Configuring Change Action Paths & Steps

Change Action Paths allow Admins to configure a Change Control, Quality Event (Change Control object type only), or Change Plan to organize Change Actions in sequential Action Steps. Vault QMS will automatically start Change Actions in the order based on their sequencing in the Change Action Path’s configuration.

Accessing Change Action Path Configurations

To view and edit Change Action Path configurations, navigate to Admin > Configuration > QMS Action Path Configurations.

Configuration Overview

The following list is an overview of how to configure change action paths and steps:

  • If the relevant Parent Object Type is not already configured, create the related object types layout needed for your path before you begin configuration. Custom Parent Locked States should also be configured before creating a change action path.
  • Create a Change Action Path. Change Actions are child actions that govern the steps needed to implement a change. The change control to kick off a subset of Actions.
  • Create Action Steps within the Change Action Path. Click into each stage to define the specific change actions that belong to each step. When those actions are complete, the Change Control is moved forward to kick off additional actions or approval workflows.

Creating Change Action Paths

To create a Change Action Path:

  1. From the QMS Action Path Configurations page, click Create.
  2. Enter a Label and Name for the Change Action Path.
  3. Use the Status selector to make the field active or inactive.
  4. Optional: Enter a Description.
  5. Select the Parent Object in the drop-down.
  6. Select the Parent Object Type in the drop-down. Learn more about object types.
  7. Select Change Action as the Action Object.
  8. Select one or more Parent Locked States. If a parent object is in any of these states, it will not be moved.
  9. Click Save.

Defining Change Action Steps

To create Change Action Steps:

  1. From the QMS Action Path Configuration page, select a Change Action Path. Under QMS Action Step Configurations, click Edit.
  2. Enter a Label
  3. Select the Parent Start State from the drop-down. When parent objects reach this state, actions in the included action states will be moved to the Action Start State.
  4. Select the Action Start State from the drop-down. Actions in the included action states will be moved to this state when the parent reaches the Parent Start State.
  5. Select the Included Action States. Actions must be in the included action states to be moved to the Action Start State when the parent reaches the Parent Start State.
  6. Select the Action Finished States. This is the terminal state for actions in this step. When all actions are in this step, the parent will be moved to the Parent Finish State.
  7. Select the Parent Finish State. This is the destination state for the parent object when all actions have moved to one of the Action Finish States.
  8. Optional: Move the Display Order.
  9. Click Save.

All actions within a step can be executed in parallel, while actions in subsequent steps remain in the initial state.

Limitations

  • Quality Event object types are limited to the Change Control object type.
  • Parent objects can only have one (1) path per object type.
  • A path can have up to five (5) Action Steps for each Change Action Path.
  • A path can only be saved if there is at least one (1) Change Action Step.
  • A path cannot have more than one (1 ) Change Action Step with the same Parent Start State.
  • A path can only be assigned to one (1) Change Action Template.
  • If parent objects are in a Locked State, they will not be moved.

Only Admins can configure Change Action Paths and Change Action Steps. The following permissions affect your users ability to configure Action Paths in your Vault.

Type Permission Controls
Security Profile Objects: Change Control: Object Control Permissions: Action Step. Ability to view the Action Step section in the Change Control object.
Security Profile Objects: Change Plan: Object Control Permissions: Action Step Ability to view Action Step section in the Change Plan object.
Security Profile Objects: Quality Event: Object Control Permissions: Action Step Ability to view Action Step section in the Quality Event object.
Security Profile Admin: View Admin Information Ability to view Admin tab collection.