Flowchart

Flowcharts represent processes, algorithms, or step-by-step solutions graphically as connected nodes, enabling teams to execute and track complex laboratory workflows visually.

Specs

Label	Value
Version	1.3.0 (updated on 2026-01-18)
Developer	Labii Inc.
Type	Section
Support Configuration	Yes

Overview

The Flowchart widget provides a graphical, interactive process management tool for laboratory teams. It replaces and improves the previous Workflow widget by operating independently of workflow settings, allowing users to define any sequence of steps and visualize them as a connected node diagram. Each step in the flowchart can carry descriptive metadata, conditional branching logic, redirect loops, and one or more configurable actions. Teams follow the diagram to execute and complete each step in order, with completion status tracked in real time. The widget also supports AI-assisted step generation through FlowchartGPT, enabling users to convert a plain-text workflow description into a structured flowchart automatically.

The Flowchart widget displays a process as an interactive node diagram, with each box representing a step that can be executed and completed.

Use Cases

• Purchase Workflow Management: Model the full purchase approval process — from request submission through manager review, procurement, and delivery — as a visual flowchart with action buttons at each step.

• Sample Receiving Workflow: Guide lab technicians through sample intake, labeling, quality check, and storage steps with enforced order and per-step completion tracking.

• Experimental Protocol Execution: Break a multi-stage protocol into discrete steps with conditional branching (e.g., pass/fail decision nodes) and redirect loops for repeated actions.

• Onboarding and Training Workflows: Create step-by-step onboarding checklists for new team members with links to relevant documents and forms at each step.

• Compliance Processes: Track regulated procedures (GLP, GMP) with audit-ready completion records that capture the completing user and timestamp automatically.

• Automated Downstream Actions: Attach workflow execution or URL-opening actions to steps so that completing a step triggers the next operation automatically.

Interface

Read-only View

The read-only view displays the rendered flowchart diagram as an interactive graph of connected nodes. Each node represents a step; nodes are color-coded according to their configured color, and completed steps are highlighted in green. Clicking any node opens a step card overlay that shows the step name, description, and available action buttons.

• Diagram Navigation: Click any node to open the step card for that step.

• Step Card: Displays the step name, description, completion status, and configured action buttons. Use Prev and Next to move between adjacent steps.

• Complete Step: Click Complete on the step card to mark the step done. The completing user's name and timestamp are recorded automatically. The diagram updates to highlight the step in green and reveals the next steps.

• Undo Complete: Click Undo on the step card to reverse a completion.

• Perform Step Action: Configured action buttons appear on the step card. Click an action button to open a link, open a section, or execute a workflow.

• Step Details Panel: Clicking a node also populates the right-side details panel with the step name, description, node actions (Edit, Add child, Duplicate, Delete), and step actions.

Edit View

The edit view exposes the step management panel and flowchart build controls.

The step management panel lists all steps and provides controls to add, edit, delete, and reorder them.

• Manage Steps Panel: Click Manage steps to open the panel. All defined steps are listed with Edit, Delete, and reorder controls.

• Add Step: Click Add step to create a new step (the Manage steps panel must be open first).

• Edit Step: Click Edit on any step row to modify its fields.

• Delete Step: Click Delete on a step row to remove it.

• Reorder Steps: Drag and drop the move handle to change the step order.

• Build Flowchart: Click Build flowchart to (re)generate the diagram from the current step list.

• Save as Default: Click Save as default to store the current step list as a template that loads automatically on new records.

• FlowchartGPT: Enter a plain-text workflow description in the AI prompt input and press Enter to generate steps automatically.

The Add step form allows full configuration of step metadata, branching logic, and actions.

Step Fields

Each step is organized into the following sections and fields in the Add step form:

Field	Description
Step Information	A section heading for the core step details.
Name	Step name. This value is used to reference the step, so it should be unique across all steps.
Description	Instructions or descriptive text shown for the step.
Flow and Navigation	A section heading for relationship and routing settings.
Parent	The parent step for this step. Use it to connect the step to an earlier step in the diagram.
Condition	The condition that led to this step. Letters and numbers only. The condition is displayed on the arrow between steps.
Redirect To	Choose a step to redirect this step to. Use this to create loops or alternate routing.
Redirect To Text	Text that describes the redirect action. Defaults to "Redirect to".
Link	The link style from the parent step to this step. Available styles include arrow, bidirectional, open, dotted, thick, and invisible.
Animation	The animation speed for the link from the parent step to this step. Available options are None, Slow, and Fast.
Appearance	A section heading for step styling options.
Shape	The shape of the step in the workflow diagram. See Mermaid flowchart shapes.
Color	The color of the step in the workflow diagram.
Step Actions	A section heading for configuring action buttons.
Action	One or more action buttons attached to the step. Each action has a Name, Icon, Action type, and Parameters.

