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Process Flows Guide

Last Updated: January 21, 2026
Document ID: UG-CASE-005
Version: 1.1

Key Terms​

TermDefinition
Process Flow TemplateA reusable workflow blueprint stored in Library. Selected during case creation (e.g., "CARE 1.0.0", "CARE 1.2.1").
Case FlowThe active execution of a Process Flow template on a specific case. Shows where the case currently is in its journey.
EpisodeA major lifecycle container for a case. Cases typically have one episode, but can have multiple via migration (not covered in Workshop 1).
GroupA major phase or chapter in the case lifecycle (e.g., "Consumer Engagement", "CARE 101 Outcome"). Collection of related stages. Group = Status.
StageA specific step within a Group where work happens. Only one stage is active at a time (e.g., "Review Consumer History", "File CARE 101").
TaskAn action item that needs to be completed within a stage. Tasks are assigned, tracked, and record who did what and when.
DeadlineA time-based requirement that can span multiple stages or groups. Cuts across the workflow to prevent time-sensitive requirements from being lost.
Exit StageThe terminal stage that marks a case flow as Completed. All tasks and deadlines are automatically resolved upon entry.

Overview​

Scope:

This guide explains how workflow templates (Process Flows) structure your cases and how you progress through them. You'll learn how stages, groups, and tasks work together to move cases forward, and what happens when a case reaches completion.

What this guide covers:

  • Understanding Process Flow templates and how they're selected
  • How Groups organize stages into meaningful chapters
  • Progressing through stages by completing tasks
  • The "Next Stage" task and advancement rules
  • Reaching the Exit stage and case completion

What this guide does NOT cover:

  • Creating new Process Flow templates (admin/Library function)
  • Migration between episodes or process versions (not emphasized in Workshop 1)
  • Branching logic and conditional routing (advanced topic)
  • Reopening completed stages (ask your system administrator)

For creating cases with Process Flows, see Creating Cases. For working on tasks within stages, see Task Management. For a visual overview of stage progress on the Case Page, see Case Flow Visualization.

How Process Flows Work​

Selecting a Process Flow Template​

When you create a case, you select a Process Flow template from the dropdown menu. This template defines the entire journey the case will follow from start to finish.

For example: Selecting "CARE 1.0.0" means your case will follow the CARE workflow structure with all its predefined Groups, Stages, and Tasks.

Important: Once a case is created, the Process Flow template is locked in. You cannot switch to a different template mid-case.

Understanding the Hierarchy​

Think of your case flow like a book with chapters and sections:

📖 Episode (The Book)
  └── 📑 Group (Chapter) ← This is your "Status"
      └── 📄 Stage (Section) ← Where work happens right now
          └── ☑️ Task (Action items)

Example from CARE Process Flow:

Episode 1: CARE Case
  └── Group: Consumer Engagement (Status)
      ├── Stage: Review Consumer History
      │   ├── Task: Review ELMR records
      │   └── Task: Contact previous providers
      └── Stage: File CARE 101
          ├── Task: CARE-101 Filing Deadline
          └── Task: Upload Court Documents
  └── Group: CARE 101 Outcome (Next Status)
      ├── Stage: Record Court Response to CARE 101
      └── Stage: Court Dismissal - Elective CARE

Key principle: You work through stages one at a time, completing tasks to make progress. Finishing all stages in a Group moves you to the next Group (changes your status).

How To Use Process Flows​

Viewing Your Current Position​

Where to look:

  • Dashboard case cards - Shows "Status: [Group Name]" (your current chapter)
  • Case Page Stage header - Shows current stage name, description, maintainer, and deadlines
  • Case Flow Visualization - Visual diagram at the top of the Case Page showing stages, task progress, and deadlines. See Case Flow Visualization for details.
  • Flow Graph (if available) - Visual map showing:
    • Orange path = stages you've completed
    • Green highlight = current stage
    • Dotted halo = upcoming stage

What you'll see in the Stage header:

  • Stage name and phase tag (e.g., "Assessment")
  • Status pill - Active, Completed, On Hold
  • Maintainer card - Who's responsible for this stage
  • Deadline chips - Up to three key deadlines with color coding (green/amber/red)
  • Upcoming stage preview - Small banner showing "Next: [Stage Name]"

Completing Tasks to Progress​

Progress happens by completing tasks within your current stage.

