Workflows can help structure recurring and cross-functional processes and make them visible across stakeholders. Workflows help customers for:
- Annual budgeting: Assign department leaders to review dashboards and update forecast inputs.
- Forecast check-ins: Create tasks to revisit key metrics mid-quarter and confirm updated projections.
- Variance reviews: Track follow-ups after each actuals refresh to explain key deviations.
- Cross-functional approvals: Route headcount, marketing, or capex changes through tasks with attachments and due dates.
Use Workflows in Cube to organize, assign, and track finance-led processes—so everyone knows what needs to happen and when.
This article introduces key concepts and roles, explains how workflows progress, and links out to step-by-step guides for getting started.
What is a workflow?
A workflow is a structured set of tasks tied to a specific finance process, like budgeting, forecasting, or approvals. Each workflow has:
- A name and owner
- A description of the process to provide context for assignees
- One or more assigned tasks
- A status that reflects its overall progress
Workflows help keep your planning cycle organized, visible, and moving forward. You can track workflows from the Workflow page, where you can sort and filter to monitor progress.
What is a task?
A task is an action assigned to a specific user within a workflow. The assignee receives an email notification that they have a new task to complete and will update the task status (from To Do to Done) as they complete the work.
Tasks often include:
- A title and instructions
- A due date
- A Cube dashboard, web report, or library file as an attachment
- A comment thread to ask questions and get clarification on task attachments.
Assignees will only see the tasks assigned to them and the associated workflows unless they have permission to manage workflows. A user’s data access permissions dictate the data they can interact with in dashboards or web reports attached to tasks.
Tasks guide assignees on what to do and when, and help workflow owners track completion across the business.
The workflow lifecycle
Track each workflow as it moves through three distinct statuses as tasks are completed from your Workflow page:
- Not Started: The default when a workflow is first created.
- In Progress: Automatically updates when the first task is moved to To Do.
- Completed: Can be marked complete by the workflow owner when all tasks are finished or no further updates are needed.
Create tasks in a new workflow
Workflow owners create tasks inside a new workflow by setting due dates, assignees, descriptions, and adding attachments such as a web report, dashboard, or file from their Cube library.
When tasks are initially created and the workflow is Not Started, the tasks are in Draft status. Task assignees aren't notified while their assigned tasks are in Draft status, and only workflow owners can view this workflow and associated tasks.
Learn more about creating and assigning tasks.
Complete and monitor tasks in In Progress workflows
When tasks are moved from Draft to To Do status, the task assignees are notified by email, and they can log into their Cube Workspace to complete their assignments. Task assignees can see their own tasks and associated workflows. Learn more about how assignees complete tasks.
When the first task is moved to the To Do status, the workflow automatically moves to In Progress. Workflow owners can monitor task completion by sorting and filtering tasks in workflows in their Cube Workspace. Learn more about tracking workflow progress.
Complete a finished workflow
When a workflow is finished, a workflow owner can mark it Complete. A completed workflow becomes read-only. Tasks stay visible but can no longer be edited by workflow owners or task assignees.
When the owner marks a workflow as Complete:
- The status is locked, and no further edits can be made.
- Tasks, assignees, and attachments remain visible but cannot be changed.
Learn more about completing a workflow.
Who can see and manage workflows
Cube includes two permission sets in user types that allow users to manage or view workflows and tasks. Data access groups control the data accessible in dashboards and reports attached to tasks. Learn more about user permissions in Cube.
Manage workflows and tasks
Users with this permission can:
- Create and edit their own workflows and tasks
- Assign or reassign tasks
- Change task statuses
- Complete their own workflows
By default, this permission is granted to Admin and Finance user types and can be included in any custom user types.
View workflows and tasks
Users with this permission can:
- View all workflows where they’re assigned a task
- View their assigned tasks
- Update the status of their assigned tasks
- Reassign their own tasks, if needed
This permission is granted to Business user types by default and can be included in any custom user types.