BMLT Workflow

What is BMLT Workflow & Why Should We Use It? 

BMLT Workflow creates a quick way for members to update meeting information from a front facing form on WordPress.

This plugin was developed to support automation of meeting adds/changes/deletes. NA Home Group members can provide information on new meetings, updates to meetings and removal of meetings through your Service area website, using this plug in. For trusted servants, there is now one place that you can see submitted requests and action them, without data reentry into the BMLT Root Server admin console.

Using this plug-in, Administrators can quickly and easily make changes to BMLT meeting data by approving or denying meeting change submissions from NA members. Admins have the ability to request specific meeting data needed to keep the BMLT accurate, showing most up to date meeting information on the service areas website.

How do we get it?

BMLT Workflow can be downloaded from the following link:

 

The above link directs to a webpage that also includes installation instructions and a change log detailing updates applied to the plugin over time. 

Source code can be found here: https://github.com/bmlt-enabled/bmlt-workflow

Installation

The easiest way to install BMLT Workflow in your WordPress website is to search BMLT Workflow in the keyword Search on your plugins screen in WordPress and click the Install Now button. 

  1. Download and install the plugin from the WordPress dashboard.
  2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress. 

Configure your BMLT Root Server

  1. Settings- BMLT Root Server Configuration:
  2. Add your root server- The server address is the full URL to your BMLT Root Server installation. Find your root server here. For example: https://na.test.zzz/main_server/>
  3. Add BMLT username and password
  4. Select Test Configuration to ensure all information is correct and the plug-in will link to your BMLT Root Server.
  5. Save and Close
  6. Once your BMLT is configured this will automatically update your Service Bodies. You can manage your admin permissions under the Service Bodies menu. 
  7. Create a page under Pages in your WP Menu- and use the shortcode [bmltwf-meeting-update-form]
  8. Add to Menu
workflow-server-connect
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Those are the only necessary steps you need to take to begin to use BMLT Workflow on your site. However, there are some more settings you may want to take a look at and adjust. 

Editing the Email Template for Meeting Submissions

For each meeting submission, the person filling out the form will receive an email acknowledging that their submission was received and also listing the information that was submitted. 

You can edit this email in the BMLT Workflow settings. 

You probably do NOT want to remove the content below the horizontal rule in the template. That content is what specifically gets the data that was submitted and includes it in the email. 

bmlt-workflow-email-template

Other Settings

The following settings are explained within the configuration window of the plugin. Your service body may want to discuss how these interact with your existing workflow. 

Email From Address

Default for close meeting submission

Trusted servants can delete submissions

Remove Virtual Meeting details when venue is changed to “face to face”

Optional form fields

Field Service Office configuration

Using BMLT Workflow

To implement BMLT Workflow on your site, just enter the shortcode [bmltwf-meeting-update-form] into a new or existing WordPress page.

When a submission is entered by an NA member through your area website, the trusted servant will receive an email. On the plug-in menu, click Workflow Submissions. From here you can approve or deny any submissions entered.

  1. Accept a new meeting submission
  2. Accept updates to an existing meeting
  3. Delete or cancel an existing meeting
 
You can also filter the meeting submissions using the Filter dropdown at the top of the page. By default All meeting submissions are displayed, but you can choose to show only Pending, Approved, or Rejected submissions. 
Workflow-submission
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You can also use the ‘Quick Edit’ function to modify the meeting submission before it is saved to BMLT. This allows you to make minor changes to correct errors before it is added to the main meeting list.

To use the QuickEdit feature, select the meeting from the list and click the QuickEdit button at the top of the submission list. 

 

This opens the QuickEdit window. The changes that were submitted to existing meeting information will be highlighted in the window. If you edit any of the information, that field will get highlighted as well. 

This is helpful if a Location name is misspelled, or if people commonly use a nickname for a facility instead of the real name (ie… Brownstone church instead of Trinity Church).

Once you edit the necessary information, click Save and then you can either Accept or Reject the submission as you regularly would. 

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When approving or rejecting a meeting submission, you can add a message back to the person who submitted the form. 

After clicking either the Approve or Reject button, a message window will pop up allowing you to type your message. 

bmlt-workflow-approve
bmlt-workflow-reject

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common issues you can run into while installing, configuring, updating, or maintaining BMLT Workflow. Possible solutions to these issues are provided. If you are experiencing an issue that is not addressed in this section, you can find help here.

  • Why do I want to use Workflow?
    • This will allow a faster process and potentially more accurate for added,edited and removal of meeting information.
  • Can I still use the BMLT to make updates to meetings alongside this plug-in?
    • Absolutely! BMLT will still be available independently for meeting amendments, so you can change, modify and delete meetings straight from the BMLT console.
  • What if the updated information provided is wrong?
    • If the submitter has provided incorrect information, you can use the QuickEdit function to modify the submission. This will allow you to make minor changes before the submission is approved.
  • Can I have more than one Administrator accepting/denying new updates?
    • Yes. Access to the workflow plugin is provided by WordPress. You can add users to your wordpress installation and then assign them to a particular service body. When a submission is received all users assigned to that service body will receive a notification via email that a new submission has been received.
      You can have as many WordPress users per service body as you need, and you can also have the same WordPress user associated with multiple service bodies. These users can be entirely distinct from users within BMLT, so you don’t have to give full BMLT access to allow management of meetings via the plugin.
  • What do I need to do if I’m moving on from my service position?
    • Notify the manager of the WordPress site. The manager of the WordPress site should remove your account from the service body and you will no longer receive notifications of meeting submissions. If no longer required, the WordPress account can also be removed. The manager should create a new account for the new administrator.
  • Back up and Restore
    • The back up and restore feature on the Configuration page will back up and/or restore the plug-in. This feature does not back up your BMLT.
  • What does Default – Unpublish on BMLT mean?
    • When a meeting is removed, it can be entirely deleted, or just marked as unpublished, which effectively hides them from the meeting listings. This feature gives the option to choose the default action for meeting deletions.