How it works:

  1. Open tasks appear in the Task Detail Panel (right side of Case Page)
  2. Complete each task according to its type (Checklist, Document Upload, Date Entry, Outcome, or Next Stage)
  3. Task completion is recorded with timestamp and your name
  4. Stage progress bar updates as tasks are completed

See Task Management for detailed task completion workflows.

Advancing to the Next Stage​

The final task in most stages is a "Next Stage" task. This special task controls transition to the next stage and has two key steps:

Step 1: Assign Handoff​

What it means: Choose who will be the maintainer (responsible person) for the upcoming stage.

How to do it:

  1. Open the "Next Stage" task (e.g., "Assign Clinical Therapist (CT)")
  2. Select a user from the dropdown
  3. That person becomes the maintainer when the stage advances

Example: If the next stage is "Clinical Assessment", you'd assign the clinical therapist who will lead that work.

Step 2: Confirm & Advance​

What it means: Verify all required tasks in the current stage are complete before moving forward.

What you'll see in the Task Panel:

  • Stage Progress Bar - Shows: Handoff (✔️) → Confirm & Advance (highlighted)
  • Important Warning - "Once this task is completed, you cannot return to this stage"
  • Handoff Confirmation - "Handoff User: [Name]"
  • Task Completion Status - List of outstanding tasks that block progression

Example of blocking tasks:

  • ❌ CARE-101 Filing Deadline
  • ❌ Initial Hearing Date
  • ❌ Upload Court Documents 100, 105, and 106
  • ❌ Scan & Upload CARE-100/105/106 to ELMR

What happens:

  • If any required tasks are incomplete, the "Go to Next Stage" button remains disabled (greyed out)
  • Once all required tasks are complete, the button becomes active
  • Clicking it advances the case to the next stage and notifies the new maintainer

What You Cannot Do​

To maintain data integrity and process compliance, users cannot:

  • ❌ Switch a case to a different Process Flow template after creation
  • ❌ Manually reorder, skip, or remove stages
  • ❌ Change task types or add custom stages
  • ❌ Edit completed history entries
  • ❌ Override branching logic or outcome-based routing (without reopening tasks in the same stage)
  • ❌ Return to previous stages after advancing (standard user action)

Why these restrictions exist: They ensure cases follow established procedures, maintain audit trails, and prevent accidental data loss.

Groups: Major Phases (Your "Status")​

What Groups Represent​

Groups are the chapters of your case. They help everyone quickly understand where a case sits in its overall journey.

Example Groups in CARE Process Flow:

  • Consumer Engagement - Initial contact and assessment phase
  • CARE 101 Outcome - Court response and decision phase
  • Care Agreement - Planning and agreement phase
  • Graduation - Completion and exit phase

On your Dashboard: Case cards display "Status: [Group Name]" to show which chapter the case is in.

On Case Page: The current Group appears in the header and determines which stages are available.

Moving Between Groups​

You move to the next Group by completing all stages within the current Group in sequence.

What happens when you finish a Group:

  1. All stages in that Group are marked complete
  2. Case automatically progresses to first stage of next Group
  3. Status updates on Dashboard and Case Page
  4. New maintainer (from final Next Stage task) takes over
  5. Activity log records the Group transition

Note: You cannot skip Groups or move backwards between Groups (standard workflow).

Deadlines: Time That Cuts Across Cases​

What Deadlines Track​

Deadlines are time-based requirements that can span multiple stages or groups. They stay visible until resolved so nothing falls through the cracks.

