Automation workflows overview

This article describes what automation workflows are, and how they can be used to help manage app licenses. 

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An automation workflow - an add-on product also known as elastic license management (ELM) - is a customizable set of rules that standardize how IT rolls out an app across the enterprise, and helps App Admins and Productiv Super Admins audit how app licenses are being used at your organization. This functionality is for downgrading and de-provisioning, only; you CANNOT upgrade app tiers through these workflows. Learn the basics about automation workflow with the following articles. You can create provisioning workflows for any Engagement or SSO-connected application except for G Suite Social Login. 

The workflow:

• Defines the users to whom the app will be deployed,
• Defines users who should be exempt from being de-provisioned or downgraded from this app,
• Defines rules that reclaim licenses that have not been used within the last n days, or downgrades users with advanced licenses who have only been using basic features, OR
• Sets up notifications to be sent to affected users whenever there is a change in this app.

You can also use workflow rules to generate periodic reports on app usage. 

Note: Another more automated way to provision an app is to set up the Okta provisioning connector.

Why provisioning workflows are useful

• They simplify the process of upgrading, downgrading or deprovisioning app access and licenses for employees who meet predefined criteria. Workflows can act directly for automating connected applications or provide suggestions for making manual changes.
• They help you make sure that only employees who are using specific apps have access to those apps. If an employee changes roles, leaves the company or just doesn’t use an app, removing their access helps limit security exposure. 
• They help you proactively control costs. You can use a provisioning workflow to actively control licenses so that your organization doesn’t renew more licenses than you need or incur unneeded license true-ups mid-contract. 

For example, a workflow can identify users who don’t use higher tier-level features and automatically downgrade them to the basic level license, OR identify users who have not used an application for more than 60 days and automatically remove their access. 

Types of workflow outcomes

When defining an automation workflow, you identify users who match the rules, and optionally notify them about changes in their license for the app.  The outcomes of an app automation workflow depends on whether or not that app has a provisioning connector. 

There are two different types of outcomes:

Suggest outcomes are where the actual license changes are made manually, outside Productiv. These are a good option when a provisioning connector isn't available for an app, or when the provisioning connector is not yet set up at your organization.

Act outcomes provide a fully automated process. In an Act outcome, Productiv does either of the following:

• Uses provisioning connectors to remove user licenses directly from the app (this works well when users access the application directly); OR
• Uses the Okta SSO connector to remove user access to the app from within Okta (this works well when users access the application from Okta SSO).

Alternative SSO provisioning connectors are in development.

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A great way to get started with automation workflows is to view the app's Recommendation page for ideas on which rules to create and to visualize the impact on your footprint. (See App recommendations overview.)

When you’re ready to create automation workflows, see Create automation workflows.