Create Project from Opportunity Flow

The TaskRay Create Project from Opportunity flow is a packaged flow that defines when to create a TaskRay Project. This flow works in conjunction with the TaskRay Create Project from Template flow to automatically create TaskRay Projects based on Opportunities. You can think of it like this:

• TaskRay Create Project from Opportunity Flow - defines WHEN to create a TaskRay Project
• TaskRay Create Project from Template Flow - defines HOW to build the TaskRay Project

This article provides details specific to the triggering criteria portion i.e. the when of the overall automated process. Refer to the following articles for more information on all elements of the automations:

• Automate Project Creation (for the non-forecasting use cases)
• Forecasting: Overview & Configuration Guide (for the forecasting use case)

It's important to note that since this flow relies on the Create Project from Template Flow, we recommend configuring and activating your Create Project from Template Flow prior to continuing with the configuration outlined in this article. 

Use Case & Configuration Details

The general goal of this flow is to fully automate project creation to free up your resources' time for more meaningful work. There are 2 common use cases for project creation: kicking off a new project and planning for a potential future project (forecasting). 

Both of these use cases are supported by the Flow outlined in this article (TaskRay Create Project from Opportunity). That said, there are differences in specific configurations of this flow to support each of the use cases. More specifically, depending on the use case, the start entry/trigger criteria will be different.

Below we will walk through the flow details and how to configure the flow for each use case.

[Non-Forecasting Use Case] Kicking off a New Project

One common application for TaskRay is to manage the onboarding process for new customers, which begins after an Opportunity is marked as Closed Won. Although the specifics will vary for each organization, the onboarding process typically includes steps to assist new customers with implementation, training, and other relevant activities.

A typical configuration of the start entry/trigger criteria for this use case would be to check that the triggering Opportunity is Closed Won.

[Forecasting Use Case] Planning for a Potential Future Project

The Premium Edition of TaskRay also provides the ability to incorporate forecasting, which allows for proactive planning of potential future work. Generally, a Forecast Project is created earlier in the Sales process so teams can start anticipating resource needs based on the projects and corresponding workload that may come when the opportunity is closed.

A typical configuration of the start entry/trigger criteria for this use case would be to check that the triggering Opportunity Stage is set to some value of certainty of the potential sale (e.g. Proposal).

Flow Overview

To access the flow:

1. From Setup, navigate to Process Automation | Flows.
2. Click on the TaskRay Create Project from Opportunity flow to open it.

Below is the packaged Flow provided by TaskRay:

Simple, right? This flow defines WHEN to create a TaskRay Project, then calls the Create Project from Template Flow to determine HOW to build the project.

Configure the Flow

[Non-Forecasting Use Case] Kicking off a New Project

As mentioned above, one of the most common post-sale use cases in TaskRay is creating a project when an Opportunity is marked as Closed Won to kick off a process to onboard the new customer. This use case is so common, that the flow is packaged to do exactly that! You can simply activate the flow, or use the instructions below to review the flow criteria before activation.

Review Flow Criteria

1. Click on the Start element to expand it.
2. Click Edit next to the trigger criteria to review it.
   
3. Make any edits, if necessary.
   
   Note: The default configuration of this flow is set up to check that the Opportunity Stage is Closed Won. This is a typical approach to kick off new projects, but you can update it to any other criteria if needed.

Save & Activate the Flow

1. If you made any changes, click on the Save As button in the top right corner. If you didn't make any changes, skip to step 4.
2. In the modal, choose A New Version.
3. Click Save.
4. In the top right corner of the Flow canvas, click on the Activate button.

[Forecasting Use Case] Planning for a Potential Future Project

The Premium Edition of TaskRay provides the ability to incorporate forecasting, which allows for proactive planning of potential future work. Generally, a Forecast Project is created earlier in the Sales process e.g. when the Opportunity Stage = Proposal. We'll use this criteria in the instructions below but as always, this process can be modified to fit unique requirements, if needed.

Flow Configuration

1. Click on the Start element to expand it.
2. Click Edit next to the trigger criteria to review it.
   
3. Go to the Set Entry Criteria section. Click the trash can icon next to the existing criteria to delete it. Repeat until only 1 piece of criteria remains. 
4. For the remaining criteria, modify it to meet the following:
   • Field = Stage Name
   • Operator = Equals
   • Value = Select desired stage e.g. Proposal (Note: This is an example stage and stages may vary in your org)
     
5. Now that the start criteria is defined, click on the TaskRay Create Project from Template subflow element in the flow canvas.
6. Click Edit Element.
7. Under the Set Input Values, change the forecastProject input to True.
   
   

Save & Activate the Flow

1. Click on the Save As button in the top right corner. If you didn't make any changes, skip to step 4.
2. In the modal, choose A New Version.
3. Click Save.
4. In the top right corner of the Flow canvas, click on the Activate button.

Flow Testing

As a best practice, it is always a good idea to test automations to make sure that they meet requirements and follow expected behavior. Automations can be tested using the Debug options in Flow, using sample test records.