Key characteristics:

  • Can start from a specific task or event
  • Can span multiple stages (don't get "lost" when stage changes)
  • Provide early warning when something is at risk
  • Appear as color-coded chips on Stage header (green/amber/red)
  • Show in Dashboard swimlanes (Past Due, Priority, Upcoming)

Example deadlines in CARE:

  • CARE-101 Filing Deadline (30 days from arrest)
  • Initial Hearing Date (court-scheduled)
  • Compliance Check-in (recurring throughout case)

Where you see them:

Where you see them:

  • Stage header: Up to 3 deadline chips with hover tooltips showing due date and rule source
  • Case Page Section 3 header: Deadlines chip showing nearest pending deadline (see Case Page Overview)
  • Dashboard: Cases organized by deadline urgency in swimlanes (Past Due, Priority, Upcoming)
  • Alerts accordion: Missed or upcoming deadlines flagged for quick triage

Completing a Case: The Exit Stage​

What Is the Exit Stage?​

The Exit stage is the terminal stage that marks your case flow as Completed. It's the final destination after all workflow phases are done.

When you reach Exit:

  • Case Flow status changes to Completed
  • All open tasks are automatically closed
  • All active deadlines are marked Resolved
  • No further task work is required

Important: The Exit stage is not the same as individual "exit points" that may appear earlier in the workflow (e.g., early discharge scenarios). Those are stage transitions. The Exit stage is the definitive end-state.

How Cases Reach Exit​

Automatic transition: When you complete the final handoff task in the last stage of the last Group, the case automatically transitions to Exit.

What happens upon entry:

  1. Case Flow status = Completed
  2. All open task records are closed
  3. All active deadlines are resolved
  4. UI updates across all views:
    • Cases Page: Shows "Completed" badge
    • Case Page header: Shows "Exit" stage, status pill = Completed, no task list
    • Flow Graph: Highlights full traversed path in orange
  5. History logs "Exited case flow" event with timestamp and actor
  6. Reporting treats case as complete for analytics

What Completed Cases Look Like​

On Dashboard (Cases Page):

  • Case card displays "Completed" badge
  • Removed from swimlanes (Past Due, Priority, Upcoming)
  • Remains visible in My Caseload table for historical reference

On Case Page:

  • Stage header shows "Exit" as stage name
  • Status pill displays "Completed"
  • No task list appears (all tasks closed)
  • All accordions (Health Record, Documents, Team, Activity) remain accessible for review

In Flow Graph:

  • Entire case path highlighted in orange
  • Exit stage marked as final destination
  • Visual confirmation of complete journey

Can You Reopen Completed Cases?​

Standard behavior: Once a case reaches Exit stage and status = Completed, it cannot be reopened through standard user actions.

Why: Completed cases represent finished work with closed audit trails. Reopening them would complicate reporting, compliance tracking, and data integrity.

If you need to reopen a case: Contact your system administrator to discuss options (may involve migration or administrative override).

Status Controls During Active Stages​

While working through stages (before reaching Exit), you have several controls:

Mark Stage Complete​

When available: After all required tasks in a stage are done

What it does: Manually marks the current stage as complete if automatic advancement doesn't trigger

Use case: Some stages may not have a "Next Stage" task and require manual completion

Put On Hold​

When available: During any active stage

What it does: Pauses work on the case, changes status pill to "On Hold"

Requires: Reason selection via modal (e.g., "Awaiting client response", "Court continuance")

Effect:

  • Case remains in current stage
  • Tasks remain open but flagged as on hold
  • Case may be hidden from active swimlanes (depending on filter settings)
  • Activity log records hold reason and timestamp

Resume​

When available: When case is on hold

What it does: Returns case to "Active" status, work can continue

Effect:

  • Status pill changes back to "Active"
  • Tasks become actionable again
  • Case reappears in appropriate swimlane based on deadlines
  • Activity log records resume event

Tips and Tricks​

Understanding Your Position:

  • Check the Stage header first thing when opening a case—it's your authoritative snapshot
  • Use the Flow Graph to see the big picture of where you've been and where you're going
  • Pay attention to the "Next: [Stage Name]" preview to prepare for upcoming work

Avoiding Advancement Mistakes:

  • Always review the Task Completion Status section before clicking "Go to Next Stage"
  • If the button is disabled, scroll through the blocking tasks list to see what's missing
  • Remember the warning: "You cannot return to this stage" after advancing

Managing Group Transitions:

  • When finishing a Group, brief the next maintainer on what was accomplished
  • Check that all documentation is uploaded before advancing (documents stay with the case)
  • Use Activity accordion to leave notes for the next team member

Deadline Awareness:

  • Hover over deadline chips to see full due dates and rule sources
  • Sort your Dashboard by swimlane to prioritize: Past Due → Priority → Upcoming
  • Set personal reminders for critical deadlines that affect multiple stages

Stage Duration Metrics​

Stage Duration tracks the amount of time a case spends in each stage of the Process Flow. While not prominently emphasized for front-line case managers, it's an important metric for supervisors and administrators.

