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A workflow is the set of statuses a work item moves through and the transitions between them. You design workflows once for the instance. Projects and project templates then pick the workflows they use, see Workflows in a project. Who can do this?

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How a workflow is built

The example shows a small workflow. Each box is a status, each arrow a transition, and the label on an arrow is the transition name that members see as a button.
  • Statuses carry a name, a colour and a category.
  • Transitions connect two statuses. Only the transitions you draw are offered on a work item.
  • New work items start in the status you created first in the workflow.

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Status categories

Every status belongs to one . The category tells Collabase how to treat work items in that status, whatever the status is called. The board hides work items in Done and Closed after a number of days. Use Closed where other tools would use a resolution such as “Won’t do”.

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Create a workflow

1

Open Workflows

Open System Settings → Content & Organization → Workflows and click New Workflow.
2

Name it

Enter a Name, for example “Software Development”, and a Description that says when to use it. Click Create Workflow.
3

Open the editor

The new workflow has no statuses yet. Click Open Editor.

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Add statuses

1

Add a status

In the editor, click Add Status. A status called New Status appears on the canvas in the category To Do.
2

Set name, colour and category

Click the status to open Status Details. Set the Name, pick a Color and choose the Category. These changes are saved when you click Save in the panel. You can also double-click a status to rename it on the canvas.
3

Arrange the canvas

Drag statuses to where they make the flow readable. Click Save at the top right to keep the layout.
Create the starting status first. New work items always start in the status that was created first.

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Add transitions

1

Connect two statuses

Drag from the handle of one status to another. The transition is saved at once.
2

Name the transition

Click the transition to open Transition Details and enter a Name, for example “Start Review”. It is shown as the button label when a member changes the status of a work item.
3

Add rules (optional)

Add conditions, validators, functions or transition fields as described below, then click Save.

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Rules on a transition

Each transition can carry three kinds of rules. Click Add condition, Add validator or Add function, choose the Type and click Apply.
A condition decides whether the transition is offered at all.

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Transition fields

Transition fields ask the member for values before the work item moves, for example a root cause when a bug is closed.
1

Add a field

In Transition Details, under Transition Fields, click Add Field and pick a standard or custom field.
2

Make it required (optional)

Switch on Required for fields that must be filled.
When a member uses the transition, a dialog opens with these fields. Confirm Transition stays disabled until every required field has a value.

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Delete statuses, transitions and workflows

Use the Delete buttons. Pressing Delete or Backspace on the canvas removes a status or transition from the screen only, and it reappears when you reload the editor.
Workflows marked with a lock are system workflows used by the templates that come with Collabase. You can edit them but not delete them.

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Best practices

  • Keep statuses few. Every status is a column on the board. Use a field for detail that does not change who works on the item.
  • Name transitions as actions. “Send for review” tells the member what happens; “In Review” does not.
  • Prefer validators over conditions for required data. A hidden transition confuses members; a blocked one tells them what is missing.

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Troubleshooting

Workflows in a project

Assign workflows and map them to work item types.

Project templates

Bundle workflows for new projects.
Last modified on October 13, 2026