Ideas

Add description field to Workflow Actions

Add description field to Workflow Actions

Workflow

How many times have you opened a complex Workflow created by another person (or your past self) and scratched your head wondering why certain actions exist? Documentation is key to efficiently building and maintaining systems. In Rock, one of the key ways we document things is through the use of the description field.

Workflows have a description field.
Workflow Activities have a description field.
I am suggesting that we also add a description field to Workflow Actions. 


How would this be implemented?
It would be fairly straightforward. Add a description field in the Workflow Action item directly under the Name field. If someone fills in the description field, then when editing a workflow, the collapsed view of the Workflow actions would show the description. (Currently it only shows the Workflow Action's name when collapsed).


Why should we implement this?
Giving a way to add descriptions / comments at a more granular level has at least two benefits:

  1. It speeds up workflow development because it reduces the amount of time needed to understand various actions in a workflow. It also reduces or eliminates the need to document a workflow externally.
  2. It reduces possible errors that can happen as a result of not understanding fully why various actions were created. Reducing errors end users encounter or the time needed to test a workflow to prevent those scenarios.

In my opinion, this has a direct ministry impact. Especially over time.

Photo of Tim PetersonSubmitted by Tim Peterson, The Father's House  ·   ·  Workflow
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