Workflow Task Manager: Review and Process an Assigned Task

What it is

Workflow Task Manager is the full-page interface where a person acts on an assigned workflow task. It brings together request data, associated documents, comments, required uploads, and the custom approval actions configured by the workflow designer.

When the designer uses a Task Form, the page also shows structured fields such as text, numbers, dates, choices, checkboxes, and file uploads. The buttons are labelled Allowed Actions because each button submits those values and selects the workflow route; a Task Form has no separate Submit button.

You reach it from My Tasks, Open task action in Workflow Detail View, or a valid task link in a notification email.

Why it's useful / Key benefits

• Everything you need to decide is on one screen — request data, documents, conversation history, and action buttons. You do not need to switch between email, file systems, or other applications.
• Read PDFs instantly without downloading — the inline viewer renders multi-page PDF documents right in the browser with zoom and page navigation. Documents never leave the platform during the review.
• Custom decision buttons match your business language — instead of generic "Approve / Reject," you see buttons like "Endorse," "Send to Legal," or "Return for Revision" depending on how the workflow was designed.
• Full conversation thread — every comment from every level of the approval chain is visible in a WhatsApp-style chat thread so you can understand the full context before deciding.
• Upload supporting files directly — if the workflow requires you to attach a document (for example, a signed endorsement letter), labeled upload fields appear on the same screen.
• Your decision is recorded immediately — clicking an action button advances the workflow engine right away, updates My Tasks badge in the top bar, and redirects you to All Instances so you can see the workflow progress.

Before you start

• You must have a pending task assigned to your account. You will see an animated badge with a number on the bell icon in the top navigation bar when you have pending tasks.
• You can reach Workflow Task Manager from My Tasks (top-bar bell → My Tasks) or from a valid action link in a task notification email.
• You need the permission to view and act on tasks. If the screen shows an error or "Access Denied," contact your administrator. See Workflows Permissions.

How to use it — step by step

Step 1 — Open the task

From My Tasks:

1. Click the bell icon in the top navigation bar (or navigate to My Tasks from the sidebar menu).
2. Find the task you want to act on in the table. Each row shows the workflow name, the current step, priority, due date, and status.
3. Click the task row. The Workflow Task Manager opens.

From a notification email:

1. Open the notification email you received when the task was assigned to you.
2. Click the action link in the email (for example, Open Task or a direct action button like Approve in the email body). The Workflow Task Manager opens in your browser, and if you are not already logged in, you will be prompted to sign in first.

Step 2 — Review the request information

4. Below the header, find the Request Information card (identified by the database icon). It shows all data submitted by the requester — form fields, selections, dates, and any other information captured at the start of the workflow.

   • Fields with nested data (objects or lists) are collapsed by default. Click the expand arrow to reveal them.
   • Long text values show "Show more" — click it to read the full text.
   • Click the copy icon next to any value to copy it to your clipboard.

5. Review the metadata cards at the top of the content area. These typically include:

   • Assigned To — your name or role.
   • Priority — Low, Medium, High, or Urgent.
   • Due Date — when the task must be completed.
   • Category and Workflow name.

If a Task form section appears, complete its visible fields before choosing an action. Required fields are validated for every action. Hidden non-file fields use defaults configured by the workflow designer and do not appear on the page.

Step 3 — Read the document (PDF viewer)

6. If the workflow has a document attached to this task, the inline PDF viewer appears on the left side (desktop) or above the action panel (mobile).

7. Use the PDF viewer controls:

   Control	Action
   Zoom In / Zoom Out buttons (magnifying glass icons)	Increase or decrease the document's display size. The current zoom percentage is shown.
   Rotate button (circular arrow icon)	Rotate the document view 90 degrees clockwise.
   Previous / Next page arrows	Navigate between pages in a multi-page PDF. The current page number and total pages are shown.
   Download button (arrow-down icon)	Save a local copy of the document to your computer.
   View full screen button (expand icon)	Opens the PDF in a dedicated viewer window with more screen space.

If no document viewer appears, the task does not have an attached PDF, or the workflow is configured for a batch (row-level) approval instead. In that case, skip to step 8.

Step 4 — Read the conversation thread

8. Locate the Conversation button (chat bubble icon) on the page. Click it to expand the full conversation thread.
9. The thread shows all comments left by previous approvers in this workflow instance, displayed as colored chat bubbles attributed to each person by name, approval level, and timestamp. Odd levels appear on the left; even levels on the right — similar to a messaging application.
10. Review all comments before making your decision to understand any concerns or instructions from earlier levels.

Step 5 — Leave your comment

11. Find the Comment / Reason text area on the right side of the screen (below the metadata cards).
12. If the action you plan to take requires a comment (the workflow designer set "Requires Comment" on that action), you must type at least one character here. The action button will be disabled until you do.
13. Type your comment — any relevant notes, reasons, or instructions for the next level or for the audit trail.

