Supplier management approval workflow not triggering on new supplier records

QMS Sparta Systems TrackWise
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1

We added a custom field ‘Regulatory_Compliance_Status’ to our supplier record form to track FDA registration status. Since adding this field, the approval workflow isn’t triggering automatically when new supplier records are created. The workflow was working fine before the customization.

Workflow trigger configuration:


Trigger: On Record Create
Condition: Supplier_Type = 'Critical'
Action: Route to Quality Manager

Existing suppliers still trigger the workflow when edited, but newly created records just sit in ‘Draft’ status. I’m wondering if the custom field addition changed the supplier record schema in a way that breaks the workflow trigger. Any insights on custom field mapping and workflow trigger configuration?

2

Custom field additions can definitely impact workflow triggers if they’re added as required fields. Check if your new Regulatory_Compliance_Status field is marked as required. If it is, the record might not be fully committing to the database until that field is populated, which would prevent the ‘On Record Create’ trigger from firing. Try making it optional or ensure it has a default value.

3

The issue is timing. ‘On Record Create’ fires during the initial save transaction. If required fields aren’t populated, the transaction rolls back before the trigger evaluates. You have two options: change the trigger to ‘On Record Update’ with a condition that checks if Status changed from NULL to Draft, or add a default value to your custom field. The latter is cleaner for new supplier onboarding workflows.

4

I’ve encountered this exact scenario with custom field additions to supplier records in TW 9.1. Let me walk through the complete solution covering all three aspects.

5

The problem involves custom field mapping, workflow trigger configuration, and supplier record schema synchronization. Here’s the comprehensive fix:

1. Custom Field Mapping (Schema Refresh): First, refresh the workflow engine’s schema cache to recognize your new field:

  • Navigate to Admin > Workflow Configuration > Schema Management
  • Click ‘Refresh Record Type Schema’ for Supplier Management
  • Verify ‘Regulatory_Compliance_Status’ appears in the field list
  • This ensures the workflow engine knows about your new field

2. Workflow Trigger Configuration (Timing Fix): The ‘On Record Create’ trigger fires before required fields are validated. Modify your trigger approach:


OLD (problematic):
Trigger: On Record Create
Condition: Supplier_Type = 'Critical'

NEW (working):
Trigger: On Record Update
Condition: Status = 'Draft' AND Supplier_Type = 'Critical'
           AND Regulatory_Compliance_Status IS NOT NULL
Additional Filter: Previous_Status IS NULL

This ensures the workflow triggers after all required fields are populated and the record is fully committed.

3. Supplier Record Schema (Field Configuration): Set a default value for your custom field to prevent blocking:

  • Edit field definition: Regulatory_Compliance_Status
  • Set default value: ‘Pending Review’
  • Keep ‘Required’ checkbox enabled
  • This allows initial record creation while maintaining data integrity

Alternative Approach (Recommended for Critical Suppliers): If you need immediate workflow triggering, use a two-stage process:

  • Stage 1: ‘On Record Create’ triggers a validation workflow that checks if Regulatory_Compliance_Status is populated
  • Stage 2: If populated, route to Quality Manager; if not, send notification to requester to complete required fields
  • This provides better user feedback than silent workflow failures

Verification Steps:

  1. Create a test supplier record with Supplier_Type = ‘Critical’
  2. Populate Regulatory_Compliance_Status with a valid value
  3. Save the record and verify workflow triggers
  4. Check Workflow History tab to confirm routing occurred

Key Insight: The supplier record schema requires all required fields to be populated before the database transaction commits. Workflow triggers that fire ‘On Record Create’ evaluate against the committed record state, so any validation failures prevent both the save and the trigger. Moving to ‘On Record Update’ with proper conditions ensures the workflow evaluates against a fully validated, committed record.

After implementing these changes, your approval workflow should trigger correctly for new supplier records while maintaining your compliance requirements for the custom field.

6

Another angle - check your workflow trigger condition syntax. If the condition references fields that must be populated for the trigger to evaluate as true, and your new required field is blocking the initial save, the trigger never gets a chance to evaluate. The workflow engine needs a fully committed record to work with.

7

Good catch - the field is set as required. But we need it to be required for compliance purposes. Is there a way to configure the workflow to wait for all required fields to be populated before evaluating the trigger condition?

8

I’d also check the workflow trigger’s field mapping. When you add custom fields to a record type, sometimes the workflow engine’s schema cache doesn’t update automatically. In Trackwise 9.1, go to Workflow Configuration > Field Mappings and verify that Regulatory_Compliance_Status appears in the available fields list for supplier records. If it’s missing, you need to refresh the schema cache.