Explanation

Example apps

On this page

This page shows six example apps. Each one starts from a bundled template and changes a few things to fit the work. All six use the same app model. Only the words, the extra fields and who is responsible differ.

Six example apps

You change labels, fields and options on the Attributes tab, and the default assignee on the Roles tab.

WorkStart fromMain changesThe conclusion records
Facilities requestHelpdeskChange the Category options to repair, access and supplies. Relabel Description as Location. Clear the default assignee.What was done
Legal approvalApprovalRelabel Request as Contract. Add a select field for the contract type. Keep the Decision options Approved and Declined.The decision
HR onboardingGeneric (customizable)Relabel Subject as New hire. Add a select field for the department and a user field for the manager. Make an HR contact the default assignee.Handover notes
Vendor onboardingApprovalRelabel Request as Vendor. Add string fields for the contact and the email, and a select field for the risk level.Approved or declined
IncidentIncident managementRelabel the six severity levels. Add a select field for the affected service. Keep Root cause, which stays hidden until the incident is concluded. Leave the default assignee empty, so the responder takes ownership.The resolution
Customer supportSupportAdd a status field with the options Open, Waiting for input and Resolved. Add a select field for the product area.The resolution

Restrict who decides

In the Approval template, only the app’s superusers can set Decision. Whoever installs the app is its first superuser. Before you use the app for real approvals, name the right people as superusers, such as legal reviewers, or procurement and security for vendors. You set superusers in the app’s YAML on the Expert tab. See Macros and roles.

Best practices

  • Start from one repeatable piece of work. Decide what starts it, what information people need, who is responsible and what the conclusion should record. Then pick the closest template
  • Keep the form small. Ask only for information that helps someone act. Check Mandatory field only when the work can’t start without a value
  • Use your team’s words. Change a field’s label to the words your team uses. Its name stays the same
  • Separate responsibility from alerts. Choose who owns new activities and who takes part. Alerting a channel only notifies people. It doesn’t make them approvers. See the Roles tab
  • Describe the outcome. Give the conclusion a label that asks for a useful answer, such as “Decision and reasons” or “Work performed”, instead of a plain “Conclusion”
  • Test before you extend. Create one normal activity and conclude it. Then add integrations, agents or automation

The example apps can grow in the same way:

  • a web form for facilities requests from people outside the channel
  • email for HR onboarding, so a message to the app’s address opens an activity
  • an agent that answers when a legal reviewer mentions it
  • a lookup endpoint that gives an agent the vendor’s CRM record
  • Jira sync, so an incident also exists as a Jira issue
  • Zendesk sync for customer support, or the Zendesk integration template

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