You do not need to add a comment for actions where it is not required (for example, a routine approval). But adding context, even when optional, improves the audit trail and helps future approvers.

Step 6 — Upload required documents (if applicable)

14. If the workflow requires you to attach supporting files, one or more labeled Document Upload fields appear below the comment area.
15. For each upload field: a. Note the field label (for example, "Signed Endorsement Letter," "Verified ID Copy") and the maximum file size shown below it. b. Click the upload area or drag-and-drop files onto it. c. If the field is marked Required, you must attach at least one file before you can submit. d. If the field has Require Comment enabled, type a short note in the comment field that appears below it.
16. You can see the upload status for each field: the icon changes to a spinner during upload and shows a green checkmark on success.

Step 7 — Take your decision

17. In the action panel, you will see the custom action buttons defined for this task (for example, Complete, Reject, Hold, or your organization's specific labels).
18. Click the button that represents your decision:
    • If the action requires a comment and the comment field is empty, a red notification appears asking you to fill it in. The action is not submitted until you do.
    • If required upload fields are empty, an error message lists the missing fields. The action is not submitted until all required files are attached.
19. Once all requirements are met, the button click:
    • Uploads any pending document files.
    • Sends your comment and decision to the workflow engine.
    • Shows a green success notification: "Action [action name] executed successfully!"
    • Returns you to the current workflow area after the success response so you can see the updated status.

Step 8 — Handling batch (row-level) approval tasks

If this task is a batch approval (the workflow designer enabled Approval For Each on the Task node), you will not see a PDF viewer. Instead, you will see a data table with one row per item to review.

For each row:

1. Review the data columns in that row.
2. Click the action button for that specific row (for example, the green Approve or red Reject icon).
3. Optionally type a per-row comment if one is required.
4. After acting on all rows, click the main Submit button to send all decisions at once.

See Batch Decision Screen for a full guide on reviewing the results after submission, and Multi-Level and Batch Approvals for how batch approval is configured.

Options & settings explained

Request Information panel

PDF viewer controls

Action buttons

Conversation thread

Tips & best practices

• Always read the full conversation thread before deciding. A previous level may have noted a specific concern or condition that should influence your decision.
• Use the "Show more" links in the Request Information panel for any long text fields — the truncated preview may miss important details.
• Add a comment even when it is not required. A brief note explaining your decision provides invaluable context for audits, escalations, and future reference.
• Check all required upload fields before clicking the action button. Missing required files will block submission and show an error message — you will need to find and attach the files before retrying.
• If you need more time, use the "Hold" action (if configured) rather than leaving the task pending indefinitely. The Hold outcome keeps the workflow alive and records your decision intent, while allowing the requester to take corrective action.
• Do not leave the page mid-decision. If you have started filling in comments or uploading files, avoid navigating away without submitting — your in-progress entries are not saved automatically.
• Mobile users: The PDF viewer switches to full-screen mode on small screens. Tap the close button (X) to return to the rest of the approval screen after reviewing the document.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I see all the tasks assigned to my team, not just mine? Regular users see only tasks assigned to their own account. Administrators see all tasks. If you need a team-wide view, ask your administrator to grant you admin access or to run a report from All Instances.

Q: The document viewer shows a "No document found" message. Is this an error? Not necessarily. Some tasks do not have an attached document — they only have Request Information data. If you expected a document and do not see one, ask the workflow designer to check the configuration. It is also possible that the document was submitted via a different part of the process.

Q: I clicked the action button but nothing happened. What should I do? Check for red validation messages on the page — a required comment or upload field may be missing. If there are no validation errors and the button still does not respond, try refreshing the page. Your decision was likely not submitted. If the problem persists, contact your administrator with the task details.

Q: Can I change my decision after clicking the action button? No. Once an action is submitted, it is recorded immediately and the workflow advances. Contact an authorised workflow operator if you need to correct the process; this may require a new run or a carefully reviewed operation in Workflow Database.

Q: I am acting on a task for someone who is out of office. Do I log in as them? Never log in as another person. Ask your administrator to add you as an assignee to the task or to use the escalation feature to redirect tasks to you. Each action is recorded against the logged-in user's identity for audit purposes.

Q: What is the "Batch ID" link I sometimes see on the task screen? When a task was processed as a batch approval (Approval For Each), a Batch ID is generated for that submission. Clicking the link takes you to the Batch Decision Screen, which shows the full row-level decision table. See Batch Decision Screen.

Q: Can I access this screen without a RAPTIX account (external user)? External approvers (vendors, contractors) who do not have a platform account can approve tasks through the External Approver Portal using a secure single-use link sent to their email. See External Approver Portal.