiar with how the Task Workflow works, you can further refine a Task Worklow by using the Apply to Package Category option. When a package is created, it is assigned to either the Default Package Category or a Package Category defined by your administrator. See Package Categories in the Knowledge Base. The Apply to Package Category means that Task Workflow can only be kicked off when the package is in the selected Package Category.
9. Apply using Filter - You could apply any filter. For example, you could use a filter where the material is carbon steel and the end type is beveled, otherwise the parts won’t have access to workflow targeted to send cuts to a specific station.
10. Delete - Delete the Task Workflow.