Project workflows replace project lifecycles and enable control of projects that is more varied and precise. Once you activate project workflows:
•a default workflow with a single status is created
•a set of default project types is created for every level in the project hierarchy and each one is assigned to the default workflow and has a project edit layout
•auto generate settings are copied across
•a workflow and project type will be created for every existing project lifecycle, with workflow statuses and status movements for each lifecycle stage and conditions on the project types based on the lifecycle conditions
•projects with no project lifecycle will be assigned to the appropriate default project type based on hierarchy level
•projects with a project lifecycle will be assigned to the appropriate workflow and project type based on their current project lifecycle and will have a current workflow status based on the current lifecycle stage.
The result is that you can continue to process these projects in line with your current configuration. However, once workflows have been activated and data has been converted, it is not possible to revert to using project lifecycles.
The new system will give much greater control of varied projects but, even if you do not use all the features available, processing will be different (selection of a project type for each new project, reduced steps when using the Project Creation Wizard).
Since the project cannot be reversed, before activating workflows:
•make certain that you want to use the revised process.
•ensure all users are trained on the new workflows and project types; we can create a ‘sandbox’ during the training period to protect live data
•redevelop any existing custom measures that are based on lifecycles so they work with the new workflows.