Nimbus comes with a set of Workflow templates which are can be applied in a service's respective Modalities Service Settings. The core principle behind workflow templates is standardization and inheritance of workflow structures to all workflows.
☝Please note: Workflow Templates are a powerful tool to standardize task handling across your services and modalities. However, they can also act destructively as any change on a template may impact multiple productive services at once.
→ Please read this chapter carefully and roll out templates gradually to test the effects of changes.
✅Preconditions
- Workflow Templates are managed by users in Admin Roles, within the Nimbus Admin Portal.
- Team and Service owners in Portal Roles may create and edit workflows based on templates on the Frontend, but not define or change templates themselves.
Creating a Workflow Template
✅ To create a new Workflow Template, perform the following steps:
- Log into the Nimbus admin portal with an Administrator role.
- Navigate to "Configuration > Workflows > Workflow Templates" → A list of existing templates will be shown to you.
- Define a Name and Organization Unit for your new template. 💡 This determines where (and if) other users get to use this template when creating their own workflows.
- Select a "Workflow Template" from the list.
- Click Create to start editing your Workflow Template.
🔎Notes
🤔 Why are "System Templates" preselected and how do they differ from "Custom Templates"?
System templates are the base for your (future) Custom templates. Their differences mainly stem in the inheritance rules, as explained below.
INC Workflow Template Types
| Template Type | Description |
|---|---|
| System Templates |
Provided by Luware, system templates are a good a starting point for you to freely build upon. ☝️Note that:
|
| Custom Templates |
Custom Workflow Templates are of your own design. They can be based on any other template. ☝️Note that:
|
💡Good to know: All workflow templates and their children workflows are of a (modality-specific) workflow type, each with distinct workflow activities. During Export or Import they cannot be substituted or converted to different types, meaning that you cannot replace a template with a workflow or vice-versa.
🤔 What's the technical difference between Workflow Templates and Workflows?
- Workflows created from templates will have “based on” references to their template. The reference is used for listings in the Nimbus UI, but also for custom workflow inheritance and Workflow Export Import purposes.
- Aside from references, there is no structural difference between templates and workflows, both function identical for Nimbus distribution purposes.
- If a source template is deleted, the workflow becomes independent and will not react to changes anymore.
- A "reattachment" of a template to a new workflow is not possible. In case of a deleted template you need to create a new template and base your new workflows on it.
🤔 Why can I not select my own existing "Custom" Workflow Templates directly as a template starting point?
System Templates are the “safe” first option as they do not auto-inherit (Luware-introduced) changes. You can however create “Custom” type workflows based on your already existing workflows.
Editing a Workflow Template
✅ Once you create a new Template (or edit a previously created one) you will be brought right into the Workflow editor. Note that the Workflow Editing experience in templates will be nearly the same, and you can make use of all Workflow Activities.
☝️You may however note some slight differences towards the normal workflow editing process, as the template introduces additional concepts:
| Template Concept | Description | UI Differences |
|---|---|---|
| Locking | You can lock the entire workflow or individual elements in your template against change. The following elements in a tempalte can be locked:
🔍 Compared to regular workflows, only the template will show these locking controls in the UI.
The concept of locking also brings “inheritance” effects, which is explained in chapter → “Locking of Workflow Templates” below.
|
 Locking of Workflow > Structure > Activity > Property
|
| Available Activities (based on License) | Enterprise Routing Contact Center License Management
 🔍 Related:
|
Templates show all activities, even licensed ones
|
Locking of Workflow Templates
Workflow Templates can be locked against changes, signaled by a red font color and lock symbol. These changes propagate through to any template.
| Example: Workflow Template editing | Example: Workflow editing (based on template) |
|---|---|
|
💡 This workflow template has the structure locked. In this example any workflow based on this template is configured as follows:
|
💡This is the same workflow based on the template. Using our example from the left column of this table we can now see the effects:
|
 |
 |
Lock options and effects
While editing a workflow template you have the following options with the following effect on your templates:
| Option in workflow template | Effect on workflows using the template |
|---|---|
|
Lock entire workflow
|
Workflows cannot be changed at all. ⮑ Lock effects are as follows:
|
|
Lock workflow structure
|
⮑ Lock effects are as follows:
We strongly recommend to keep at least your template structure locked when you intend to lock activities and their individual properties as well. This also ensures that later template changes are clearly propagated to dependent templates. ☝ Keep in mind: When the template structure is left unlocked, but has locked activities, Service owners might just drag in a new (property-unlocked) activity from the list, effectively overriding your template locks. Of course you can keep this intentionally “open”, treating any locks as a suggestion. |
|
Lock workflow activity (header)
|
⮑ Lock effects are as follows:
Good to know: Previous lock states on individual properties are preserved (greyed out) in case you want to re-use them later. → Workflows will show the activity slightly toned. Their contents and properties can be inspected, but not changed at all. |
|
Lock activity properties (in body)
|
⮑ Lock effects are as follows:
☝Caution - Changes to locked properties will be propagated to existing workflows. ⮑ An additional confirmation popup will list affected workflows, based on your template. |
Saving changes to existing templates
Workflow Templates are a powerful feature, which can help standardize your service workflows. However, they can also have effects that may impact your services with unintended side-effects.
☝Please Note before changing Templates in productive use
As you save your Workflow Template, Nimbus will always show a warning message to make you aware of its effects.
- Any change to your template will affect (existing or future) workflows based on this template. If any workflows are affected by the template they are listed in the warning message.
-
Workflows based on your template will get their locked properties and structure overwritten by your template changes.
