Deletion of a workflow step from the UI and its implications

Owned by Damian Rozmiarkowski
Last updated: Jul 12, 2024
5 min read

Introduction

When actively working on a particular project in XTM Cloud, you might sometimes want to make various adjustments to its current workflow such as adding a new workflow step, deleting an existing one, replacing a 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 only applicable to that project.

Bearing that in mind, you wonder what would happen if you decided to delete a particular workflow step at global level, in the global XTM Cloud configuration. How will such an 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

  1. Imagine you create a new workflow definition called CUSTOM workflow definition, which consists of the following workflow steps: TRANSLATION, CORRECTION, REVIEW.

  1. A project with the aforementioned workflow definition is created, suitable Linguists are assigned to all of the steps and the project is started:

  1. A Linguist performs the TRANSLATION step and the workflow is moved to the CORRECTION step. The Corrector starts working on their workflow step by proofreading a couple of sentences, so Statistics are generated for them and that step.

  1. 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).

  1. At this point, a pop-up confirmation window is displayed. It tells you the major consequences of deleting that workflow step.

What is the effect of deleting the workflow step in the UI?

There are a couple of implications that arise from deleting a particular workflow step at global level:

Workflow definition

First of all, a workflow definition that the deleted step was part of is deactivated automatically, in Configuration → Settings → Workflow → Workflow definitions, meaning that it cannot be used in your future projects unless the workflow definition is reactivated.

First of all, a workflow definition that the deleted step was part of is deactivated automatically, in Configuration → Settings → Workflow → Workflow definitions, meaning that it cannot be used in your future projects unless the workflow definition is reactivated.

If you hover over the red exclamation mark icon, you will see an explanation.

If you click on this workflow definition, to view its constituent steps, the workflow step is no longer there but is replaced by another existing workflow step.

You can always reactivate that workflow definition by saving the changes in the workflow definition editor. However, if you do so, you see yet another pop-up confirmation window, telling you about the consequences.

Once you save the changes, you will be able to reactivate the workflow definition which now contains a changed step.

Project templates

The workflow definition with the deleted step that has been applied to XTM project templates is removed from its Workflow section [Projects → Templates → (select a relevant project template) → Projects details → Workflow → Main workflow].

In the Workflow settings for that project template, all of the workflow steps which are part of that workflow definition remain. However, this is just a left-over remainder from that workflow definition.

If you now create a new project and try to use that particular project template, the workflow definition will no longer be present in 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 remains active and operational.

The assigned Linguist stays assigned to the step, and is able to enter XTM Workbench and continue their work.

If you open up the XTM Workflow editor, you will notice that the deleted step is grayed 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 deassigned.

The Metrics and Statistics for the Linguist assigned to this particular workflow step are not affected at all.

Reports

The deleted workflow step will also be included in various UI-generated reports in which Metrics/Statistics for that 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 approach you can take, which ensures there will be no detrimental effects to any of your active projects, is as follows:

  1. Decide to keep the current step in case existing projects have their workflow modified at some point.

  2. As a rule of thumb, always complete all your existing projects first and then (and only then) delete the redundant workflow step at the global configuration level.

  3. Create a new workflow step, according to your needs, which can then be used for future projects and workflow definitions.