A Flatplanner workflow links together all of the tasks involved in the process of planning and approving the pages that comprise Flatplanner publications.
Unlike other STEP workflows, the Flatplanner workflow is integrated with InDesign through the Print Publisher (InDesign) plugin. This integration allows DTP (desktop publishing) users (also referred to as designers) to accept Flatplanner workflow tasks from within InDesign without ever having to log in to the workbench.
Flatplanner workflows typically involve tasks such as planning pages, approving planned pages, routing planned pages to designers who carry out layout tasks in InDesign, and approving finalized pages. The object type that moves through a Flatplanner workflow is the Planned Page.
Configuring a Flatplanner Workflow
Instructions on how to configure specific elements of a Flatplanner workflow that are unique to the Flatplanner workflow are covered in the Configuring Flatplanner Workflows documentation
Sample Flatplanner Workflow
A sample Flatplanner workflow, which details the tasks involved in accepting tasks, planning a page, and approving a page, is detailed in the Flatplanner Workflow Example documentation
As with any STEP workflow, Flatplanner workflows are customized according to specific customer requirements. This is merely a 'how to' example that serves as a walk-through of a simple Flatplanner workflow.
Publication and Section Object Workflows
Workflows for publication and publication section objects may also be implemented in addition to a Flatplanner workflow.
Publication and section workflows enable the assignment of tasks such as:
- Importing prices
- Publication planning, where information such as dates and styles are defined
- Linking of products to sections
- Population of metadata attributes on publication and section objects
Unlike Flatplanner page spread workflows (which require use of the Publication Planner), publication and section workflows function like standard STEP workflows used for classifications, products, and assets. Also, a Flatplanner license is not required to use a publication or section workflow. However, even with a Flatplanner license, DTP users cannot pick up tasks related to publication and section objects in InDesign.
Note: Publication objects and section objects cannot share the same workflow. Each object type must have its own standalone workflow.
Publication and section workflows are created by the same methods as any other workflow in STEP. For instructions, refer to the Getting Started with STEP Workflows section of the STEP Workflows documentation