→ Refer to the “How are changes on templates propagated” section below for details. Ensure that the affected services are not negatively impacted by the change (e.g. on a previously unlocked property that was free to adjust for services owners). - Saved template changes are invisible and immediate to other service owners. Effects can be be minor, such as a Playlists changing to a new default, but also major like an entire Queue Activity Distribution setting or structure changing, thus affecting multiple services and their KPI.
✅ Ensure to inform your service owners and fellow administrators before making any sweeping changes on productive templates, particularly those located on high Organization Unit level, as they are highly visible and available to many services simultaneously.
🤔 How can I check which services are affected by my template changes?
To avoid issues caused by template changes, head to your Workflows and verify which of your workflows are template-based and actively used in your services.
Show me an example
Some considerations to take:
☝ Services located in (Sub-)Organization Units can access the same template and create workflows from it.
✅ Checklist:
- After a template change you might want to check if a dependent workflow is still fully applicable for all related services. For example, a (newly) locked "language" property in your announcements could your international services as well.
- A check is also necessary when Organization Units (OU) within your company change. Your workflow template could become suddenly available to new services that rather shouldn't use it.
☝ Templates currently not "used in a service" are safe to change, but may get redundant or outdated over time.
✅ Checklist:
- Perform regular "clean-up" checks to see if you can consolidate, remove or update your older templates.
- You may want to move unused and “experimental” templates to a different Organization Unit to keep them out of view from productive services.
☝ Workflows NOT "based on" a template will not receive template changes.
✅ Checklist:
- It can be beneficial to leave workflows "based on" no template at all, allowing some services full flexibility and avoiding impacts by template changes.
- If you want to introduce quality-control or standardization to your workflows, consider re-creating them "based on" a template. You can leave the structure lock open so the template just acts as a “baseline suggestion”.
🤔 How are changes on templates propagated?
Depending on what you change in a template, the effects are as follows:
| Cause / Action Taken | Effect |
|---|---|
| Workflow or Structure are locked. | Any changes, like adding/removing activities and adding/removing exits in the template will be propagated to its workflows. |
|
Parent Activity locked, Destination activity is removed. |
The destination activity removal will not be propagated, because there’s no structure/workflow lock in place. The exit from the parent activity is removed automatically in the template, as no exit can exist without a destination activity. |
| Parent Activity locked, Destination activity is added. |
The destination activity creation will not be propagated, because there’s no structure/workflow lock in place. The exit from parent activity is added in the template, but since the activity was not added to the workflow, the exit cannot be added either, as it cannot point to an “empty” destination. |
✅ GENERAL TIP: If you want to propagate structural changes in future, at least a structure lock must be in place. Note that in this case all dependent workflows will get a full structure update (i.e all activities and connections between them will be matched to the template).
Overview of System Templates
Out of box Nimbus comes with a baseline set of following Workflow "System" Templates. System templates are managed by Luware and may change in future updates as the possibilities of Nimbus gets expanded with more Workflow Activities. They are a generally "safe to use" baseline for starting your own workflows and templates.
💡Good to know
💡Even as System Templates get changes during Nimbus updates, your existing workflows will not be affected by those changes.
☝ System Templates may contain additional licensed activities and Nimbus Features.
- You may create workflows from these templates, but may see errors in your Modalities Service Settings unless your service is licensed for their use. → Also see License Management.
- Vice-versa, a License downgrade of existing services will also be prevented while license-dependent Workflow Activities are still part of the workflow.
- If a workflow (template) is changed to contain licensed activities, services using the template but missing a license will skip over those activities.
🔎 In our Workflow Activities documentation you can find license flags and a matrix of activities with license dependencies.
Audio / Video Templates
Audio / Video These templates are available in the baseline Nimbus installation with the Audio/Video modality.
IVR Transfer
A simple IVR transfer based on calling customer choice. You can transfer to separate service teams (e.g. proficient in a special language or providing the know-how that the customer requires).
Opening Hours Queue Disconnect
The "Opening Hours" Workflow allows for more variety in managing your Service. You can configure Opening Hours in the → Modalities Service Settings.
Opening Hours Queue Voicemail
Enterprise Routing - please note that this workflow contains workflow activity Features requiring an Enterprise Routing license.
An advanced workflow that tries to distribute customers directly to the next available team member. Calls unanswered or outside of opening hours will go to voicemail.
Opening Hours Queue Voicemail Transfer
An advanced workflow that tries to distribute customers directly to the next available team member. During open hours the calls will go to voicemail, on special or closed hours a transfer to a backup-service is arranged.
Pickup Disconnect
Enterprise Routing - please note that this workflow contains workflow activity Features requiring an Enterprise Routing license.
A simple task distribution workflow that will play music and an announcement until the maximum queue time is reached. A regular check is in place to keep the user informed of the ongoing queue distribution.
Queue Disconnect
A simple queue workflow with a defined playlist and set queue time. Once the maximum wait time is reached the caller gets disconnected.
Queue IVR Voicemail
Enterprise Routing - please note that this workflow contains workflow activity Features requiring an Enterprise Routing license.
An advanced task distribution workflow that checks regularly if the either the customer via choice wants to exit or if the maximum queue time limit is reached. The call is then put to Voicemail.
Queue Transfer
A simple workflow that queues the user for distribution and transfers to another service when the queue time is exceeded.
Queue Voicemail
A simple workflow that queues the user for distribution and goes to voicemail if the queue time is exceeded.
Instant Messaging Templates
Instant Messaging Currently only the blank default template is provided for the Instant Messaging modality.
External Task Templates
External Task Currently only the blank default template is provided for the External Task modality.
Instant Messaging Templates
Email Currently only the blank default template is provided for the Email modality.