Create and manage job templates

All jobs are created from a job template that is associated with a workflow diagram. The job template contains the default job properties assigned to a job when it is first created, such as the first user to whom it is assigned, the priority and due date, and any additional job properties that were added by your organization.

Tip:

When jobs follow the same process and their default properties are different, you can associate a single workflow diagram with multiple job templates to assign a unique set of default properties for different types of work.

Create job templates

Complete these steps to create job templates:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Job Templates .

   The Job Templates panel appears.

4. Click Create New.

   A blank job template appears in the panel on the right.

5. Provide a name for the template in the Job Template Name text box in the Job Template Properties section of the Profile tab.
6. Optionally, provide a description of the template in the Job Template Summary text box.
7. Click the State drop-down arrow and choose one of the following options:
   • Draft—Indicates that the job template is an incomplete draft.
   • Active—Indicates that the job template is available for use in the Create panel on the Manage and Work page.
   • Automated—Indicates that the job template is available for automated job creation.

     Learn more about automated job creation and creating jobs with a step.

8. Optionally, provide a category for the template or choose an existing category in the Category combo box.
9. Click the Current Workflow Diagram drop-down arrow and choose a workflow for the job template.

   Type a keyword in the Current Workflow Diagram combo box to filter the list to show active workflows that contain the keyword.

   The workflow diagram appears in the Preview section.

10. Specify the default properties for jobs that are created using the job template in the Default Job Properties section.

    Note:

    The Index property in the Job Name is a dynamic value that automatically populates at the time a job is created. This value is associated with the chronological order of job creation.

    1. Click the Assigned To drop-down arrow and choose the user that new jobs are assigned to when they are created from the job template.

       Type a keyword in the Assigned To combo box to filter the list to show options that contain the keyword.

    2. In the Initial Job Status combo box, choose a job status from the drop-down menu, or type a custom initial status for the job.

       You must provide an initial job status. The Initial Job Status field cannot be left blank.

    3. In the Final Job Status combo box, choose a job status from the drop-down menu, or type a custom final status for the job.

       You must provide a final job status. The Final Job Status field cannot be left blank.

    4. Click the Job Priority drop-down arrow and choose the priority for new jobs that are created from the job template.
    5. Optionally, provide a description for new jobs that are created from the job template in the Default Job Description text box.
    6. Optionally, check the Set Job Start Date check box and choose one of the following options to specify the start date for new jobs that are created from the job template:
       • Creation Day—Sets the start date to the day the job is created.
       • Start Date—Sets the start date to the specified date.
    7. Optionally, check the Set Job End Date check box and choose one of the following options to specify the end date for new jobs that are created from the job template:
       • Set Job Duration—Calculates the end date based on the specified number of days it is expected to take to complete the job.
       • End Date—Sets the end date to the specified date.
11. Optionally, click the Extended Properties tab and configure extended properties as necessary.
12. Optionally, click the Sharing tab and choose the workflow item groups that you want to allow to use the job template to create jobs.

    Job templates are shared with everyone by default.

13. Click Save.

    A confirmation message appears indicating that the job template was saved successfully.

Duplicate job templates

Duplicating a job template allows you to make a copy of a job template that can be used as a starting point for similar types of work. If you duplicate a job template that contains an extended properties table, the table is automatically shared between the two job templates. Complete these steps to duplicate job templates:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Job Templates .

   The Job Templates panel appears.

4. Click the job template you want to duplicate in the Job Templates panel.

   Note:

   You can type a keyword in the Search Job Templates text box to filter the list to show job templates that contain the keyword.

5. Click More Actions and click Duplicate Job Template.

   The duplicated job template appears in the Job Templates panel with - Copy appended to the job template name.

The job template can now be edited and used for creating jobs. If you duplicated a job template that contains an extended properties table, the table is automatically shared between the job templates. If you don't want the table to be shared with the duplicated template, you can delete the extended properties table from the duplicated job template without affecting the original job template.

Edit job templates

Complete these steps to edit job templates:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Job Templates .

   The Job Templates panel appears.

4. Click the job template you want to edit in the Job Templates panel.

   Note:

   You can type a keyword in the Search Job Templates text box to filter the list to show job templates that contain the keyword.

5. Optionally, click the State drop-down arrow in the Job Template Properties section of the Profile tab and choose one of the following options:
   • Draft—Indicates that the job template is an incomplete draft.
   • Active—Indicates that the job template is ready for use.

     Choosing this option makes the job template available for use in the Create panel on the Manage and Work page.

   • Automated—Indicates that the job template is reserved for automated job creation.

     Learn more about automated job creation and creating jobs with a step.

   • Retired—Indicates that the job template is retired.

     Choosing this option removes the job template from the Create panel on the Manage and Work page.

6. Update the job template as necessary.
7. Click Save to save the job template.

   A confirmation message appears, indicating that the job template was saved.

   Note:

   When a job template is updated, it is used for all new jobs. Existing jobs continue to use the previous version of the job template, and the job's properties are not updated.

Delete job templates

Complete these steps to delete job templates:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Job Templates .

   The Job Templates panel appears.

4. Click the job template that you want to delete in the Job Templates panel.

   Note:

   You can type a keyword in the Search Job Templates text box to filter the list to show job templates that contain the keyword.

5. Click More Actions and click Delete Job Template.

   The Delete Job Template dialog box appears.

   Caution:

   Deleted job templates can't be recovered.

6. Click Yes to delete the job template or click No to cancel.

   If there are active jobs associated with the job template, it can't be deleted.

   Note:

   If the job template contains extended property tables, they are not deleted.