CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

In beta7 it appears that the use can only create one Sequence in a case type, although I can create multiple timelines. The documentation implies that multiple sequences can be created.

Also, a very minor presentational point, the drop-down to add a timeline or sequence reads "(Add)" Are the brackets required?

Hi Joanne

I can see that the docs are still being developed, and I'm happy to pitch in to this effort - I'll respond to your PM on this point.

In terms of sequences, this looks to be an entirely new feature and I can see it being useful. I can also see users wanting to have more than one sequence available to them in any given case type. In some cases the choice between timeline and sequence seems to be as much about how people like to work as it is about anything else, so the possibility for multiple sequences seems reasonable. Unless I've missed something about them that makes this infeasible or nonsensical - difficult to judge having just come across the feature and not having has the chance to thoroughly test it out in the wild.

Thanks for getting back on this.

1. Good to know that for know at least we are talking about one sequence per case type. I can ensure that the documentation reflects this.

2. In terms of multiple sequences, given that the next activity in a sequence only becomes apparent at the point where (presumably) the current activity status is shifted to 'complete', my assumption on use of multiple sequences within a case type would be to use it almost like a conditional branching of the workflow. e.g. if, as a result of activity x, there was a certain outcome, the user could then invoke a new sequence that took the case down a different path. Invoking a new sequence would stop the previous sequence in its tracks.

Initially at least, such an approach would be manually controlled, perhaps by a case manager, but I could see  a future scenario where such conditional workflows were controlled by key decision fields in activities, or perhaps linked to the triggers/actions type mechanism that CiviCoop/Erik Hommel was recently involved in with MAF Norge?

I wasn't envisaging concurrent sequences, and for the moment at least, can't see a valid use case where multiple concurrent sequences would have any value (although I've no doubt that someone could devise such a scenario). Sounds complicated.