Who Uses Stage Duration​

Managers and Supervisors:

  • Track how long cases typically spend in each stage
  • Identify bottlenecks where cases commonly get stuck
  • Compare actual duration to expected or target duration
  • Make data-driven decisions about process improvements

Quality Assurance:

  • Monitor compliance with timeline requirements
  • Identify stages requiring additional training or resources
  • Track performance trends over time

Administrators:

  • Analyze process efficiency across different workflows
  • Support business case for process template changes
  • Generate reports on organizational performance

Understanding Stage Duration Indicators​

Gold/Complete Status: When a stage is finished and the case has moved forward, the stage shows a gold or "complete" indicator in the Case History view

Use Case Example: If many cases are spending 15+ days in "Initial Assessment" stage when the target is 7 days, managers can:

  • Investigate why delays occur
  • Allocate additional resources
  • Modify the process template
  • Provide targeted training

Where to Find Stage Duration Data​

Stage Duration metrics appear in:

  • Case History - View duration for each completed stage
  • Process Insights: Metrics - Organization-wide performance data (see Process Insights: Metrics)
  • Reports - Detailed analytics and exports for management review

FAQ​

Q: Can I change the Process Flow template after creating a case?​

A: Yes, but it requires using the Migration feature, which creates a new episode for the case.

What happens during Migration:

  • A new episode is created with the selected Process Flow template
  • The previous episode(s) and all their history are preserved
  • You can view past episodes through the Case History accordion
  • Each stage shows detailed task history for an in-depth view of the case journey

Who can migrate cases:

  • Users with Migration permissions (typically managers or administrators)
  • If you need to migrate a case and don't have access, contact someone with Migration permissions

When to use Migration:

  • Process template needs to change mid-case (e.g., moving from one care model to another)
  • Case needs to skip stages that don't apply
  • Organizational process has been updated and existing cases need to transition

See Case Page Overview - Migration for details about using the Migration feature.

Note: Migration creates a clean audit trail by preserving all previous work in archived episodes rather than modifying the original workflow.

Q: What's the difference between "Status" and "Group"?​

A: They're the same thing! Group = Status. You'll see "Status: Consumer Engagement" on case cards, which means the case is in the "Consumer Engagement" Group (chapter). Both terms refer to the major phase the case is currently in.

Q: Can I skip a stage if it doesn't apply to my case?​

A: Not directly. Process Flow templates define a fixed sequence of stages that must be followed. However, if the case has already progressed and you need to skip a stage:

  • Use the Migration feature to move the case forward to the appropriate stage
  • Contact someone with Migration permissions if you don't have access to this feature yourself

If you're planning ahead before the case reaches that stage, you may need to complete minimal required tasks or contact your administrator about process template customization.

See Case Page Overview - Migration for details about the Migration feature.

Q: What happens if I'm assigned to a stage but go on vacation?​

A: You can reassign individual tasks to other team members, or another user with appropriate permissions can change the stage maintainer (click or right-click the maintainer name). See Team Management for details.

Q: Can I go back to a previous stage if I made a mistake?​

A: Generally no—stages are designed to move forward only to maintain audit trails. However, you may be able to reopen specific tasks within the same stage if they haven't been completed yet. For returning to previous stages, contact your system administrator.

Q: Why do deadlines stay visible when I move to a new stage?​

A: Deadlines often span multiple stages or groups (e.g., "CARE-101 Filing Deadline" applies throughout Consumer Engagement and CARE 101 Outcome). They stay visible until they're either met or resolved to prevent time-sensitive requirements from being forgotten.

Q: What does "Completed" status mean for a case?​

A: "Completed" means the case has reached the Exit stage—the final destination in the Process Flow. All work is done, all tasks are closed, and all deadlines are resolved. The case remains in your My Caseload for historical reference but no longer requires action.