In Metatask you can create review cycles in a process using Approval tasks.
Approver can start new cycle if they are not satisfied with results of the work. Tasks in the approval scope will be automatically reopened in a right order.
As soon as all of them become completed, approver can review the work again.
The scope of a Review cycle
Review cycle can be created inside a group or on a top level of a process.
When Approval task is added on a top level of a process, tasks will always be reopened starting with a first task in a process. After Approval task itself is reopened, if approved requests more changes - tasks are reopened again in a same order.
Note that tasks following the Approval task are all outside the scope of the review cycle and are not affected in any way.
The best way is to create a separate group for a review cycle
When a scope of a review cycle is separate group, process design and structure is much cleaner. This is a preferred way to create review cycles.
Review cycle inside a group works in a same way. When approver requests changes, tasks are reopened in order, so that assignees can make necessary modifications.
Approval task may not be the last task inside a group. You can add more tasks and just like with process, these tasks will not be affected by a reviews. After approval is finally granted - workflow will progress to these tasks as usual.
Steps to create cycle in process template
Go to template edit page
Add Approval task. Approval task can be added to Group or process with "one by one" tasks order. If you need to change existing task to approval, just set task type as "Approval".
3. Check "Approver can request changes" flag for approval.
4. It is better to create a separate group for a review cycle, and move all tasks which will be reviewed and approval task to that new group.
In the example above, group "Prepare content" is a scope.
The "Prepare draft of content" task will be reopened each time "Review the draft of content" approval is not granted and changes are requested.
Any group with a Review cycle inside is marked with a "Review Cycle" orange badge:
5. Enter details for approval: title, description, due date, assignment candidates.
If you need to change existing task to approval, just set task type as "Approval" .
6. If your template has data form, please configure visibility settings in the approval.
7. Configure some conditions to your approval if needed.
8. You may add additional approval after "Review the draft of content" and configure it the same way to get 2 cycles: one included into another.
9. When your template is ready, remember to save changes.
How the Review Cycle works
Approval task is assigned to Natalia after the first task in a group "Prepare Content" is completed ("Prepare draft" task) by Darlene.
"Review the draft" approval is configured to allow approver to request changes. Approver (Natalia) decides if draft is good to be approved or needs more work.
3. If approver decides that changes should be done, she clicks on "Request changes" button...
4. ...and describes her request.
5. "Request changes" action starts new iteration of a review cycle: all tasks inside "Prepare Content" group including the "Review the draft" approval will be reopened in right order. "Prepare draft" task will be reopened first.
Assignee of each reopened task will receive text of a change request in task comments.
6. If a task in a scope has conditions configured, they will be re-checked every time the task is reopened.
7. As soon as all tasks inside the scope are completed ("Prepare draft" task), approver got a "Review the draft" task assigned to her. She can decide again if any other changes are need (click "Request changes" and start new cycle) or all if fine and give approval. After approval is granted, process goes forward and next task task becomes available for work.
8. Approver can interrupt review cycle even if not all tasks are reopened and completed yet. At any moment approver may use a Change decision split button to approve or reject work results immediately.
