Highlighter Documentation

Assigning Contributors to Workflows

Control access to workflows, workflow orders, and specific steps by assigning users at multiple levels.

Overview

Highlighter uses a three-tier assignment system to control who can access and work on different parts of your workflows. Understanding these levels is essential for properly configuring team access.

The Three-Tier Assignment System

When assigning contributors to do work in Highlighter, you may need to make assignments at up to three different levels depending on your use case:

1. Workflow-Level Assignment (Required for Workflow Order Access)

Users must be assigned to a workflow before they can be assigned to any workflow orders within that workflow.

2. Workflow Order-Level Assignment (Optional but Common)

Once a user is assigned to a workflow, they can be assigned to specific workflow orders to restrict access.

3. Step-Level Assignment (Optional, Specific Step Types)

For data source and human assessment steps, you can assign specific users who will work on tasks in those steps.

Level 1: Assigning Users to a Workflow

This is the foundational assignment level. Users must be assigned to a workflow to access its workflow orders.

Steps to Assign Users to a Workflow

  1. Navigate to the Workflow

    • Go to the Workflows section
    • Select the workflow where you want to add users

  2. Open the Admin Tab

    • Click on the "Admin" tab in the workflow view

  3. Add Users

    • In the right panel, you'll see a "Permissions" section
    • Click "Add User to Workflow" to assign an existing user
    • Or click "Create User and Add to Workflow" to create a new user and assign them simultaneously
    • Select the user(s) you want to add

  4. Confirm Assignment

    • The user will now appear in the workflow's permissions list
    • They can now be assigned to workflow orders within this workflow

Level 2: Assigning Users to a Workflow Order

After users are assigned to the workflow, you can optionally assign them to specific workflow orders to control access.

Steps to Assign Users to a Workflow Order

  1. Prerequisite: Assign to Workflow First

    • The user must already be assigned to the parent workflow (see Level 1 above)
    • If they aren't, assign them to the workflow first

  2. Navigate to the Workflow Order

    • Go to the workflow
    • Click on the "Orders" tab
    • Select the specific workflow order

  3. Add Users to the Order

    • On the right side panel, you'll see a "Permissions" section
    • Click "Add User to Order" to assign a user
    • Or click "Create User and Add to Order" to create and assign simultaneously
    • Select the user(s) from those already assigned to the workflow

  4. Access Control Behavior

    • Before any users are added: All users assigned to the workflow can access the order
    • After adding at least one user: Only the specifically assigned users can access the order

Level 3: Assigning Users to Specific Steps

For data source and human assessment steps, you can assign specific users who will be able to work on tasks in those steps.

Assigning Users to Data Source Steps

Data source step assignments control who can upload files through that step.

  1. Navigate to the Step

    • Go to your workflow
    • Click on the "Steps" tab
    • Click on the data source step you want to configure (or create a new one)

  2. Assign Contributors

    • In the step configuration form, locate the "Assign Contributors" field
    • Select the users who should be able to upload files for this step
    • Multiple users can be selected

  3. Save the Step

    • Click "Save" to confirm the assignments
    • Assigned contributors will be able to upload files for this data source step

Assigning Users to Human Assessment Steps

Human assessment step assignments control who can work on review tasks in those steps.

  1. Navigate to the Step

    • Go to your workflow
    • Click on the "Steps" tab
    • Click on the human assessment step you want to configure (or create a new one)

  2. Assign Users

    • In the step configuration form, locate the "Assignees" field
    • Select the users who should be able to work on tasks for this step
    • Multiple users can be selected

  3. Save the Step

    • Click "Save" to confirm the assignments
    • Assigned users will be able to see and work on tasks in their work queue for this step

Common Assignment Scenarios

Scenario 1: Open Access Workflow

All team members can work on any workflow order:

  • Assign all users to the workflow (Level 1)
  • Don't assign users to individual workflow orders
  • Result: All workflow users can access all orders

Scenario 2: Restricted Workflow Orders

Different teams work on different workflow orders:

  • Assign all users to the workflow (Level 1)
  • Assign specific users to each workflow order (Level 2)
  • Result: Users can only access their assigned orders

Scenario 3: Specialized Step Assignments

Specific users handle uploads or reviews:

  • Assign all users to the workflow (Level 1)
  • Optionally assign users to workflow orders (Level 2)
  • Assign specific users to data source or human assessment steps (Level 3)
  • Result: Only assigned users can upload files or work on review tasks for those steps

Monitoring Contributor Activity

On the Steps tab of a workflow, you can view which users are assigned to each step:

  • For data source steps: View assigned contributors who can upload files
  • For human assessment steps: View assignees and see their activity statistics including:
    • Number of tasks checked out
    • Number of submissions completed
    • Number of assigned orders
    • Number of available tasks

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

User Cannot Access a Workflow Order

  • Check workflow assignment first: Verify the user is assigned to the parent workflow in the Admin tab
  • Check order-specific permissions: If any users have been added to the workflow order, verify this user is also added
  • Remember: Users must be assigned to the workflow before they can be assigned to orders

User Cannot See Tasks in a Human Assessment Step

  • Check step assignment: Verify the user is assigned in the step's configuration under "Assignees"
  • Check workflow order access: Ensure the user has access to the workflow order containing the tasks (see above)
  • Verify tasks exist: Check that there are actually pending tasks in that step

User Cannot Upload Files to a Data Source Step

  • Check step assignment: Verify the user is assigned to the data source step under "Assign Contributors"
  • Check workflow access: Ensure the user is assigned to the workflow
  • Verify step configuration: Confirm the data source step is properly configured

Cannot Add User to Workflow Order

  • Prerequisite missing: The user must first be assigned to the parent workflow
  • Solution: Go to the workflow's Admin tab and add the user to the workflow first, then try adding them to the order

Too Many or Too Few People Have Access

  • Workflow order permissions behavior: Remember that workflow orders have an "all or restricted" model:
    • If no users are assigned to an order, all workflow users can access it
    • Once you add even one user to an order, only assigned users can access it
  • Review your assignments: Check who is assigned at each level (workflow, order, step)

Getting Help

For additional assistance with contributor assignments:

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