The Best Features from 2020

by Paul | Feb 3, 2021 | Process Improvement

The Best Features from 2020

Last year Flowingly focused on a rapid release of new features which had been requested by our customers, so here are a few of the key ones in case you missed them. We are shortly set to release our first update of 2021 so stay tuned!

#1 Rules Engine

Next time you create or edit a workflow step you’ll notice a new Rules tab alongside the Details and Form tabs. This new rules tab allows you to use If This > Then That logic to direct a workflow. The first rule to be released will allow you to set the Assignee of a future step based on an action taken in a previous step.

Using a Database, you can now assign a Step based on relationships within that Database.

#2 Map UI

Interact with Steps directly from the Runner! Using the new map interaction features, users now have the ability to see at a glance exactly what is required at every stage of a process. This means you no longer have to open up each map, just click and drill-down!

This makes for easier navigation and access to the exact Procedures, Policies and Work Instructions that sit within a process.

#3 Process Details

Ever wonder who the owner of a process is? Or need a bit more context around the purpose of the process?
You now have the ability to add more details into a process summary. The following fields can now be edited by admins and accessed by users:

Process Owner
Process Review Date
Background
Objective
Input
Output

This now gives an admin more specified information on the objective of a Workflow and what changes could be made to improve the process.

It’s also good to mention some favourite new functions based on feedback. Knowing how our customers use the platform helps guide development on what features we add next.

# Printer-Friendly Flows

We’ve improved the export Flow functionality and allow users to save it in a more printer friendly format.

The new document now includes a comment section which will include all comments added by workflow users while the flow was in progress.

A common use-case is to include comments made on an expense request process, printed for archival purposes.

# Table Sums

Table sums can now be used as a value in subsequent steps. This means that you can pull both currency and number sums direct from a table, either to display them easily to a user or to help route your Decision pathways.

You can also use the sums within formula fields and custom emails. So, if you have a column in a table that captures amount, in another column you could capture discount rate, and in a formula field below you could calculate the discounted rate.

This opens up a range of possibilities, especially for all those using Flowingly for financial workflows such as Capital Expenditure or Expense Management.

That was the best of last year but with 2021 we have plans for more functionality and simplification as we move to make Flowingly the best possible process and workflow platform for our users. If you have feedback or questions about what you would like to see, please leave us a comment.

Thanks for taking the time to read the blog and we look forward to bringing you more great features throughout the coming year.

If you’d like to learn more about how Flowingly can help you manage approvals, tasks and workflows for your business, get a trial today!

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Control Hazards & Risk in the Workplace

by Paul | Feb 3, 2021 | Process Templates

Control Hazards & Risk in the Workplace

Worksafe New Zealand recommends organizations continuously review workplace health and safety by following the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework.

The Control Hazards and Risks in the Workplace automated process is aligned with this framework and ensures that hazards and risks are identified, reported, assessed, and mitigated as part of daily operations.

This process also completely replaces manual paper-based health and safety forms. Having lots of paperwork does not equal good health and safety. However, having clear, easily accessible, and engaging health and safety processes, enables a positive health and safety culture, and significantly reduces risks in your organization!

1. Identify Hazards Initiator

The process can be kick started by any staff member who identifies a hazard, or as part of a routine health and safety inspection.

A good place to start is analyzing situations that can be an immediate threat or cause harm. These often occur in:

The work environment
As a result of how tasks are performed
Plant and materials
Workplace design and management

2. Assess Risks H&S Coordinator

If hazards were identified, then is important that the risks associated to these hazards are assessed. Assess each risk using the Risk Assessment Table to determine:

The severity of the risk
The likelihood of the risk occurring

Then assign the risk to a Risk Manager who will control the identified risk(s).

3. Control Risks Risk Managers

The Risk Managers will now receive a notification to control the risks.

It is recommended that all identified risks are completely eliminated from the workplace. However, if this is not possible then risks should be minimized in a practical manner.

