Workflows and Response Templates

A workflow is the plan a data subject request follows once it arrives: an ordered set of stages, the tasks inside each stage, who works on them, and how long they have. Neostra creates a copy of the workflow for every request it receives, and the request's owner and assignees work through it under Request Queue and Tasks. Working a live request is covered in Requests and Tasks. This page covers designing the workflow itself.

Open DSAR > Workflows. Each card shows a System or Custom chip, the name, description, Version, Last Updated, and Tags. Use Search and Sort By (name or creation date) to find a workflow. View Published opens a read-only view of the live version. Edit opens the builder and is available on custom workflows only; system workflows are templates you copy from, not edit.

How a request reaches a workflow

Routing is decided by the intake form the request came through, not by the workflow. On the form's Rules page, each rule pairs conditions with an outcome. Conditions use form fields such as the request type or country with Is or Is Not, joined by All or Any. The outcome names the Workflow, Brand, optional Process and Sub Process, the request Owner, and Due in Days as calendar or business days.

Rules are checked in order for each request type the data subject selected, and the first match wins. Every form has one default rule, marked "If none of the other rules will match", which cannot be deleted and catches everything else. A request that selects several request types gets one workflow copy per type, each with its own deadline.

Create a workflow

Click Add New and fill in the drawer:

Click Add. The workflow opens with three tabs: Details, Builder, and Rules.

Details

The Details tab shows Name, Brand, Version, Description, Regulations, Tags, Author, Last Updated At, and Last Updated By. Click Edit to open Edit Workflow Details and change the name, description, brand, regulations, or tags, then click Update.

Draft, Publish, and Discard Draft

A new workflow starts as a draft. On a published workflow, your first change in any tab creates a draft automatically. While a draft exists, Discard Draft and Publish are active in the header. Publish replaces the live version immediately. Discard Draft asks for confirmation, then removes every change since the last publish.

Each publish stamps a new Version on the workflow, shown on the card and in Details. There is no rollback; to revert, change the configuration and publish again.

Builder: stages

The Builder tab, Manage Stages, shows the stages as a stepper. Click a stage to see its settings and tasks.

Click Add Stage and fill in the drawer:

• Stage Name: required, up to 25 characters.
• Auto Advance Stage: when on, the request moves to the next stage as soon as every task in this stage is completed. When off, the request owner advances the stage manually.
• Edit Request Deadline: when on, the request deadline can be changed while the request is in this stage. A deadline can be extended once per request, by a number of calendar or business days with a reason.
• Edit Requester Data: when on, the data subject's submitted details can be edited while the request is in this stage.

Click Save. Select a stage and click Edit Stage to change these settings, or Order Stages to drag stages into sequence or delete one.

Builder: tasks

Under Tasks in Stage, click Add task in stage:

Click Save. The task table lists Task, Type, Response Type, and Assignee with edit and delete actions. Order Tasks lets you drag tasks into sequence within the stage.

Import and export

From a card's menu choose Export to download the workflow as a JSON file containing its details, stages, tasks, and rules. Click Import Workflow and pick a JSON file to bring one in, for example from another Neostra account. Neostra checks the file first. If the brand, any regulation, or the default workflow it references does not exist in your account, an Import Validation Warning lists them; pick a Default Workflow where asked, then click Continue or Cancel. Imported workflows count toward your plan limit.

Rules

The Rules tab has two tables, Basic and Advanced. Basic rules shape the workflow itself by switching tasks and stages on or off and by tightening evidence requirements. Advanced rules react to progress by tagging, emailing, or calling an external API. Use the search box and filter to find rules; each row offers view, edit, and delete.

Basic rules

Click Add Rule, enter a Name, and choose the Trigger Action:

• Target: enable or disable other tasks or stages.
• Requirement: make notes or uploads mandatory on a task.

Under If, choose All or Any, then add conditions. Each condition is a Task with a Response, or a Stage that is started or is completed. Task conditions work with Single Select and Multiple Select tasks.

For a Target rule, add one or more targets, each with an action (Enable or Disable), a Target Type (Task or Stage), and the Target. A disabled task or stage is skipped for that request. For a Requirement rule, pick the Requirement Action: Notes Required, Uploads Required, Both Notes & Uploads Required, or Either Notes or Uploads Required.

Advanced rules

Click Add Rule, enter a Name, and set When the rule fires:

Add one or more Actions:

• Add Tag and Remove Tag: pick tags to apply to or clear from the request.
• Send Email: tick To the requestor to email the data subject, or enter Recipients and optional CC. Write a Subject and Body. Click Insert variable on either to drop in request data.
• Call API: choose an API Configuration Name from Settings > API Configuration, where the endpoint and authentication live. Under Headers, add correlation headers; under Content, define the JSON Request Body. Click a variable in the Available Content list to copy it. See Webhooks for the receiving side.

Under But Only If, optionally add conditions on task responses with Is or Is Not, joined by All or Any. Leave it empty to run the actions every time.

Variables available in email subject, body, headers, and request body: {{requestId}}, {{status}}, {{locale}}, {{tenantId}}, {{brandId}}, {{requestorEmail}}, {{requestorFirstName}}, {{requestorLastName}}, {{requestorCountry}}, {{requestorState}}, {{requests}}, {{fulfilledAt}}, {{createdAt}}, and {{updatedAt}}. Headers accept only {{tenantId}}, {{brandId}}, {{requestId}}, and {{status}}.

Response Templates

Response templates are reusable replies to data subjects. Open DSAR > Response Templates. The table lists Name, Brands, Creation Date, Last Updated, and Last Updated by, with Preview, Edit, Copy, and Delete actions.

Click Add New:

• Name: required.
• Brands: the brands this template applies to.
• Languages: pick from the languages enabled for your account. A tab appears for each one.
• Response: the formatted reply text for the selected language. At least one language must have a response.

Click Add. To use a template, open a request, go to its messages, choose Use Response Template and then Choose Language; only the languages the template contains are offered. The text is placed in the editor where you can adjust it before sending.