Automation: Create a Subitem AND Manipulate the New Item

I am trying to create an automation rule that triggers on the completion of a project that serves the purpose of reminding the project team to address administrative tasks.

Problem: Project teams sometimes close out a project in Wrike without archiving files, recording KPIs, etc.

Desired Solution: When the project is marked "complete," a subtask is created to serve as a reminder and it assigned to the user marking the project complete. A notification is also created through an @ mention comment.

Issue: It appears there is no way to set additional steps in an automation that affect the newly created subtask. Any additional steps to change assignee, etc., affect the original project that is being marked completed.

Ideally, we would not rely on our staff to remember to go back and assign the reminder task out (this is just a different form of the initial problem). Is there any way to accomplish this, or do the abilities of automations actions end after the creation of the subtask?

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Comments

Pietro Poli

Hi @Charles Wiff, you're right.

Inside the task created by the automation you can't do anything else because you can't trigger a new automation based on the result of another automation.

At the moment, when I need to do something similar I have 2 ways:
1- I create the tasks (in the first automation) based on blueprints, I have to create x different automations for each person I have to intercept, for example the PMs. If the project is Complete and the Owner is the same as Pietro, create a subtask based on a task blueprint where Pietro is already assigned. For another PM I create a new automation by changing the Owner in the filters and create a different task blueprint with the new assignee.
2- If this method is not sustainable, too many rules to maintain over time, then I rely on Wrike Integrate or the APIs. I always create a task from Automations and with another API script or Wrike Integrate recipe I verify the creation of the new element (usually I use a specific CIT) and based on data that I collect from the project owner I assign it and then insert a comment.

I know that here /hc/en-us/community/posts/17608996246679--Automations-Possibility-for-an-automation-to-be-triggered-by-a-change-of-state-generated-by-another-automation-not-just-manually we are collecting votes to have the possibility of having automations that activate other automations.

Charles Wiff

Thanks @Pietro Poli - that's helpful guidance. I will certainly add my vote to the tally as this would open up a lot more value for the automation functionality.

Devree Czupinski

Hi @Charles Wiff,

I agree that this functionality would be really nice to have automations that can be triggered via something created by an automation. I also agree with Pietro's suggestions.

One other suggestion I thought of, if you want something potentially simpler:

Instead of creating a subitem/task to fill out KPIs and Archive files, you could add an additional workflow status that you could put the project back to if someone marks complete and some other condition is met (e.g. check if a custom field was checked saying those steps have been done - otherwise you would have an endless loop), and then mention the assignee with the reminder to do those steps and mark it as such in the custom field. That way the project can't be marked complete (and therefore would disappear from their active projects), until those are done.

Just a thought - and not as elegant a solution as being able to create a subitem and assign that subitem to the person triggering the initial rule. You could also add that subitem to the project or blueprint from the start and have it within the regular scope of work.

Thanks! Hope you can get a solution to work for you!

Charles Wiff

@Devree Czupinski I appreciate the suggestion and that might actually work well for our case. Thank you!

Pietro Poli

Great suggestion @Devree Czupinski!

Alan Sanders

@Charles Wiff - Do you have access to Wrike Integrate (Workato)? It seems like you'd be able to build this out.

You should be able to build out the task creation and email notification with the existing Wrike actions. We utilize the email notification feature inside Workato to send our team updates about things that happen in Wrike.