Workflows: Creating

Workflows are used to:

• store information about crew

• gather information from crew

• provide information and documents to crew

Workflows can be either:

• internal, with Crewdentials working as a back end database that only your Workspace Users can access and add data, documents and crew information

• collaborative with crew. You can still have sections of the Workflow that are private to your Workspace Users, but the Workflow can be shared with crew to enable collaboration and data to flow 2 ways

Our Workflows are customisable forms. Each of our customers uses Workflows in a slightly different way.

Some common uses include:

• Recruiters using a workflow to collect STCW, medical fitness and CoC on all candidates;

• Recruiters using a workflow to register all candidates and obtain their personal information, CV and certificates;

• Vessels and managers using separate Workflows for each role onboard to assist with role based compliance;

• Training Providers using a workflow to gather pre-requisites from attendees and provide pre-course information;

• Training Providers using a workflow to store electronic certificates and share with attendees

Crew members can be attached to a workflow in a number of ways:

• they can access a workflow from a url (we call this a Public Workflow) (don't worry the data isn't public, but the url is and can be accessed by anyone with the link!)

• you can invite them to access a workflow (we call this a Private Workflow)

• you can attach a crew member and manage their information as a back end database without crew ever using Crewdentials. We recommend setting the availability as Private Workflow

Once a crew member is attached to a Workflow, their details will appear on the "Profiles" section

Creating a Workflow

Simply head to the Workflow tab in the left hand menu of your Workspace.

You'll find a template Workflow to start you off. The template can be customised as you wish, or duplicated by clicking into the template and then the Options icon (3 vertical buttons).

Alternatively you can start from scratch by clicking either of the "Add a Workflow" options.

Any workflow can be duplicated to save you time

Each Workflow is split into 5 different sections. We give a brief explanation below and expand on each section later in this Guide.

General: As the name indicates - general information about and an overview of the type of Workflow

Set Up: this section allows you to customise the data and documents you collect and manage

Files: this section allows you to store your own documents on a Workflow, and choose whether to provide them to crew members. Examples may include joining instructions, employee handbooks or policies & procedures

Extensions: based on the data that you manage on the Workflow, options of available extensions will appear. These are ways to power up your Workflows through our network of partners such as background check providers

Profiles: crew profiles that are attached to the Workflow will appear here

In this section you will find more information about how to customise each section of the Workflow

General Information

Only your Workspace Users will be able to see the information in this section 

Internal name: Use this section to name your Workflow. Examples we see include "website sign ups", role name or an outline of the documents collected.

Description: Use this section to describe more fully your internal use case for the Workflow.

Availability: This determines whether the workflow is available publicly (anyone with the url can complete) or privately (you need to add the Crew to your Workspace (guide here) and then invite the crew, via email, to complete).

Groups: adding a Workflow to a Group will help you easily access the Workflows that are suitable for that Group, for example the roles on a Vessel

Appearance

Display title: your Crew Member will see this when they access the Workflow, in the email where they are invited, and in the "Connections" section of their own Crewdentials Crew Profile. The Workspace name will also appear, along with the Workspace logo.

Example titles include the role title, or "Crew Portal" or "Certificate Request"

Introduction text: provide a little bit more information about who you are, and why they are being asked for this info, and a contact name if they have any queries.

In the Setup tab you can customise the workflow to collect the data you need

Click on the Setup tab. You will be presented with sections for:

Crew Data: This data you want to collect from or about crew. If a Crew Member accesses the Workflow they will be able to see and collaborate on this info with you

Private Data: Data that only your Workspace Users can see and amend

Crew Documents: Use our document blocks to collect exactly what you need, and provide documents to your Crew Members. There is a detailed guide available below to help you use this section to its full potential.

Declarations: if you need Crew Members to confirm anything, or agree to keep you updated, you can add a declaration (along with a link to a url if needed) in this section

If you need Crew Members to agree to a policy, or handbook as an example you could add these as Files (see our guide here) and add in a declaration confirming that the crew has read and agreed to it

Do you need to edit your Workflow? If so check out this guide to ensure you don't lose any data!

Crew Data

Add data fields by clicking either of the two +add field buttons. This will open up our library of available data fields.

You can filter the categories (financial, personal, private) and simply select the data fields you want to collect from Crew.

Any data that is in this section can be collaborated on with Crew

Private Data

Add fields to this section by following the same process. Any data fields that are in this section are only available for your Workspace Users to view or amend. If you want to use the IMO Crew List or Crew Scheduling functions you will need some specific data fields in your Workflows. See these guides: IMO and Crew Scheduling

Data Settings

Once you have selected the fields you want, click on the Settings icon next to each data field

From here you can:

• change whether a field is mandatory. By default, data fields are set as not required meaning that the Workflow can be completed without this field populated. You can easily change this to a required field through the toggle switch

• change the name of the data field that appears to your crew by giving it a Custom label

If the data field you need isn't showing, let us know as we may be able to add it in. We recommend you don't change the "label" to create a data field you need. If you do, it won't change how the data field is categorised in the back end of Crewdentials and any document templating and reporting will produce skewed results

• add some some help text

You can change the order the data appears by clicking on the equals sign and dragging and dropping

Files are a really clever way of making sure your Workspace Users, or your Crew, have access to the latest and most accurate information.

Files added to a Workflow can be:

• available just to your Workspace Users

• available to Workspace users and shared with Crew who are attached to the Workspace.

Simply add the document, profile it and toggle the "available to crew member" on or off

They types of files we see added here include joining instructions, policies & procedures or employee handbooks