Description:

This step archives a document in the FlowWright Document Management System (DMS).

The Archive Document workflow step identifies a document using its Document ID and changes its status to Archived. The document remains stored in the repository, and its revision history, metadata, and audit trail are preserved, but it is treated as an archived document rather than an active working document.

This step provides an efficient way to automate document lifecycle management by moving completed, obsolete, or superseded documents into an archived state without permanently deleting them.

The step supports:

• Document archival
• Document selection using a Document ID
• Preservation of document history
• Integration with the FlowWright Document Management System
• Automated document lifecycle management

This step can be used for:

• Document retention
• Completed project archiving
• Quality management
• Compliance documentation
• Records management
• Repository maintenance
• Business process automation

Usage:

The Archive Document step is typically placed after document approval, publication, project completion, retention processing, or document replacement activities within a workflow.

The workflow retrieves the specified document by its Document ID and changes its status to Archived, retaining it while preventing it from being treated as an active document.

A typical workflow might look like this:

Once the document has been archived, later workflow steps can:

• Generate compliance reports
• Notify document owners
• Enforce retention policies
• Delete expired archived documents
• Synchronize external repositories
• Continue document lifecycle management

The document must already exist within the FlowWright Document Management System before this step is executed.

Example:

Let’s build and execute the “DMSArchiveDocumentDef” example:

• Create a new process definition named “DMSArchiveDocumentDef” and open it in designer mode. 
• Drag an “updateVariables and DMSArchiveDocument” step to the canvas.
• Connect the dots between the “Start” and the other steps, as shown above. 
• Define a variable or a global to hold the DMS Document ID. 
• On the DMS page, navigate to the folder and select the document shown in this example. Use the column selector to include the “ID” column to show. Copy-paste the “Document ID” value to the clipboard. 

• Click the "updateVariables" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Click the "updateVariables" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide a variable reference to hold the “Document ID” value. Copy-paste the value from the clipboard. Click the Save button. 

• Click the "DMSArchiveDocument" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Provide the variable or global reference that holds the “Document ID” value. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• The “Logging” setting configuration is necessary for documentation and also for measuring workflow progress and completion percentage. This is achieved by configuring the step state and percent fields individually, as shown in the images below. Configure the “Logging” using the following properties.

• Save the Process Definition. Create a new Process Instance and execute it. When the workflow reaches the Archive Document step, FlowWright retrieves the specified document using the configured Document ID and changes its status to Archived. If the operation completes successfully, the workflow follows the True return path. If the document cannot be found, the executing user does not have permission to archive the document, the document is currently locked or checked out, or the archive operation cannot be completed, the workflow follows the False return path. Click the process step to view its properties. The step should successfully archive the document and return True upon completion. Verify within the Document Management System that the document now appears with an Archived status and is no longer treated as an active document.

• On the DMS page, select the folder, then click View > Archive.  

• The list of archived folders is displayed in the table below. You can use the Search textbox to filter the results. Select the item in the table, then click the Actions menu to access the “Restore, Destroy, and Empty” features. 

• Restore an Archive. Select the document in the table, then click Actions > Restore. 

• A confirmation pop-up window appears. Click the OK button. 

• The archived document is “undone” and removed from the DMS Archive folder. A confirmation message is displayed in the top-right corner.  

• Destroy an Archive. Select the document in the table, then click Actions > Destroy. 

• A pop-up is displayed for confirmation. Click the OK button. The archived document is marked “removed permanently,” and a confirmation message appears in the top-right corner.  

• Empty an Archive. Select Actions > Empty menu option to remove all archived documents.

• Type “REMOVE” in the text box and click the “Empty Archive” button to start. All archived documents and their contents are removed, and a confirmation message appears in the top-right corner. 

Tips:

• Verify that the specified Document ID references an existing document.
• Ensure that the executing user has permission to archive documents.
• Complete all required reviews and approvals before archiving a document.
• Archive documents rather than delete them when retention or audit requirements apply.
• Confirm that the document is no longer required for active business processes before archiving.
• Use the True and False return paths to implement appropriate success and error handling.
• Combine this step with Review Document, Set Document Permissions, Generate Document Link, Delete Document, or Generate Audit Report workflow steps to automate complete document retention and records management workflows.

Notes:

• The specified document must already exist in the FlowWright Document Management System.
• The executing user must have sufficient permissions to archive documents.
• Archiving a document preserves its metadata, revision history, and audit information.
• Archived documents remain stored in the repository and may still be available to authorized users, depending on the repository configuration.
• Documents that are currently checked out or protected by workflow policies may not be eligible for archiving until those conditions are resolved.
• Invalid Document IDs or insufficient permissions may cause the step to return False.
• The workflow should include appropriate error handling for the False return path.
• Document archival activities should be audited in accordance with your organization's document governance, records management, and compliance policies.

Definition Sample:

You may download the sample definition(s) from the link provided and later import them (drag-and-drop) into your FlowWright Process Definition (XML file) or Form Definition (HTML file) page.

Note: Verify and complete any missing configuration after importing the sample, including:

• Document ID mapping
• Workflow variable mappings
• DMS security permissions
• Repository retention policies
• Environment-specific settings

After verifying the configuration, save the Process Definition before execution.

Click here to download the sample file.