Workflow Step Types

A Workflow is built from steps connected on a canvas. Each step has a job: it routes, assigns, modifies, or holds documents. Documents move from one step to the next as they meet the rules for the step they are on.

Overview

The following table provides a high level description of each step type. We’ll cover each in more detail below.

Every path ends at a finish point. Everlaw automatically adds a finish point at the end of each path when you publish the workflow. 

Add a step

To add a new step, select the plus + button on the canvas’ side panel to open the step menu. Then select a step to add it below the last one, or drag it onto the canvas.

Connect each step to the one before it, starting from the start point (WORKFLOW START); 

steps are only included as part of the published workflow if they connect (directly or indirectly) to the start point, and at least one step must be connected to the start point for the Workflow to be published.

Step configuration

Find each step type’s configuration instructions in its section below.

Route documents

The Route documents step splits documents into paths based on search criteria (the routing condition). Documents that match the criteria (CONDITION) route down one path . Any documents that don't meet the criteria (ELSE), route down the other branch.

To configure a Route documents step:

1. [Optional] Enter a name for the CONDITION path. The ELSE step name updates along with this
   
2. Select Configure.
   
   This opens the search query builder for defining the routing condition.
   

3. Enter your search query. Then select Save.

   Tip

   Select Find more terms to search the available search terms you can leverage to build the routing criteria.

   

A Route document step in its published, active state looks like this:

Assign documents

The Assign documents step creates an assignment group for the documents that reach this step, so reviewers can pick them up.

Adding an Assign documents step automatically opens the Create new assignment group dialog. If you’re not ready to configure the assignment, select Configure later. Or to configure a new Assign documents step:

1. Enter a name for the assignment group into the Assignment group name field.
   
2. The dialog has four configuration steps: Sort and group, Review criteria, Configure, and Self-assign. Select Continue to move to the dialog’s Sort and group step.
3. Under Document sorting, choose how you want the documents sorted when batched out:
   • For a random assignment order, select Sort documents randomly
   • To choose the sort order, select Sort documents based on columns
     
4. [If you selected Sort documents based on columns] You can sort your documents by any columns (fields) that are sortable in a results table:
   1. Open the Add field to sort dropdown menu and select the field to sort by.
      
      This adds your selected field to the sort.
   2. [Optional] Use the arrow buttons to switch between Ascending or Descending.
   3. To make the selected field the only sort, X out the field above it.
      For a multi-field sort, you can reorder the displayed fields to determine which is the primary sort.
      
5. The Document grouping field controls whether related documents stay together when a batch is assigned to a reviewer, either allocated by a Workflow Admin or self-assigned.
   Select one of the following options:
   • None (default): Documents are batched without regard to their relationships, so an email and its attachments, or messages in the same thread, can land in different batches and be reviewed by different people.
   • Keep attachment families together: A parent email and its attachments are kept in the same batch, so one reviewer sees the whole family.
   • Keep email threads together: Emails that belong to the same conversation, such as replies and forwards, are kept in the same batch.
     
6. Select Next to move to the Review criteria step.

7. Use the search query builder to select your review criteria: the conditions that the documents must meet to be considered reviewed and advance to the next step in the workflow.
   

   Note

   In most projects, the default review criteria is Rating (Any Rating), meaning documents that have been rated in any way will be considered reviewed. However, a Project Admin may change the default review criteria in Project Settings.

8. Select Next to move to the Configure step.

9. In the Batch size field, enter the default number of documents you want assigned out to a single user at a time. The default is 100 documents.

   Note

   Batch size sets the size for self assign but when assigning out directly it prefills the allocation step but can be changed in case a Workflow Admin they wants to assign out more or less at a given point in time.

   

10. [Optional] In the Default review window layout for assignment group field, select the review window layout that you want users to use when conducting their review. If no layout is selected, it will default to their individually selected layout.
11. Select Next to move to the Self-assign step.
12. [Optional] Select Allow users or user groups to self-assign documents when unreviewed documents are available.
    

13. When ready, select Submit.
    The Assign documents Workflow step appears on the canvas. You can edit it at any time by selecting the step’s three-dot menu > Configure.
    

    Important

    The assignment group will not be created until the Workflow is published, and documents will not be assignable here until they reach this step in the Workflow.

An Assign documents step in its published, active state looks like this:

The step lists the number of documents in all states of review. To assign unreviewed documents, select the step’s Assign unreviewed documents button.

Modify documents

The Modify documents step batch applies work product (e.g. ratings, codes, notes) or adds documents to  binders, Story, depositions, drafts, for each document as it arrives.

To configure a Modify documents step:

1. [Optional] Enter a name for the step.
   
2. Select Configure.
   
   This opens the batch actions menu. The batch action(s) you select here will be applied to all documents that hit this step in the workflow.
3. Configure your batch action in the panel. Then select Save.
   
   The batch modification is listed in the step.
   

A Modify documents step in its published, active state looks like this:

Tasks gate

The Tasks documents step holds documents until every task on a checklist is checked off, then sends them on.

To configure a Tasks documents step:

1. [Optional] Enter a name for the step.
   
2. To add a task, enter it into the step’s open text box then select Add or hit Enter on your keyboard.
   

Tasks can be reordered, edited, and deleted.

A Tasks documents step in its published, active state looks like this:

Once all tasks are manually checked off as complete, any documents pending at that step will auto advance to the next. Documents advanced through step are captured in the doc count.

Approval gate

The Approval documents step holds documents until a Workflows Admin approves them

To configure an Approval documents step:

1. [Optional] Enter a name for the step.
   
2. [Optional] To add a description, select + Add description.

An Approval documents step in its published, active state, with documents ready for approval, looks like this:

Select Approve pending to approve all documents pending approval.