Introduction
When actively working on a particular project in XTM Cloud, sometimes you might want to make various adjustments to its current workflow, such as adding a new workflow step, deleting an existing one, replacing a particular workflow step with a new one, or simply renaming a workflow step.
Naturally, as long as you perform the aforementioned actions on the workflow within the framework of a particular project, any change you make is applicable to that project only.
Bearing that in mind, you might be thinking what will happen if you decide to delete a particular workflow step on the global level, in the global settings of XTM Cloud. How does such action affect other pending projects that have workflows in which that step is being actively used? This article describes that issue in detail.
Use case
Imagine you create a new workflow definition called CUSTOM workflow definition, which consists of the following workflow steps: TRANSLATION, CORRECTION, REVIEW.
A project with the aforementioned workflow definition is created, relevant linguists are assigned to all of the steps, and the project is started:
Linguist translates the TRANSLATION step, and the workflow is moved to the CORRECTION step. The Corrector has started working on his workflow step by proofreading a couple of sentences, so that Statistics is generated for him and that step.
Finally, for some reason, you decide to delete the CORRECTION step in the global settings, in the XTM Cloud UI (Configuration → Settings → Workflow → Workflow steps).
At this point, you are faced with a pop-up confirmation window which already tells you major consequences for deleting that workflow step.
What effect does the deletion of the workflow step in UI have?
There are a couple of implications that arise from the action of deleting a particular workflow step on the global level:
Workflow definition
First of all, a workflow definition that the deleted step was part of automatically becomes deactivated, in Configuration → Settings → Workflow → Workflow definitions, meaning that you will not be able to use it in your future projects unless you reactivate it. |
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Additionally, if you hover over the red exclamation mark icon, you will get a relevant justification.
If you click on this workflow definition, to view its constituent steps, the workflow step in question in no longer there, replaced by any other existing workflow step.
You can always reactive that workflow definition by saving the changes in the workflow definition editor, in which case you are faced with yet another pop-up confirmation window tells you about consequences.
Once you save the changes, you will be able to reactivate the said workflow definition, now with a changed step.
Project templates
The workflow definition with the deleted step that has been applied to XTM project templates is erased from its Workflow section [Projects → Templates → (select a relevant project template) → Projects details → Workflow → Main workflow].
In the Workflow settings of that project template, all of the workflow steps which are part of that workflow definition remain. However, this is just a remainder from that workflow definition.
However, if you now create a new project and try to use that particular project template, the workflow definition will no longer be contained within the project creation form.
Active projects
Deleting a workflow step does not have any impact on active projects which make use of that step in their workflow definitions. The deleted step is still active and operational in those projects:
The assigned linguist stays assigned to the step is able to enter XTM Workbench and continue his work.
If you open up XTM Workflow editor, you will notice that the deleted step is greyed out, meaning that it is no longer available, and if you select any other workflow step in place of the former step, you will not be able to select that deleted step again. The linguist will also be unassigned.
As far as Metrics and Statistics for the linguist concerned for this particular workflow step are concerned, they are not affected at all.
Reports
The deleted workflow step will also take part in various UI-generated reports in which Metrics/Statistics for this step are present.
Subcontracting
Like internal (in-house) linguists, any subcontractors (LSPs) assigned to the contractor’s step are also able to enter XTM Workbench and continue their work.
Good to know!
Taking all the information from the previous sections into account, if you would like to change an existing workflow step in an active project, by deleting the current step and replacing it with a new one, the best scenario you can apply, which ensures you that there will be no detrimental effects to any of your active projects, is as follows:
Resolve to keep the current step in case existing projects may have their workflow modified at some point.
Create a new workflow step, according to your needs, which can then be used for future projects and workflow definitions.