Stage Flowchart
Visualize record progress through predefined Select-column stages as an interactive flowchart.
Specs
Version
2.1.0 (updated on 2022-02-26)
Developer
Labii Inc.
Type
Section
Support Configuration
Yes
Overview
The Stage Flowchart section widget visualizes the current status of a Labii record as a sequence of stages. It uses choices from a Select column as the available stages, then highlights the record's current value within the flowchart. Users can review completed and upcoming stages at a glance, and they can click a stage box to update the record status directly. This widget is useful for laboratory workflows that move through defined phases, such as sample intake, testing, review, approval, release, or archiving.
Use Cases
Sample Processing: Track whether a sample is received, prepared, tested, reviewed, or completed.
Experiment Workflow: Show the current phase of an experiment, assay, or protocol execution record.
Review and Approval: Visualize document, result, or batch review status from draft through final approval.
Quality Control: Track records through inspection, investigation, corrective action, and closure stages.
Operational Handoffs: Help teams see where work sits when responsibility moves between lab, QA, data review, and reporting groups.
Interface
Read-only View
The read-only view displays the Select-column options as a flowchart. Each box represents one available stage, and the current record value determines which stages appear completed or pending.
Stage Boxes: Displays each Select option as a stage in the flowchart.
Current Stage: Highlights the record's current value in the configured Select column.
Completed Stages: Shows stages before the current stage in green.
Pending Stages: Shows unfinished stages in grey.
Interactive Updates: Allows users to click a stage box to change the record's current stage.
Directional Layout: Uses the configured direction to display stages in the preferred flow.
The flowchart reflects the order of choices in the configured Select column. Arrange the Select options in workflow order before using the widget.
Edit View
The edit view is used to configure which Select column drives the flowchart and how the stages should be arranged.
Column: Select the Select column that contains the stage choices.
Direction: Choose the direction of the flowchart.
Submit: Save the configuration and render the stage flowchart.
Configuration
Initial Setup
Confirm that the table contains a column using the Select widget.
Review the Select choices and place them in the same order as the workflow stages.
Add a section with the Stage Flowchart widget to the record where you want to show progress.
Click Edit to open the widget configuration.
Choose the Select Column and the flowchart Direction.
Click Submit to save the configuration and display the flowchart.
Required Settings
Column: Select the Select column that defines the available stages and stores the record's current stage.
Optional Settings
Direction: Choose the direction of the chart so the stage order reads naturally for users, such as left-to-right or top-to-bottom.
The Stage Flowchart requires a Select column. Other column types do not provide the ordered choice list needed to build the stage sequence.
Additional Functions
Change the Current Stage
Click a stage box in the flowchart to update the record's Select-column value. The chart updates to show the new completed and pending stages.
Track Completed and Pending Work
The widget displays finished stages in green and unfinished stages in grey. This makes it easy to see whether a record is early in the process, waiting for review, or close to completion.
Reorder Workflow Stages
Update the order of choices in the source Select column when the workflow sequence changes. The Stage Flowchart follows that configured choice order.
Rename Workflow Stages
Update the labels in the Select column when stage names need to match team terminology, quality process language, or regulatory documentation.
Best Practices
Use short, action-oriented stage names such as Received, Prepared, Tested, Reviewed, and Approved.
Keep the Select choices in the exact order users should follow during the workflow.
Avoid using one Select column for unrelated workflows; create separate status columns when records need different stage models.
Limit stages to the steps that users need to monitor regularly so the flowchart stays easy to scan.
Review permissions for records where clicking a stage box should be limited to authorized users.
Use the same stage names across related tables when teams need consistent reporting.
For regulated workflows, pair the Stage Flowchart with clear status definitions so users understand what each stage means before changing the record.
Related Widgets
Relation Flowchart: Visualize record-to-record relationships rather than progress through Select-column stages.
Mermaid: Create custom workflow diagrams manually when the workflow is not stored in a Select column.
Gantt Chart: Plan task timelines and milestones when schedule duration matters more than stage status.
Record Timeline by ForeignKey: Display related records in chronological order.
Record List by ForeignKey: Display records connected through ForeignKey or ForeignKeys columns.
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