[Accordion] Overview
Workflows evolve as compliance rules, organizational processes, or payer requirements change. Workflow versioning allows you to create updated versions of an existing workflow without disrupting tasks that were already generated under earlier versions.
Each version keeps its own rules, effective dates, and task logic. This ensures accurate compliance tracking and prevents unintended changes to work that is already in progress, while preserving historical accuracy.
Workflow versioning helps behavioral health clinics stay aligned with changing documentation timelines, accreditation standards, and operational practices, while maintaining a clear and reliable audit trail.
[Accordion] Getting Started
Before managing workflow versions, it’s important to know:
- Every workflow begins as Version 1 (V1)
- All workflows are created in Inactive mode
- Once a workflow version is activated, it starts generating tasks based on the effective date rules and filters
- Previously activated workflow versions become locked and cannot be edited
[Accordion] Creating the First Version of a Workflow (V1)
Automation begins with the creation of your workflow’s first version.
This initial version establishes the workflow's foundation. It defines the workflow’s purpose, identifies the relevant forms, outlines each task, and sets the rules for how the workflow behaves once triggered.
After configuration, version 1 can be reviewed and activated as needed. As compliance standards shift or operational needs grow, this foundational version serves as the starting point for creating future versions, allowing workflows to evolve without losing their original structure or intent.
- Go to Utilities > Workflow Builder
- Click New to create a workflow
- Name your workflow
- Optionally enter a Version Description (if left blank, the system uses the workflow name plus a version label, such as "V1")
- Select the form that triggers the workflow
- Choose the task that needs to happen when the workflow is triggered
- Configure whether duplicate tasks should be created if the workflow is triggered multiple times
- Define the "Rule effective dates" for task activation
- Repeat to add all the tasks required for this workflow
- Click Save
[Tip] After activation, the Activate Workflow button switches to Deactivate Workflow, providing a clear visual indicator of the workflow’s current status.
[Accordion] Activating a Workflow Version
Once your workflow is fully configured and all tasks are defined, the next step is to activate it.
Activation brings the workflow to life, enabling it to automatically generate tasks based on the forms and rules you’ve set. Workflows can be deactivated or reactivated at any time. Deactivating a workflow will deactivate the associated tasks. Reactivating the workflow will reinstate the associated tasks.
- Go to Utilities > Workflow Builder
- Double-click the workflow you want to activate
- Click Activate Workflow
- Confirm by selecting Yes
- Click OK to finalize
The workflow is now active and will start generating tasks based on its effective date rules.
[Accordion] Viewing or Modifying a Previously Used Workflow
Once a workflow has been used, its original version is locked to protect existing tasks. You can review task details in view-only mode or clone the workflow to make updates without impacting previously created tasks.
To view a previously used version:
- Go to Utilities > Workflow Builder
- Open the workflow you want to review
- If the version has been triggered, you will see: “Workflow has already been used X time(s) and cannot be modified. To modify this version, all tasks must be deleted. Alternatively, use the Clone button to create a new version.”
View-Only Mode includes:
- Step 1 displays version information and usage count
- Step 2 shows the list of tasks in read-only mode
- Clicking View next to any task allows you to see its configuration
Editable fields in a locked version:
- Task Title
- Task Instructions
All other fields remain read-only to preserve historical accuracy.
[Accordion] Creating a New Version Using Clone
Versioning is typically done through the Clone feature when requirements change. Cloning allows you to:
- Preserve the structure of the previous version
- Update rules to meet new compliance requirements
- Set new rule effective dates
- Activate the new version moving forward
Typical use cases:
- Updated insurance deadlines
- New documentation guidelines
- Revised due dates
- Form updates or new clinical pathways
Steps after Cloning:
- Update version description to reflect what changed
- Adjust tasks or due dates as needed
- Activate the new version when ready to begin automation
Situation:
A workflow rule states that an admission note is due within 30 days of admission. This was accurate at the time, but regulations recently changed.
Goal:
Leave existing tasks unchanged while applying the new rule to recent and future admissions.
Resolution:
After cloning and activating the updated workflow:
All newly generated tasks will follow the updated rule
Tasks already created under the previous version will remain unchanged and available for completion
Situation:
A workflow rule incorrectly states that an admission note is due within 30 days, but the correct requirement is 45 days. There are already 100 tasks generated under the incorrect rule.
Goal:
Update the due dates for existing tasks to reflect the corrected rule.
Resolution:
Clone and activate the corrected workflow version
Navigate to View Assigned Workflows
Use the Assigned Workflows filter to select the previous version
Select the workflows you want to update
Reassign them to the current version
This will recalculate task due dates based on the updated rules.
[Accordion] Rule Effective Dates: How They Work
Rule Effective Dates determine when a workflow version becomes active and begins generating tasks. They provide flexibility during transitions between older and newer versions, ensuring that existing tasks continue under their original rules while newly created tasks follow the updated procedures starting on the specified date.
Common strategies:
- Immediate activation: Apply new rules right away
- Future-dated activation: Prepare ahead for policy changes
- Overlapping versions: Keep the old version active for existing patients, while new patients follow updated rules
Effective dates ensure that:
- Existing patient tasks are not disrupted
- New logic applies only to workflows created after the selected date
- Compliance reporting remains accurate
[Accordion] Best Practices
- Always clone instead of modifying a used version
- Use clear version descriptions, such as “Treatment Plan Update 2025 Requirements”
- Review effective date rules before activation to avoid premature task creation
- Deactivate obsolete versions only after confirming no pending tasks rely on them
- Maintain a consistent naming convention for versions to improve audit clarity
[Accordion] FAQs
[Q]Can I modify an older workflow version?
[A]Only task titles and instructions are editable. All other fields are locked once tasks have been generated.
[Q]Will cloning overwrite the old version?
[A]No. Cloning creates a new version, and the previous version stays intact for historical accuracy.
[Q]What happens to tasks generated under an old version when a new version is activated?
[A]Tasks generated under an older version remain unchanged when a new version is activated. They continue to follow the logic and rules of the version under which they were created. These tasks are only affected if they are reassigned to a newer version or if the older version is deactivated. Deactivating a workflow will also deactivate the associated tasks.
[Q]I made a rule that says a treatment plan is due every 90 days of admission, but regulations changed for one of our payors. What should I do?
[A] Choose Clone a New Independent Workflow. This allows you to create a completely separate workflow that is no longer linked to the original. It functions as a new workflow with its own name, settings, and independent version history.
[Q]Do I need to deactivate a version before activating a new one?
[A]No. Multiple versions can exist, but only the currently activated version generates tasks. The previous version will remain in an active status to allow the associated tasks to be completed, but the workflow will no longer create new tasks.
[Q] What are Rule Effective Dates?
[A] Rule Effective Dates specify the exact date when a workflow version becomes active and starts generating tasks (and when it stops).
[Q] What happens if multiple workflow versions have overlapping dates?
[A] When a workflow is cloned, the new version becomes the current active workflow and will generate all new tasks, even if date ranges overlap. The previous version remains active only for existing tasks that were already generated. It will not create any new tasks going forward.
[Q] How do effective dates support compliance?
[A] They ensure tasks follow the correct rules during regulatory or payer updates by clearly separating old and new requirements.