# Process Manager ↔ - formerly "Discourse Workflow" **URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/process-manager-formerly-discourse-workflow/347110 **Category:** Plugin **Created:** [January 14, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/process-manager-formerly-discourse-workflow/347110 "2025-01-14T17:53:36Z") **Posts on this page:** 1 **Showing post:** 1
### Author: ![merefield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/merefield/32/176214_2.png) [@merefield](https://meta.discourse.org/u/merefield) #### Post date: [January 14, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/process-manager-formerly-discourse-workflow/347110/1 "2025-01-14T17:53:36Z")
| | | | | --- | --- | --- | | ℹ | Summary | A process management plugin for Discourse that moves work through configurable steps with actions, list filters, charts, swim-lane views, and Kanban boards. | | 🛠 | [Repository Link](https://github.com/merefield/discourse-process-manager) | [https://github.com/merefield/discourse-process-manager](https://github.com/merefield/discourse-process-manager) | | 📖 | Install Guide | [How to install plugins in Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/t/install-plugins-in-discourse/19157) | Enjoying this plugin? Please ⭐ it on [GitHub](https://github.com/merefield/discourse-workflow)! 🙏 ![A person in a business suit is writing on a piece of paper with a pen at a table, pointing at a graph. (Captioned by AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/3/a/b/3ab7afb0a3d20d4ee2ffc4ba0b42fd1f2422bf7d.jpeg) # Summary Process Manager provides a secure process-management framework for Discourse. Each process is made of configurable steps and options, and topics move through those steps until completion. A process can represent a workflow, approval flow, support queue, review pipeline, or other staged work. 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 process 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 - Process-management workflows using Discourse topics as work items - Admin-defined workflows, steps, and step options - Visual workflow editor for arranging steps, swim lanes, and transition connectors - - Built on core Discourse concepts: categories, groups, tags, notifications, and category-based permissions - Action permissions stay close to Discourse behavior: users can only act where they already have the right category permissions - Process discovery at `/processes` with quick filters: - Discovery view selector: - Kanban workflow board: - Workflow topic banner: - Overdue model with hierarchy: - Workflow burn-down charting: - Transition audit trail via small action posts - Arrival notifications for watched categories using Watch First Post - Workflow visualization available from topic and discovery views - [Data Explorer](https://meta.discourse.org/t/32566?silent=true) integration with default workflow queries: - 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. ## Process Items - A single process 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](https://meta.discourse.org/t/32566?silent=true) 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: 1. Enable the plugin with `process_manager_enabled`. 2. Go to `Admin -> Plugins -> Process Manager`. 3. Create a process, save it, then add steps and step options. 4. Configure category permissions so process actors have topic creation permission in the relevant step categories. 5. Create a topic in the first step category. 6. Transition it using topic action buttons or Kanban interactions. 7. Use `/processes` for operational queue management. # AI Actions: AI can action a step using Process Manager’s direct OpenAI integration. This does not depend on Discourse AI. Requirements: - valid `process_manager_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. --- _[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/process-manager-formerly-discourse-workflow/347110)._