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Summary | A process management plugin for Discourse that moves work through configurable steps with actions, list filters, charts, swim-lane views, and Kanban boards. |
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Repository Link | https://github.com/merefield/discourse-workflow |
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Install Guide | How to install plugins in Discourse |
Enjoying this plugin? Please 
it on GitHub! 
Summary
Workflow Process Manager provides a secure process-management framework for Discourse. Each workflow is made of configurable steps and options, and topics move through those steps until completion.
It supports branching and looping, list and Kanban discovery views, audit trails, charts, and automation-friendly behaviour while staying close to core Discourse permissions and UI patterns.
That keeps setup and configuration simple, and ensures only the right people can act on a work item at any one time.
Using topics as work items gives each workflow a flexible, native Discourse foundation: each item can have a title, detailed description, attachments, discussion, notifications, tags and a full history out of the box.
Features
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Process-management workflows using Discourse topics as work items
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Admin-defined workflows, steps, and step options
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Visual workflow editor for arranging steps, swim lanes, and transition connectors
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Built on core Discourse concepts: categories, groups, tags, notifications, and category-based permissions
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Action permissions stay close to Discourse behavior: users can only act where they already have the right category
permissions -
Workflow discovery at
/workflowwith quick filters:- My categories
- Overdue
- Step = X
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Discovery view selector:
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List
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Kanban, shown only for a single Kanban-compatible workflow context
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Chart, shown only for a single-workflow context and chart-permitted users
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Kanban workflow board:
- Clickable topic cards
- Legal drag-and-drop transitions
- Keyboard transitions with
ArrowLeft/ArrowRightwhere legal
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Workflow topic banner:
- Current workflow and step
- Available transition actions
- Visualization link
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Overdue model with hierarchy:
- Global setting:
workflow_overdue_days_default - Workflow override
- Overdue indicators in workflow list and Kanban cards
- Global setting:
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Workflow burn-down charting:
- Chart endpoint and UI integration
- Week-range selector from 1 to 12 weeks
- Full-week windows and step-colored series
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Transition audit trail via small action posts
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Arrival notifications for watched categories using Watch First Post
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Workflow visualization available from topic and discovery views
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Data Explorer integration with default workflow queries:
- burn-down/burn-up stats
- audit log
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Optional AI-assisted step handling
Introductory Concepts
Swim Lanes
Each workflow lane is a Category (or preferably a Subcategory, see below). As a topic progresses, it moves between categories according to configured transitions.
Workflow Instances
- A single workflow item (for example, a ticket) is a Topic.
- Tags can be added for metadata such as priority.
- Category movement is controlled by workflow actions (unless staff override).
Actors
Users who can create topics in a step category can act on workflow items in that step. Users with reply access can still comment as normal.
Actions via Options
Step Options define the available actions at each step. Each option is shown as a topic action button and can move the topic to a target step.
Dashboard
Use /workflow nav filter to see workflow topics you can access, then filter or switch to Kanban for board-style flow management.
Audit Trail
Transitions are logged as small action posts on the topic. Bundled Data Explorer queries support auditing and operational reporting.
Visualisation
Workflow visualization is available from:
- topic banner links
- workflow fields in discovery list
Major Differences from Stock Discourse
- You cannot create a new topic directly in workflow categories beyond step 1.
- You cannot manually change category for a workflow topic unless you are staff.
- Only users with category create rights can execute workflow transitions.
Getting Started
- Enable the plugin with workflow_enabled.
- Go to Admin → Plugins → Discourse Workflow.
- Create a Workflow, save it, then add Steps and Step Options.
- Configure category permissions so workflow actors have Create in the relevant step categories.
- Create a topic in the first step category.
- Transition it using topic action buttons or Kanban interactions.
- Use /workflow for operational queue management.
AI Actions
AI can action a step when configured.
Requirements:
- valid workflow_openai_api_key
- AI enabled on the step
- prompt includes both {{options}} and {{topic}}
Example prompt:
your options are {{options}}. if the following text states it is delicious, please accept, otherwise reject. {{topic}} answer with one word from those options
Known Issues
This plugin is still evolving. Please report issues and enhancement ideas on the repository or this Meta topic.
- it’s a deprecation warning.