Advance workflow based on reply to specific email

[Craig Fry]

I am looking for a way to fill field and advance workflow based on a reply to an email. In my environment I need to get permission to start work, IT testing, User Testing and Permission to Implement. I have the workflow set currrently to not advance if the custom field for the user and the custom field for the date aren't filled in. I send the email from JEMH but then the Assignee has to manually fill the date of the ok reply to move to the next step.

What would be the best way to automate that process?

[Andy Brook [Plugin People] · Accepted solution]

If everyone involved on the issue gets notified, and your workflow rules are such that only the nominated individuals can advance particular workflow steps then this could be done with user supplied commands (JEMH Directives).

Here is an example for how JEMH Directives advance workflow (one step only):

@workflow = Start Progress

The Directive key / value combination has to be right, sometimes this is a big ask, so you can simplify it using Directive Aliases, eg for the above, the Alias key (ignore format prefixes) DoStart has a value of: workflow=Start Progress.

[DoStart] = [workflow = Start Progress]

So, this means a test phase approver could send @DoTest to trigger whatever transition is appropriate.

Following this pattern you could then have @DoUserTest @DoImplement for other workflow transitions.

For this to work:

- you need to enable a specific field processor, the example format above is for the At Prefix Field Processor which assumes the Directives are in a block at the top of the email body. You could equally use the Subject Based Field Processor for this, eg #DoStart in the email subject woudl achieve the same thing.

- will also need to enable Directives for at least Comment.