Processes Overview

Processes are the framework you create to house your various grant or scholarship cycles. Active processes appear on the Apply page for applicants where they can start a request within a specific process. 

Processes are built and managed on the Process Manager page. Being intentional about how you build your processes is important for reporting, budgeting, and dashboard filtering purposes.

While you will likely create your first process from scratch, it is typically recommended that you create each additional process by copying an existing process.

Add a New Process

The initial processes in your site are built manually rather than by copying an existing process. Each distinct cycle is typically built as a separate process and choosing to create separate processes in other scenarios might be advantageous as well.

• Resource: 
  • Add a New Process

Edit the Process Summary

After adding or copying a process, the first step is to edit the information and settings contained in the process summary. This includes items such as the process name, description, and start and end dates.

• Resources:
  • Edit the Process Summary
  • Process Visibility Types
  • Show Contact Info
  • Process Start and End Dates

Toggle a Process to Available or Not Available

Toggling a process to Available makes it appear on the Apply page for applicants. If the current date is within the start and end dates for the process, or if the process does not have start and end dates set, applicants can start a request within the process.

Toggling a process to Not Available removes it from the Apply page so that applicants cannot start a new request within the process. This does not affect applicants who have already started a request.

• Resource:
  • Process Toggled Available or Not Available

Process Stages

Each process contains stages that a request in the process may progress through. For example, a process may have an application, evaluation, and decisions stage. Each stage contains one or more forms to be completed by the applicant, evaluator, or administrator.

• Resources: 
  • Process Stages
  • Add, Remove, or Change Forms in Process Stages

Stage-Specific Options

Within process stages, there are certain options or settings that can be configured. For example, a due date can be configured for forms at the LOI, application, and follow up stages. Multiple options can be configured at the evaluation stages including the pool of evaluators to be made available. 

• Resources:
  • Form Due Dates
  • Configure an Evaluation Stage
  • Auto Configure Installments
  • Follow Up Auto Due Date Options

Copy a Process

In general, it is recommended to copy a process forward for the next cycle or when creating an additional process in your site. Copying processes plays a vital role in the ability to easily build data sets, reports, and merge templates. This also saves time and prevents needing to build each form and process from scratch. 

• Resources:
  • Copy a Process
  • Copy a Form into a Different Process
  • The Boat Method: Sync a New Question Between Processes

Archive a Process

Once a grant or scholarship cycle is complete, it is recommended that the process be archived. Doing so does not affect any requests that might still be active within the process. For example, applicants can still submit assigned follow up forms if the process is archived. Archiving processes keeps the Process Manager page organized. An archived process can be restored at any time.

• Resources:
  
  • Archive or Restore a Process

Delete a Process

To remove an existing process entirely, click the trash can icon next to a process on the Process Manager page to delete it. Once a process has requests submitted to it, it cannot be deleted. If the site is integrated with CommunitySuite, the process cannot be deleted once CommunitySuite is selected as the External Type and Create Process is clicked. The External Type on the process cannot be updated.