How to configure Jobs to automatically create child Records based on a predefined Due Date
Processes such as risk assessment, control evaluation, or vendor assessment that require periodic reassessments can be improved by automating the creation child Records that are linked to parent Records at a specific frequency.
A key component of this automation is to have a Due Date set at the parent level of the parent / child Workflow relationship. For example, in an Enterprise Risk Management Application, Assessments are typically the child Records and are linked with Risks, the parent Record. In this case the Due Date would be set at the level of the Risk, and an approaching Due Date would drive the automatic creation of an Assessment Record. Read how to configure Jobs to enable this below!
Configure Jobs to Automatically Create Records
Configuration Overview
The first step in configuring Jobs to automatically create Records is to add a Due Date Field to the Parent Workflow. In the case of an Enterprise Risk Management Application, the Due Date Field would be set up in the Step where all the Risks are stored (the "Risk Repository" Step, for example). While this article does not go into how to set up a Due Date Field, you can refer to Due Date Fields for guidance.
The next Step involves creating a Due Date Job that triggers the automatic creation of the child Record. As indicated by the image below, this part of the Configuration can be done two ways:
Configuration Option 1
In this, the Due Date Job is configured to execute only once when the Due Date for the parent Record approaches. To ensure child Records are created periodically in time for subsequent assessments/evaluations, a second Due Date Job is created that updates the Due Date Field of the parent Record. Thus, when the updated Due Date approaches, the first Job is triggered and a child Record is created.
Configuration Option 2
This option involves configuring the Due Date Job so that the initial execution is driven by the approaching due date (similar to Configuration Option 1). The Due Date Job is configured to execute at a set frequency after its initial execution to drive the creation of subsequent child Records. The frequency is set to match the required cadence of assessments. Under this configuration, the Due Date of the parent Record is not updated.
Step-by-step guide to Configuration Option 1
Set up a Job that automatically creates a child Record
1. Navigate to Build > Jobs and click + New Job. In the modal window that pops up, select Record Due from the Select Trigger Type options.
2. Specify the Workflow and Source Step. In the Enterprise Risk Management example used above, the Workflow will be "Risks" and the Source Step "Risk Repository."
3. Set "Schedule Execution" to One Time.
4. Set an appropriate Execution Period. The Execution Period determines the amount of time in advance of the Due Date the Job is executed. You can set this to around "3 Weeks" or "4 Weeks" depending on how much time you think will be necessary to complete the child Record ahead of the Due Date.
5. Click Save Trigger to move to the Edit Job component.
6. Click Add an Operation from the available options. Select Create and Link To Trigger from the new options. This allows for the creation of child Records ("Create") and map them to the parent Record triggering the creation ("Link to Trigger").
7. Specify the Workflow and the Step you would like the child Record to be created in using the "Workflow" and "Record Step" drop-downs. In the Enterprise Risk Management example, this would be the "Assessments" Workflow and "Assign Assessment" Step respectively.
8. Optionally, you can assign the newly created Record to a user under "Assign Record To." If Static User is selected, a single Risk Cloud user is assigned the Record whenever it is created by the execution of the Job. Instead, if User Field is selected, the record will be assigned to the individual identified in the User Field for the applicable Record. For example, in an Enterprise Risk Management Application, you might have a User Field that assigns every Risk a Risk Owner. Selecting this User Field from the drop-down will automatically assign the Assessment to the user listed as the Risk Owner.
9. You can also choose to set a Due Date for the newly created Record under "Due Date." The Due Date is set relative to the date and time the Job was triggered (i.e., a specified number of hours / days / weeks / months / years after the Job was executed and the Record was created). In the example above, since the Job is being triggered 3 weeks before the Assessment is due, the Due Date should be set to 3 weeks.
10. Click Save Operation when all the inputs have been entered.
Add Operation to update the Due Date of the parent Record
11. On the Edit Job page in the Create New Job modal, click Add an Operation.
12. In the Select Operation page, choose Update Field in the "Record Operations" section.
13. Search for and select the Due Date Field using the search bar.
14. Select Set date relative to current value, and set to a value that matches the cadence of reassessments required for the Records. For example, If your Records need to be reassessed annually, set this to "1 Year."
15. Click Save Operation. Finally, add a Job Name and click Publish Job to finish configuration.
This completes the process of both enabling the automatic creation of Child Records, and the automatic update of the Due Date of the parent Record to ensure that the automatic creation of Records can take place regularly.
Step-by-step guide to Configuration Option 2
1. Navigate to Build > Jobs and click + New Job. In the modal window that pops up, select Record Due from the Select Trigger Type options.
2. Specify the Workflow and Source Step. In the Enterprise Risk Management example used above, the Workflow will be "Risks" and the Source Step "Risk Repository."
3. Set "Schedule Execution" to Repeated.
4. Set an appropriate Execution Period. The Execution Period determines the amount of time in advance of the Due Date the Job needs to be executed. You can set this to "3 Weeks" or "4 Weeks" depending on how much time you think will be necessary to complete the child Record ahead of the Due Date.
5. Set an appropriate value for the Frequency. The Frequency determines how often the Job will execute after it is initially triggered. Set this to a value that matches the cadence of reassessments required for the Records. For example, if your Records need to be reassessed annually, set this to "1 Year."
6. Follow steps 6 -10 above to Add the Operation of creating a child record.
This ensures a Job that automatically creates a child Record is initially executed based on the an approaching Due Date and is regularly executed thereafter based on the frequency specified.