This section is relevant if you have been using version 3.1,version 3.0 (or earlier) of the Ad hoc Workflows.

Before upgrading!
We recommend you first try the upgrade on a test or development environment before using it in production! It is very important you try your workflows in the test environment.

We also recommend you do a full backup beforehand.

Approver selection changes

Ad hoc Workflows 3.2 introduces a simpler way of handling the selection of approvers, by allowing users to select approver on the current state of a page.

In 3.1 approvers needed to be selected before the the page is transitioned and required a preceding state and approval. In 3.2, this not longer necessary.

For example, If I wanted to allow users to select approvers before publishing a page, I would need to create a workflow like this:

{workflow}
    {state:Draft|approved=Ready}
        {approval:Submit}
    {state}
    {state:Ready}
        {approval:Approval|hadapproval=Submit|selectedapprover=confluence-users}
    {state}
    {state:Published|final=true}
    {state}
{workflow}

A Draft state and a Submit approval were required to be able to have an approval selection.

The workflow above will continue to work in 3.2, however, users would have to make the selection after the page is transitioned to Ready state.

In 3.2 we just need the Ready and Published state, and to set the selectedapprovers

{workflow}
    {state:Ready}
        {approval:Approval|selectedapprover=reviewers}
    {state}
    {state:Published|final=true}
    {state}
{workflow}

Creating a task for assigning approvers

To better track when an approval has to be assigned, you can create a Task in the approval:

{workflow}
    {state:Draft}
    {state}
    {state:Ready|approved=Approved|taskable=true}
        {approval:Review|selectedapprover=confluence-users}
        {task:name=Assign approvers|assignee=@user@}
    {state}
    {state:Approved|final=true|updated=Ready}
    {state}
{workflow}

A task will be created when the page reaches the Ready state. The task will be assigned to the users who made the transition.

Assignable approvals

Furthermore, in 3.2 you can allow for the list approvers not to be preset, but to select from any confluence users by using the assignable parameter:

{workflow}
    {state:Ready}
        {approval:Approval|assignable=true}
    {state}
    {state:Published|final=true}
    {state}
{workflow}

To find out more how Approvers are handle, go to the Working with Approvers page.

Upgrading from 3.0

Space Approvals and 2.0 workflows were deprecated in version 3.0 of the plugin. They are not longer supported in version 3.1, so you have to upgrade them to the new model.

In a nutshell

You need to upgrade the plugin.
If you use Theme Builder, update your Theme Builder Layout changes.
If you are still using Space Approvals from version 2.0 of the plugin (Space Admin > Approvals) you need to upgrade them as Space-workflows
If you are using workflows defined as pages, then you need to upgrade them as Space Workflows

Upgrading the plugin

Upgrading the plugin itself is pretty simple; you have to follow the same instructions as in the plugin's installation.

Layout changes

Layout changes are no longer required, unless you are using Theme Builder. You can, however, still use your existing customized layout.

Upgrading 2.0 Workflows

In 2.0, workflows were defined in Confluence pages, this is not longer supported, therefore you have to upgrade your existing workflows to the new model.

To find out if you have 2.0 workflows, simply go to the Global Administration console and select the Workflow Templates section.

1. Create a workflow template

First, create a workflow template in the space on which the workflow is active.

2. Adjust the workflow

There are a number of improvements that can be done in the workflow. If your workflow contains approvals and no states, create some states.

For example, if you have a workflow like this:

{workflow}
    {approval:Author}
    {approval:Review|hasapproval=Author|group=reviewers}
    {approval:Final Approval|hasapproval=Review|final=true}
{workflow}

You can introduce two new states In Progress and Published like this:

{workflow}
    {state:In Progress|approved=Published}
        {approval:Author}
        {approval:Review|hasapproval=Author|group=reviewers}
        {approval:Final Approval|final=true|hasapproval=Review}
    {state}
    {state:Published|updated=In Progress|final=true}
    {state}
{workflow}

If you were using metadata to set approvers and other workflow information, consider using workflow parameters.

3. Test the workflow

Test the workflow as a template to make sure all the transitions are working.

4. Make the new workflow active on the space

You can do this through the Manage Workflows console.

Upgrading Space Approvals

With the introduction of the Workflow Designer in 3.0, the Space Approvals feature has been removed in 3.1. Migrating space approvals to the new 3.0 model is similar to migrating workflows without states.

Upgrading Space Approvals must be done in 3.0, prior to migrating to 3.1. To do the upgrade, follow these instructions and then upgrade the plugin to 3.1.

Versions

Support

Upgrade