A workflow specifies a series of predefined steps that a service follows when a user attempts to create or modify an asset, and includes the stakeholders that must be involved in providing inputs for the change process. Each step is a task that a stakeholder of the asset must perform. A workflow ensures that the right people have the opportunity to provide inputs, challenge, and approve matters related to the asset that is created or modified.
The steps in a workflow ensure that assets are created or modified according to the data governance principles of your organization. Only users with the right access can create or modify assets. For more information, see Manage access to assets.
In Metadata Command Center, the administrator defines the workflow that is used to create or modify assets of a particular type. At each step in the workflow, Data Governance and Catalog notifies the stakeholders that they must make a decision about the asset. If the workflow requires the role of approvers at various stages of the lifecycle, the approvers must approve the asset so that the workflow can move to the next stage.
Note: You can still view an asset in the Draft, In Review and Published versions even if you are not the stakeholder of an asset.
When you create or modify an asset, the asset's Lifecycle is modified to one of the following values:
Draft
You can start a workflow by publishing your changes. For a newly created asset, ensure that you have already assigned stakeholders to the asset.
In Review
If the workflow is in progress, the Lifecycle value of the asset changes to In Progress. Now the asset moves through the stakeholders that are defined in the workflow.
If the Lifecycle value of the asset is in the In Progress status, other stakeholders cannot participate in the workflow until the Lifecycle of the asset is in Approved or Rejected status. If several different users attempt to modify an asset, the system creates tickets for each attempt to modify the asset. If an approval ticket is already created and is in open state, you cannot create any ticket on that asset.
Published
If the workflow is complete, the Lifecycle value of the asset changes to Published. This indicates that the asset has moved through all the stakeholders and reached the end of the workflow.
Example
Your organization requires that any new finance policy document must go through the following workflow:
1Only the Payroll Manager can create a policy document. When the Payroll Manager creates a Policy asset, the asset moves to the Finance Director for approval. The Lifecycle of the asset is Draft.
2The Finance Director must go through the document and choose to approve or reject it.
aIf the Finance Director approves the document, the document is published as a new Policy asset in Data Governance and Catalog. The Lifecycle status changes to Published.
bIf the Finance Director rejects the policy document, it goes to the Accounting Manager. The Lifecycle of the asset changes to In Review.
3The Accounting Manager can take a second look at the document and choose to approve or reject it.
aIf the Account Manager approves the document, it goes again to the Finance Director for further approval. The Lifecycle value remains at In Review. The Finance Director can again choose to approve or reject the document. The workflow moves to step 2.
bIf the Accounting Manager rejects the document, it goes back to the Payroll Manager. The Lifecycle status changes to Deleted. The Payroll Manager can reconsider the document and sent it to the Finance Director again. The workflow moves to step 1.
This workflow can be represented by the following diagram:
