Process specific variations

Process specific variations apply to only one process. Process-specific variations:

Any user that is set as the Global Process Owner A user who has an overall responsibility for ensuring the variation of a business process is operating efficiently and is continuously improving. can add new variations within a process specific variation set.

Example: 
Process Variations
Request leave

Leave type:

  • Annual leave
  • Sick leave
  • Maternity leave
On-board new employee

Employment type:

  • Permanent
  • Part-time
  • Contract

To enable the creation of process-specific variations navigate to Admin > Configure > Variations.

  • Each variation should have a Variation expert.
  • The Global Process Owner and Global Process Expert (optional) cannot be updated from the variation.
Note: 

A new process-specific variation set can only be created by a Promaster A Nintex Process Manager system administrator who administers a Nintex Promapp site and has rights to view and edit all areas of a Nintex Promapp site. OR a Business Analyst A user who can create and edit all processes if not restricted by permissions, view all reports and edit Roles and Responsibilities..

Any user with process edit rights can add new process specific variations. This includes the Promaster A Nintex Process Manager system administrator who administers a Nintex Promapp site and has rights to view and edit all areas of a Nintex Promapp site., Business Analyst A user who can create and edit all processes if not restricted by permissions, view all reports and edit Roles and Responsibilities., Process Owner A user responsible for ensuring the process is operating effectively, and continuously improving. Not necessarily a subject matter expert, but empowered with organisational authority to approve changes as needed., Process Expert A user who performs day-to-day process management on behalf of the Process Owner. This role requires detailed understanding of the process., Process Group Champion A user responsible for the maintenance and improvement of all processes within their area. and any additional Process Editors A user who can edit a process, including Promasters, Business Analysts, Process Experts, Process Owners and Process Editors assigned at a process group level. who have been added as a process group stakeholder (if the Restrict process creation to only PMs, BAs and PCs configuration setting is set to Off).

  1. Navigate to a process.

    2. Complete one of the following actions:

    • Use the Search box at the top-right of the main navigation bar.
    • On the Home Page:
      • Use the Search box.
      • Click Recently viewed or My favourites.
    • Click Processes > All Processes.
    • Click Processes > Recently viewed.
  2. Click settings and click Create variations.
  3. Under Select type of variation to create, select Create process specific variations.
  4. Enter a Variation title.

    The created variation will replace the process and cannot be deleted.

  5. Enter a Description.
  6. Select a Variation expert.
  7. Click Done.
  8. Click Add variation to create additional variations.
  9. Repeat steps 4 to 5 for each variation.

    10. Note: You must create a minimum of 2 variations.

  10. Click Create to complete creating the variations.

Note: Normal users can only view a process variation after it has been published. Variation experts can view all variations before they are published; however, they can only edit the ones they are assigned to, if they are normal users.

  1. Navigate to the process.

    2. Complete one of the following actions:

    • Use the Search box at the top-right of the main navigation bar.
    • On the Home Page:
      • Use the Search box.
      • Click Recently viewed or My favourites.
    • Click Processes > All Processes.
    • Click Processes > Recently viewed.
  1. Hover over the blue text next to the process title to view the process variations.
  2. Click Edit variations

    The Edit Variations panel is displayed. Only a Promaster A Nintex Process Manager system administrator who administers a Nintex Promapp site and has rights to view and edit all areas of a Nintex Promapp site., Global Process Owner A user who has an overall responsibility for ensuring the variation of a business process is operating efficiently and is continuously improving. or Global Process Expert A user who edits the process and performs day-to-day process management on behalf of the Global Process Owner. This role requires detailed understanding of the process. can edit the following shared process data:

    • Title

    • Global process owner

    • Global process expert (optional)

    • Variation expert

    • Process group (Once saved, all process variations will belong to the selected process group.)

    • Additional groups

    3. Note the following points for editing variation summary information:

    • When a variation is created, it inherits the Summary section values of the process from which it is created.