4. Approve Risk Controls H&S Coordinator

Once controls are put in place to eliminate or minimize the risks, the H&S Coordinator will review their effectiveness and approve. If some controls are not effective the flow will go back a step, until all controls are found to be effective.

5. Update Risk Register & Continuously Improve Risk Managers

A risk register is a central database for the organization’s risks and controls. This database could live in Flowingly or it might be managed in a different system. Keeping the risk register updated is essential and significantly increases regulatory compliance. Also don’t forget to always look for opportunities for continuously improving H&S in the workplace!

This is an excerpt from Flowingly’s guide on Essential Processes for Health & Safety.

Essential Processes for Health & Safety

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Onboard & Induct a New Employee

by Sean | Feb 1, 2021 | Process Templates

Onboard & Induct a New Employee

A quality onboarding experience is the single most important step to getting a new staff member to an operational level quickly. Sadly, this is a process that many organizations only pay lip-service to.

If you’ve been lucky enough to join a company with an exceptional onboarding experience, you’ll know just how powerful it is. The benefits are endless. Better understanding of company culture. Improved grasp of responsibilities. Increased performance through better training. Decreased time to becoming fully operational.

1. Send Welcome Email and Request New Employee’s Details Manager

What better way to kick-off the new employee’s experience than with an email welcoming them to the company! This is a great way to introduce them to the company culture and set the tone for what they can expect going forward.

Use this opportunity to request the employee’s details, such as their tax details, superannuation info or their working visa. This will save you more time on their first day.

2. Complete New Employee Basic Information Manager

Once the manager has the employee’s basic information, they can collate it into a standardized form for the HR team.

When building this process, it is the responsibility of the HR team to outline exactly what they require to process a new employee. If it’s not outlined in the process, the manager will not know what is required.

3. Approve Employee Paperwork & Enter in HR System Human Resources

This step is where the HR team enters the provided details into their systems. The first action is to check that all the requested details have been entered correctly. If not, the process can be sent back to the manager to fix.

We use a combination of a task list and an approval in this step. This could be split into two, however the best processes are nice and simple. This creates no unnecessary wastage and less admin.

4. Prepare Employee’s Desk and Laptop IT Services

Now that the basic information has been covered, it’s time to setup the employee’s tool-of-trade. IT can simply come in and follow a quick checklist outlining what the employee requires. A handy addition to this step would be a quick video on desk ergonomics!

Optional extra: Some companies may require a stack of software to be setup for the new employee. If this is the case, additional fields can be used to inform IT of the required software. This removes the hassle of back-and-forth emails over logins during the first couple of weeks.

5. Issue New Employee Items Administration

It’s now Day 1 of the employee’s new job and they require some basic items to become a fully-functional employee. Things you might want to include here:

Mobile phone and charger
Security door key
Swipe card

If you’re more advanced with your processes, you would link this up with your employee exit process. This would allow you to mark off these items as returned at the end of employment.

6. Complete Activities by End of Week 1 New Employee

As we all know, the first week at a company can be a bit of a blur. Most organizations have a standardized approach. This step of the process should be a simple checklist, where the employee can check off that they have been introduced to the team, gone through an H&S induction, had their photo taken and more.

7. Complete Activities by End of Month 1 New Employee

The key to an effective onboarding is having specific timings and goals. It is important for the manager to set aside time to understand how the employee is tracking and to give them feedback and coaching. Many businesses have their new employees spend time with different parts of the company.

The end of month 1 is a great time to get together and review the key takeaways that the employee has had in their first few weeks. This step may include a review of what the employee has learned and opportunities for company improvement that they have seen with fresh eyes.

8. Complete Activities by End of Months 2 & 3 New Employee

By now the employee should be progressing to an operational stage. This is a good chance for the employee to review their learnings and sit down with their manager to evaluate their progress. It is important to capture feedback at this step. This will help management understand the effectiveness of the onboarding process, and whether it requires further improvement.

This is an excerpt from Flowingly’s process guide, Essential Processes for Human Resources. 👇

Essential Processes for Human Resources

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