Understanding Triggers and Outcomes in Relay Lite

Relay Lite is an easy way to automate routine and repeatable business processes that are centered around content.

There are threeo types of triggers from which you can choose to begin a workflow in Relay Lite:

• File events
• Task events
• File Request events

You have different subsequent sets of options, depending on which trigger you choose.

File event options

Here, you are starting the workflow by specifying the type of event that happens to or with a file.

This workflow begins when a file is uploaded, copied, or moved. Your next choice is to specify where this event is to take place -- that is, in which folder the file resides or to which it will be moved or copied. To do this, click the Select a folder box and follow the prompts to specify the folder you want.

Task event options

Here, you are starting the workflow when the assignee must complete a task.

File Request options

File Request is a separate feature, available to every paid Box Business Plan account (or higher).  Basically, File Request enables you to create a Web form in seconds that anyone can use to upload content to Box. When you specify File Request as a workflow trigger, the workflow launches automatically each time someone completes your File Request form and uses it to submit content to the Box folder you’ve designated.

This is especially useful when gathering content from someone is the first step in a workflow.  For example, Finance teams can use File Request to solicit vendor invoices and have Relay route those invoices through an approval process.  More details on using a File Request to kick off a workflow.

Outcome options

The next step, regardless of what trigger you have chosen, is to specify an outcome. Although the choices in selecting an outcome vary slightly, with file events the process of specifying an outcome is essentially the same as that of selecting a trigger.

Task outcomes, however, are a bit different. As the result of a trigger event, you can assign a task. For example, when a vendor uploads a contract proposal to the folder you specify, you can configure Relay Lite to assign a specific individual with the task of reviewing the contract.

Any trigger can result in a task outcome.

To create a task outcome

1. In the Outcome box, click Assign a Task.

2. Under What are the task details? click the Assignee(s) box and begin typing the name or email address of the assignee. Relay Lite displays a list of possible assignees. Click the assignee you want.
   1. You can assign a task to multiple individuals.
3. In the Message box, enter a specific description of the task.
4. Optionally, enter the number of days or hours you want to allow the individual to complete this task.
5. In the Assign the task to a file box, specify on which file the task is to be assigned.

Continue with the workflow until it is complete.

Notification outcomes 

Use notification outcomes to apprise stakeholders of key developments in workflow progress -- for example, when a process has ended or a file has been rejected.  Relay sends an automatic message to the people you designate, via the Box Web app and email.  As the workflow creator, you can customize the message Box sends, to ensure clarity or suggest another action for the message recipients.