    • The fields listed in the Edit Variations panel cannot be updated from a variation's Summary section.
    • If fields on the Edit Variations right-hand panel are updated, the changes must be saved and published and all variations will be published with the updated information.

    • The following fields can be edited within the Summary section and changes made to these fields will not be reflected in other variations:

      • Reference no.

      • Objective,

      • Background

      • Search keywords

  3. Click Procedure to view the variation procedure.
  4. Click Edit to add procedure items to the variation.

    5. Note: You can Undo/Redo changes by clicking Undo/Redo at the top right of the Edit page. All changes made within the current editing session can be undone or redone, but once you exit the editing session or save your changes, the ability to undo/redo those changes is lost.

  5. Click Show Comparison to view variations of a process and copy activities from those variations using the comparison view.
    In the comparison view, the selected variation is displayed on the left pane. The variation you're comparing to is displayed on the right- hand side.

    Note: The first variation from the list of created variations is displayed as the variation to compare with. To change the selection, hover over the variation name next to Comparing to and select a different variation.  

    1. To copy an activity between variations and mark it as a shared activity, drag and drop it from the right pane to the left pane.
      indicates a shared activity. The number next to it specifies how many variations that item is linked to. Hover over to view the list of variations to which that activity is linked.
    2. Click Import all process items to copy all activities from the variation on the right-hand side.

    • To close the comparison view, click Hide comparison.

    • You cannot edit the variation you're comparing to, which is displayed on the right-hand side of the comparison view.

    • To make identification easier, when you hover over a shared activity, its placement is highlighted in both variations in the comparison view. The activity will also be highlighted in both variations when you edit a variation on the left-hand side.

    • If a change to a shared activity is applicable only to one variation, unlink the activity so that it is no longer a shared activity.

    • Changes to shared activities will be reflected in the variation on the right-hand side of the comparison view and will be displayed as pending updates once the changes are saved.

    • You cannot edit a variation if a shared activity in the variation has been edited. You must first review and accept or ignore those changes.

    • If you change a note, attachment, or role assignment in a shared activity and choose to ignore that change in a different variation, that change will only apply to the variation that was updated and it will be unlinked from the shared activity.

    • If you reject a change to a task in a shared activity, the activity will no longer be a shared activity. It will be unique to that variation.

    • Documents replaced in a shared activity will not be highlighted in the comparison view and the change will reflect in all variations where the shared activity is linked.

    • New activities will not be shared. Editors must drag and drop the activity to another variation to make it a shared activity.

Edit shared activities

Compare variations

Any user with process edit rights can archive a variation.

  1. Navigate to a process.

    2. Complete one of the following actions:

    • Use the Search box at the top-right of the main navigation bar.
    • On the Home Page:
      • Use the Search box.
      • Click Recently viewed or My favourites.
    • Click Processes > All Processes.
    • Click Processes > Recently viewed.
  2. Click settings and then click Archive this Variation.
    The variation will be archived after checking the dependency on other variations and after following the approval workflow.
    • Once archived, the variation status (near the title) and the change log will display the Archived status.
    • The archived variation will be displayed on the Processes > Archived page.
    • You can also archive variations within a process group on the Admin > Manage groups page. The Approval workflow is bypassed on this page, however variations are checked for process dependencies.
    • If all variations of a process except one are archived, the remaining variation will revert to being a normal process.
  1. Click Processes > Archived or navigate to an archived process.

    2. Complete one of the following actions:

    • Use the Search box at the top-right of the main navigation bar.
    • On the Home Page:
      • Use the Search box.
      • Click Recently viewed or My favourites.
    • Click Processes > All Processes.
    • Click Processes > Recently viewed.
  2. Click settings and then click Restore or click .
    The variation will be restored and a status will be displayed in the Change Log. The previously assigned Process owner and Process expert will be re-assigned to a restored variation.

Create a process specific variation