Configuration

Diagrams and step cards can be configured to control display width and step enforcement.

1

Click the Configure button in the Flowchart widget header to open the settings panel.

2

Configure the available settings:

• Width: The display width of the flowchart diagram, expressed as a fraction (e.g., 6/12 = 50% of total width).

• Should disable actions if step not current: When checked, users cannot complete or act on steps that are not the active step, enforcing strict sequential execution.

3

Click Save to apply the configuration.

Setting Width to 12/12 (full width) is recommended for flowcharts with many branching steps to ensure all nodes are visible without scrolling.

Enabling Should disable actions if step not current enforces strict step ordering. Ensure your flowchart steps are in the correct sequence before enabling this option in a production record.

Additional Functions

Execute Workflow View

The Execute Workflow view consolidates all resources needed to complete a workflow into a single window.

1

Click the Execute Workflow button in the Flowchart widget.

2

The workflow view opens with:

• The flowchart diagram in the side menu for orientation

• Step details (name, description, actions) at the top of the content window

• Additional record sections displayed in the main body

3

Work through each step using the step details panel. Complete steps, perform actions, and navigate to subsequent steps without leaving the workflow view.

Step Actions

Each step can be assigned one or more actions that appear as buttons on the step card. Supported action types:

Action	Description
OPENLINK	Opens any URL in a new tab.
OPENSECTION	Opens a specific record section in a new tab.
EXECUTEWORKFLOW	Executes a configured Labii workflow by its UID.

Example action parameter strings:

• Open a URL: {'action': 'OPENLINK', 'parameters': 'https://www.example.com'}

• Open Gmail compose: {'action': 'OPENLINK', 'parameters': 'https://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1&[email protected]&su=SUBJECT&body=BODY'}

• Open a new sample creation form: {'action': 'OPENLINK', 'parameters': '/form/rows/experiments/0/?d0RLUmZpZWxkc19kaXNhYmxlZHlIUVo_=is_archived'}

• Execute a workflow: {'action': 'EXECUTEWORKFLOW', 'parameters': 'ehkn0a40x1glqvAFKP'}

Generate Flowchart with AI (FlowchartGPT)

FlowchartGPT automatically generates flowchart steps from a plain-text workflow description, eliminating manual step creation for common processes.

1

Open the Manage steps panel by clicking Manage steps.

2

Locate the AI prompt input box and type a detailed description of your workflow. Clearly outline each stage and any branching conditions to improve accuracy.

3

Press Enter. The AI interprets the description and creates the corresponding flowchart steps automatically.

4

Review the generated steps. Edit, reorder, or delete steps as needed to match your exact workflow requirements.

5

Click Build flowchart to render the diagram from the finalized steps.

Providing a detailed, sequential description yields more accurate AI-generated steps. Include decision points and conditions (e.g., "if sample passes QC, proceed to storage; otherwise, reject") for richer diagrams.

Save as Default

To reuse a step set across multiple records, click Save as default in the Manage steps panel. The current steps will be pre-loaded on all new records that include this Flowchart widget, saving setup time for recurring workflows.

Best Practices

Designing Flowchart Steps

• Keep step Name values short and descriptive using only alphanumeric characters (e.g., ReceiveSample, QCCheck).

• Write clear Description text with instructions; this is what users see in the step card during execution.

• Use Condition text on branching arrows to make decision logic self-documenting in the diagram (e.g., Pass, Fail, Approved).

Enforcing Workflow Integrity

• Enable Should disable actions if step not current for regulated or GMP processes to prevent out-of-order completion.

• Use Save as default for standardized SOPs so all new records start with the correct step set.

• Assign EXECUTEWORKFLOW actions to automate downstream record creation or data operations at the appropriate step.

Performance and Maintainability

• After adding, editing, or reordering steps, always click Build flowchart to regenerate the diagram and reflect the latest changes.

• Limit individual flowcharts to a manageable number of steps (typically under 20) for readability. For longer processes, consider splitting into sub-workflows linked via EXECUTEWORKFLOW actions.

• Use Redirect To sparingly and document the loop condition clearly to avoid confusing cyclic diagrams.

Combining the Flowchart widget with relevant data sections in the Execute Workflow view gives users everything they need to complete a step — instructions, actions, and supporting data — without navigating away.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Avoid using spaces or special characters in step Name fields; they are used as node identifiers in the diagram syntax.

• Avoid deleting a parent step without first re-parenting its children, which will break the diagram connections.

• Instead, reassign child step Parent values before removing an intermediate step.

Related Widgets

• Steps: An alternative process management widget that presents steps as a linear list rather than a graphical diagram. Use the Steps widget when a sequential checklist view is preferred over a visual flowchart.