Workflow Builder

Purpose

Use the Workflow Builder to design approval workflows visually. Build manual workflows with Pin file, or automated workflows with Upload attached to a department or folder. Connect User Approval steps, optionally add Email notifications, and either click Request approval for a one-time run or Save draft and Publish a reusable template.

Prerequisites

• You are signed in to EisenVault One.
• Workflow features are enabled in your environment (see Environment availability below).
• Your account has the create_edit_approvals permission to design, save, and publish workflow templates or start manual approval runs.

Environment availability

In non-production environments (staging and development):

• Workflow appears in the left navigation.
• Start workflow is available on document option menus.

In production builds, those entry points are hidden. Manual workflows can still be started only where your deployment exposes workflow routes.

Before You Begin

Open the Workflow Builder from either:

• Workflow → Templates tab → + New workflow.
• Start workflow on a document — opens the builder with the file already on Pin file.

Use Back to workflows at the top of the builder to return to the Templates tab.

Canvas layout

Area	Contents
Left panel (Components)	Draggable components: Upload, Pin file, User Approval, Email
Center canvas	Grid workspace where you place and connect components
Right panel (Configuration)	Settings for the selected component and optional request fields

Right panel field labels

Labels in the configuration panel match the UI exactly:

Context	Field label	Purpose
Manual run (Pin file)	Note for approvers	Optional message shown to approvers
Saved template (Upload)	Default note for approvers	Default message for runs started by this template
Template metadata	Workflow Name	Display name for the template
Template metadata	Template Key	Unique identifier for the template
Upload trigger	Node Location	Department or folder monitored for new uploads
Any run	Due date	Expected completion date and time
Any run	Priority	Not set, High, Moderate, or Low

Tip shown on the canvas: connect nodes by dragging from the right handle of one node to the left handle of the next.

Manual workflow on the canvas

Use Pin file to start a one-time approval on a specific document.

Attach a file

When starting from a document: the file is already on the Pin file component.

When starting from + New workflow:

1. Drag Pin file from the left panel onto the canvas.
2. Select the Pin file component.
3. In the right configuration panel, search for and select the file to attach.

Add User Approval

1. Drag User Approval from the left panel onto the canvas.
2. Draw a connection line from the right handle of Pin file to the left handle of User Approval.

Select approvers

1. With User Approval selected, open the approver configuration in the right panel.
2. Click Click here to add or change.
3. In the Select approvers dialog, search by name or email.
4. Click the + button next to each user to add them.

5. Click Done when all approvers are selected.

   

Choose approval type

In the User Approval configuration panel, select one:

Type	Behavior
Sequential	One after another — the next approver receives a task only after the previous step completes.
Parallel	All at the same time — all selected approvers receive tasks simultaneously.

Optional request fields

Before submitting, you can set Note for approvers, Due date, and Priority. These fields are optional for manual workflows.

Start the workflow

1. Review the canvas connections and approver list.
2. Click Request approval at the bottom of the right panel.

The workflow starts immediately. Assigned approvers receive tasks on the dashboard Workflow Activity card.

Automated workflow on the canvas

Use this process to create a template that runs automatically when a file is uploaded to a specific department or folder. The Upload component is the trigger — it defines which location EisenVault One monitors for new files.

Open the Workflow Builder

1. On the Templates tab, click + New workflow.
2. EisenVault One opens the Workflow Builder.

Add and configure the Upload component

1. Drag Upload from the left component panel onto the canvas.
2. Select the Upload component on the canvas.
3. In the right configuration panel, set:

Field	Description
Workflow Name	Display name for the template (for example HR Document Approval)
Template Key	Unique identifier for the template (for example hr_doc_approval)
Description	Optional note describing the workflow purpose

1. Under Node Location, search for and select the department or folder to monitor.

   The selected location appears on the Upload component on the canvas. When a file is uploaded to that department or folder, the workflow starts automatically.

   

Add User Approval

1. Drag User Approval from the left panel onto the canvas.
2. Draw a connection line from the right handle of Upload to the left handle of User Approval.

Select approvers

1. With User Approval selected, open the approver configuration in the right panel.
2. Click Click here to add or change.
3. In the Select approvers dialog, search by name or email and add users.
4. Click Done when all approvers are selected.

Choose approval type

Select one approval type in the User Approval configuration panel:

Type	Behavior
Sequential	One after another — the next approver receives a task only after the previous step completes.
Parallel	All at the same time — all selected approvers receive tasks simultaneously.

Optional template defaults

Before saving, you can set Default note for approvers, Due date, and Priority in the right configuration panel.

Save and publish the template

1. Review the canvas connections, Node Location, approvers, and optional defaults.
2. Click Save draft to save the template without publishing.
3. Click Publish when the template is ready for production use.

You can also publish a saved draft from the Templates tab row menu without returning to the builder. See Workflow Templates.

After publishing, the template appears on the Templates tab with Published status. Any file uploaded to the configured location starts the workflow automatically.

Add Email Notifications

The Email component sends EisenVault One notifications when upstream approval steps complete. Use it after User Approval when approvers or other users should receive an email in addition to dashboard tasks.

1. Drag Email from the Components panel onto the canvas.
2. Connect User Approval to Email — drag from the right handle of User Approval to the left handle of Email.
3. Select the Email node.
4. In the right panel, review Email recipients. Approvers from the connected User Approval step are included automatically.
5. Click Click here to add or change to add other directory users who should be notified. Users synced from User Approval must be removed from the approval step first.
6. Save or publish the template as usual.

Email notifications are optional. Workflows without an Email node still assign approval tasks through the dashboard and notifications bell.

Example Walkthrough

Manual workflow

1. Open the Workflow Builder with a file attached to Pin file.

   

2. Drag User Approval onto the canvas and connect it to Pin file.

3. Add approvers and choose Sequential or Parallel.
4. Click Request approval to start the workflow.

Automated workflow

1. Click + New workflow and drag Upload onto the canvas.
2. Set Workflow Name, Template Key, and select a location under Node Location.
3. Connect User Approval, add approvers, and set optional defaults.
4. Optionally connect Email for completion notifications.
5. Click Save draft, then Publish.

Expected Result

Manual workflow

• Components are connected on the canvas in the correct execution order.
• Selected approvers appear in the User Approval configuration panel.
• After Request approval, a new run appears on the Runs tab.
• Approvers see the task on their dashboard workflow card.

Automated workflow

• The published template appears on the Templates tab with the correct scope (Department, Folder, or Global).
• Uploading a file to the configured location starts the workflow automatically.
• Approvers receive tasks according to the template without a manual start action.

Related Topics

• Workflow Templates
• Workflow Runs
• Pending Approvals
• Workflows Overview