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@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ Users can become project members in two different ways, and understanding both h
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Users can have both types of access simultaneously. When this happens, Plane automatically applies whichever role gives them higher permissions. For example, if someone is a `Guest` on your project but joins a linked teamspace, they're automatically upgraded to `Member` access. If they're already an `Admin`, they keep their `Admin` role.
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## View project member activity <Badgetype="warning"text="Enterprise" />
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## View project member activity <Badgetype="warning"text="Enterprise Grid" />
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::: info
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The Enterprise plan is currently only available for self-hosted instances. If you're interested in Enterprise features for your self-hosted deployment, contact [sales@plane.so](mailto:sales@plane.so) for pricing and licensing information.
title: Workflows to control work item state transitions
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description: Set up Workflows to control work item transitions, require approval from specific reviewers, and ensure work follows your team's established processes.
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description: Set up workflows to control how work items move through states, define transition rules, and require approvals before work progresses.
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---
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# Control your work item transitions <Badgetype="tip"text="Business" />
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# Control how work items move <Badgetype="tip"text="Business" />
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Workflows give you control over how work items move through your process. Think of it as creating guardrails that ensure work follows your team's agreed-upon path, with the right people making decisions at each step.
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Workflows give you control over how work items move through states in your project. Think of it as creating guardrails that ensure work follows your team's agreed-upon path, with the right people making decisions at each step.
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This means you can:
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You define which transitions are allowed, who can make them, and whether certain moves need approval before they take effect.
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- Create clear paths for work items to follow.
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- Ensure important transitions are only made by the right team members.
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- Prevent work items from moving backward in your process unexpectedly.
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- Control which states can receive new work items.
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Every project has a single default workflow that applies to all work items regardless of type. On the Enterprise Grid, you can create additional workflows, each scoped to specific work item types, so different kinds of work can follow their own process.
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:::tip
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If you already had a workflow configured before, it's now your project's default workflow. All your existing transition rules and reviewer settings have been preserved. You can edit them at any time from the Workflows settings page.
Head over to your [Project Settings](https://docs.plane.so/core-concepts/projects/overview#configure-project-settings) and select **Workflows** from the sidebar. Toggle **Enable workflows** on at the top of the page.
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Once enabled, you'll see your project's default workflow listed with **Default** and **Active** badges. This workflow is active by default and governs all work items in the project.
The workflows list includes a search bar to find workflows by name. You can also filter the list by status (Active or Inactive) and by work item type, and sort it by name, date created, or date modified in ascending or descending order.
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## Define a workflow
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Whether you're editing the default workflow or a type-specific one, the workflow detail page works the same way. It lists all the states included in the workflow and lets you add flows that control how work items move between them.
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### Add states
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The default workflow includes all states configured in your project. When you create a new workflow, it starts empty. You choose which states to include by clicking **Add states** in the top-right corner of the "Define workflow" section. A panel lists all available project states grouped by category. Select the ones you need and click **Add selected**.
Each state has an **Allow new work items** toggle on the right side. When this is on, team members can create work items directly in that state. Turn it off for states that should only be reached through progression.
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### Add flows
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## Set up your workflow
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Flows define the rules for moving a work item from one state to another. To add a flow, expand a state by clicking its arrow, then click **+ Add flow**. A panel appears on the right where you choose the flow type - **Transition** or **Approval** - then click **Next** to configure it.
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Getting started with Workflows takes just a few minutes:
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You can add multiple flows to a single state, but they must all be the same type - either all transitions or all approvals.
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1. Head over to your [Project Settings](https://docs.plane.so/core-concepts/projects/overview#configure-project-settings) and select **Workflows** from the right pane.
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#### Transition flows
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2. You'll see all your workflow states listed. Each state represents a stage in your process (like "Backlog," "Todo," "In Progress").
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A transition flow defines a permitted state change. When you add one, you configure three fields:
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3. For each state, you'll notice a toggle labeled **Allow new work items**. This controls whether team members can create new items directly in this state. Toggle it off for states that should only be reached through progression (like "Ready to Publish").
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-**via** - shows **Transition** to indicate the flow type.
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-**move to** - the destination state. Click to select from available project states on the right pane.
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-**by** - who can make this transition. Defaults to **All**, meaning any project member. To restrict it, open the Members panel and select specific individuals.
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4. Under the state, click **Add permitted state change** to define possible transitions.
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- When you click this option, a menu appears where you can select which states this work item can move to next. For example, from "Backlog," you might allow transitions to "Todo" or "Sprint Backlog".
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Click **Save** to confirm the flow, or **Discard** to cancel it.
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- Click **Add reviewers** to specify Members who are permitted to make this change. If you don't add any reviewers, any team member can move items to this state.
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An approval flow adds a gate: the work item won't move forward until designated approvers accept or reject it. When you add one, you configure:
6. When everything looks good, click the **Live** toggle at the top right to activate your workflow.
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For example, you might add an approval flow on "Testing" so that moving to "Ready for Release" requires sign-off from a QA lead. If rejected, the item moves back to "In Development" for further work.
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7. The three-dot menu in the top-right provides additional options:
Once you've defined all the states and flows you need, toggle the workflow on from the Workflows settings page to make it active. You can toggle it off at any time to pause enforcement without losing your configuration.
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### Additional options
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The three-dot menu on each workflow provides three options:
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-**Edit** - update the workflow's name, description, or assigned work item types.
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-**View change history** - see a log of all modifications made to the workflow, including who made each change and when.
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-**Delete** - permanently remove the workflow. Work items previously governed by this workflow will fall back to the default workflow.
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## Create a custom workflow <Badgetype="warning"text="Enterprise Grid" />
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A custom workflow lets you define separate rules for different kinds of work. For example, you might want bug fixes to go through a stricter approval process than feature work, or you might want improvements to skip certain states entirely. When a work item matches a type-specific workflow, that workflow takes precedence over the default.
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To create one:
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1. On the Workflows settings page, click **Add new workflow**.
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2. Give the workflow a unique name and an optional description.
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3. Under **Select types**, choose one or more work item types that this workflow will govern.
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4. Click **Create**.
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You'll land on the workflow detail page, where you can [define its states and flows](#define-a-workflow).
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## How workflows work
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Once your workflow is live, you'll notice some changes in how work items behave:
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Once a workflow is active, work items in the project follow its rules:
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**State creation restrictions**
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Items can only be created in states where **Allow new work items** is enabled. If a member tries to create a work item in a restricted state, they won't be able to.
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**Transition enforcement**
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Members can only move items along the transitions you've defined. If someone tries to make a state change that isn't permitted, they'll see a blocker message explaining why.
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- A special icon appears next to the state column, indicating a workflow is active.
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**Approval gates**
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When a work item reaches a state with an approval flow, it enters a pending state. Approvers see **Approve** and **Reject** buttons at the top of the work item detail view. The item moves to the appropriate destination based on the approver's decision.
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- Items can only be created in states where "Allow new work items" is enabled.
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- Members will only be able to move items to the states you've permitted.
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- If someone tries to make a state change they're not authorized for, they'll see a blocker message.
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If a work item's type matches a type-specific workflow, that workflow's rules apply instead of the default. For example, if you have a type-specific workflow for bugs, any bug in the project follows that workflow's transition and approval rules. All other work item types continue to follow the default workflow.
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