More about processes

What is a process in Tallyfy?

A process is a running instance of a template - it’s your Tallyfy workflow in action. Here’s the key difference:

• A Template is like a master recipe or blueprint for a standard workflow task (e.g., the steps for onboarding a new employee)
• A Process is a single time you execute that template for a specific case (e.g., the actual onboarding process for Jane Doe that you started today)

Why are workflow processes essential for business operations?

Processes are the heart of getting actual work done in Tallyfy - they transform your templates into real, trackable workflows.

Templates tell you how work should be done. Processes? They’re the actual work happening right now. Understanding this distinction matters because:

• Processes are what you track daily
• Processes are where team members collaborate
• Processes are how you measure real progress

Clear processes with unique identities help prevent confusion, enable proper tracking, and provide valuable data for continuous improvements.

Every time you need to execute the work defined in a template, you launch that template to create a new, unique process instance that you can track.

This workflow approach applies to any repeatable business process, big or small.

How should I name workflow processes?

Give each launched process a unique, descriptive name so you can differentiate them (e.g., “Onboard Jane Doe”, “Onboard John Smith”). This takes seconds but saves hours of confusion later.

Want to save even more time? Set up auto-naming in Tallyfy template settings (Settings > Summary > Auto-naming). This feature automatically creates process names based on information entered in required kick-off form fields - the project names pull directly from the data users enter during process launch.

Auto-naming rules

• Auto-naming only uses required kick-off form fields.
• The generated name cannot be longer than 550 characters.
• This dynamic project naming from field inputs ensures consistent, meaningful process names without manual effort.

What are the key characteristics of Tallyfy processes?

• A process is a copy of its template at the moment it was launched. Later template changes? They won’t touch processes already running
• You can launch many processes from the same template
• A process can be based on a procedure template (with workflow steps) or a document template (like a fillable form)
• You can add extra one-off tasks to a running process if needed
• Each process has its own unique activity log (audit trail) for compliance tracking

Adding extra tasks

If something unexpected comes up, you can add new tasks (regular, approval, email, etc.) directly to a running process without changing the original template. See Add tasks to active processes.

Template vs. Blueprint

Reminder: In the Tallyfy app, we say Template. In the technical API documentation, it’s called a Blueprint.

What happens when a process is completed?

Completed processes remain visible in your Tracker view by default. Here’s how to clean up your active views while preserving the data:

• Archive processes: Click the three-dot menu (…) on any process card in the Tracker view
• View archived processes: Filter by “Status = Archived” in the Tracker view
• Restore processes: Unarchive them anytime if you need to reference them again

Need step-by-step instructions? See how to archive and unarchive processes.

• Commenting processes
• Edit processes
• Export process to CSV
• Make a process visible to outsiders or guests
• Managing the complete process lifecycle

What should I learn next?

You’ve got the basics of Tallyfy processes down. Ready to put them to work? Check out the Tracker view to monitor workflow progress in real-time.

Need to modify processes after launch? Learn how to add tasks to active processes for maximum flexibility.

Related articles

Pro > Launching

Process launching in Tallyfy transforms static workflow templates into active trackable processes with specific assignments and deadlines that operate independently with their own timeline participants and progress tracking.

Launching > Launch manually

Manual process launching in Tallyfy allows you to initiate workflow instances from templates with complete control over timing and customization by selecting a template naming the instance and clicking launch to create an active trackable process.

Tutorials > Launch a process

This tutorial explains how to launch a workflow process from an existing template in Tallyfy by navigating to templates finding your desired template clicking launch completing any kick-off forms naming the process instance optionally reviewing and editing settings then launching to create an active trackable workflow.

Processes > Managing the complete process lifecycle

Tallyfy process lifecycle management involves five phases - create templates with logical organization and detailed instructions, launch customized instances with proper context, execute tasks sequentially, monitor progress through tracker views to catch issues early, and complete processes while analyzing data for continuous improvement.