Prevent users from changing status to In progress

Question

Hi which is the best way to prevent users from changing any status to in progress?

From what I can see it can be done via adding conditions on the transitions on the workflow - my problem I will need to amend a lot of workflows.

Can it be done via automation?  I used the AI automation tool which I do think is very useful and it does look correct but it does not work here is a screenshot

Can anyone advise as to why its not working and is still allowing people to change to in progress or does it have to be done via the workflow?

Izabela França · Answer

Hello, @Robert Forster .

Setting conditions to you workflow would be the appropriated approach. However, the automation might work (but not prevent).

Try changing your automation to use the "IF or ELSE" condition.

For exemple: If Initiator in Service Desk Team transtion to "In progress with service desk".... Else Initiation is not in Service Desk Team transtion to "Waiting for Triage"

Let me know if it works. :)

Setting conditions for your workflow would be the appropriate approach. However, the automation might work (but not prevent). Try changing your automation to use the "IF or ELSE" condition. For example: If Initiator in Service Desk Team transition to "In progress with service desk".... Else Initiation is not in Service Desk Team transition to "Waiting for Triage"

Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM · Answer

Hi @Robert Forster

The workflow is the correct place if you are looking to prevent an action.

Automation can revert the transition, but it's not preventing it.  The automation you posted looks like the proper approach, however, we need to see the log file to determine what part is not working for you.

Walter Buggenhout · Answer

Hi @Robert Forster and welcome to the Community!

Automation rules perform actions, they are not designed to set conditions / limitations. All they can do, is react to something that happened (like a change of status) and then roll back that change. While that may technically work, it is not particularly user friendly and might go unnoticed for users.

So, while it may turn out to be quite a bit of work, setting conditions on your workflow transitions are the way to go to implement your requirement - at least as you describe it.

Having said that - I'm also slightly curious as to what you are trying to achieve here. It seems as if you have a workflow in place that allows all statuses to transition to In Progress and you don't want that? You can also get rid of that global transition (which shows in the workflow editor as an arrow going from an ALL box to the In Progress status) and replace it with a direct transition from the status(es) you do want to allow to go into the in progress status. That is as simple as drawing a line between the desired statuses. That way, you could eliminate a lot of unwanted transitions and with that also the need to implement a lot of conditions.

Hope this helps!