This guide explains how board administrators can operate Stepra.
Working with Cards
Stepra adds a [Workflow] section to cards, and if the user is a board administrator, it also displays an [Admin Menu].
[Admin Menu / Step]
Clicking the [Admin Menu] displays the [Step]. Clicking a step lets you directly change the current step.
You can also forcibly change to any step when a card’s step is “Undefined.”
Power-Up Settings
From the board’s Power-Up menu, open Stepra’s “Edit Power-Up Settings” screen to configure the various settings.
These settings can only be changed by board administrators.
When there are multiple administrators
If multiple administrators change settings at the same time, they may overwrite each other’s changes. Be careful not to make changes simultaneously. We recommend designating a single administrator to make changes.
Save frequently
The “Edit Power-Up Settings” screen may close if you carelessly click around its edges. In this case, the settings you were editing will not be saved. For this reason, we recommend saving frequently while editing. This is due to Trello’s specifications and cannot be controlled from the Power-Up side.
Starting Configuration
In “Edit Power-Up Settings,” you switch between configuration targets using tabs. The following sections explain the settings for each tab.
Organization Tab (Pro Plan)
Define organizations and their members.
Organizations can have a hierarchical structure. Organization definitions are referenced later in the “transition” definitions of a workflow when an administrator is specified as an approver.
■ Adding an Organization
To define the first organization, click the [Add Organization] button. To define a second or subsequent organization, right-click the parent organization and click the [Add Sub-Organization] menu.
[Name]
Enter the organization’s name.
[Members]
Specify the members belonging to the organization. You can select from the board’s members. If you select a member belonging to another organization, you will be asked whether to move the organization.
[Administrator]
Specify an administrator from among the members.
[Delegate]
Specify a delegate for the administrator. The following members can act as delegates.
- The administrator of a higher-level organization
- The administrator of a directly subordinate organization
- A member of the same organization
You specify a delegation period for the delegate. You can also specify multiple delegates.
■ Editing an Organization
Click an organization in the organization tree to open the edit screen. The items you can change are the same as “Adding an Organization.”
■ Deleting an Organization
Click the [Delete] button in the organization tree to delete the organization. If subordinate organizations are defined, they will be deleted along with it.
Workflow Tab
In the Workflow tab, you define workflows.
■ Workflow Menu
This menu is displayed at the top of the tab.
[Workflow to Edit]
Select the workflow to edit from the list.
[Rename Workflow]
Click to enter a new name for the workflow.
[Delete Workflow]
Click to delete the workflow. On the Free plan, an empty workflow will be set. On the Pro plan, deleting the last workflow will result in an empty workflow being set.
Pro Plan and Free Plan
Defining Workflows
On the Pro plan, you can define multiple workflows. When initializing a card, you specify which workflow to apply. On the Free plan, only one workflow can be defined.
If you defined multiple workflows on the Pro plan and then switch to the Free plan, you can select one workflow to activate. Deactivated workflows are still retained for existing cards that applied them. However, they cannot be applied to new cards, nor can actions be performed on existing cards using them.
Stepra saves workflow definitions in Trello’s internal storage. This internal storage has a maximum limit of 8KB. Therefore, the number of workflows you can define varies depending on the number of steps, transitions, and actions, the length of their names, the number of approvers, and so on.
The size of the workflow definition is displayed at the bottom of the “Edit Power-Up Settings” dialog. Use this as a guide for adjustments. In the workflow definition examples used in this administrator guide, each workflow uses approximately 1–1.5KB. In this case, you can define 5–7 workflows.
Approver Settings
On the Pro plan, in the [Transition] definition, you can select [Specify Individual], [Manager], [Role], or [Specify Requester] as the approver.
If you selected an approver option other than [Specify Individual] on the Pro plan and then switch to the Free plan, the approver setting will become [Specify Individual]. However, since the approver specification is blank, attempting to execute an action on the card will result in an error. Update the workflow definition to specify an appropriate approver.
Sealing Part of the Description Field
On the Pro plan, you can seal part of a card’s [Description] field. Once a seal is applied at a given “transition,” the seal is verified every time the card is opened thereafter, and a warning is displayed if changes were made after sealing.
The seal applies to the region enclosed by <seal></seal> within the [Description] field. You can specify multiple regions.
<seal>
Content you want to make unchangeable
</seal>Workflow Definition Tab
A workflow is defined by “steps,” which represent work states, and “transitions,” which represent movement between steps. Below is an example workflow definition. The leftmost column represents the “source step” of a transition, and the top row represents the “destination step.” Each cell defines the action that triggers the transition.
For example, “Applying” a card in the “Drafting” step moves it to “Pending Approval.”
■ Adding a Step
Click the [Add Step] button to add a step to the table. An edit screen for entering the step details will appear.
[Step]
Enter the name of the step.
[Completed State]
When checked, the card is marked as complete when it reaches this step.
[Show in Workflow]
When checked, this step is shown in the workflow display on the card. The card displays the workflow and the current step within it. For example, a special step such as “Cancelled” can be excluded from the card’s workflow display by unchecking this option.
[Move to List]
Moves the card to the specified list.
[Prompt Card Members to Act]
Notifies card members of the step change and prompts them to act. Choose from the following options.
- None
- Everyone
- Approvers only
- Non-approvers
If no action by an “approver” is defined for a transition defined for that step, selecting “Approvers only” or “Non-approvers” produces the same result as selecting “None” or “Everyone,” respectively.
■ Editing a Step
Click a step in the table to open the edit screen. The items you can change are the same as “Adding a Step.”
■ Deleting a Step
Click a step in the table to open the edit screen. Click the [Delete] button to delete the step.
If a transition using that step has already been defined, the transition will be deleted along with it.
If the step is already in use on a card (i.e., the card’s current state is that step), deleting the step will cause the card’s step to become “Undefined.”
■ Adding a Transition
Click a cell in the table to add a transition. The row represents the source step, and the column represents the destination step.
Clicking a blank cell lets you define a new transition. An edit screen for entering the transition details will appear.
[Select Action]
Select an action from the list. You can also create a new action.
[Log]
When checked, the action execution and transition are logged in the card’s [Comments and Activity].
[Seal] (Pro Plan)
When checked, part of the card’s “Description” field is sealed so that subsequent changes can be detected.
[Unseal] (Pro Plan)
When checked, the seal is removed and subsequent changes will no longer be detected.
[Approvers Only / Specify Individual]
When checked, only users registered as approvers can execute this action.
[Approvers Only / Manager] (Pro Plan)
When checked, only the requester’s manager (up to the first, second, or third level in the organizational hierarchy) can execute this action.
[User | Approver]
Displayed when [Approvers Only / Specify Individual] is selected. Select an approver from the users and add them as an approver.
[Primary Manager | Secondary Manager | Tertiary Manager]
Displayed when [Approvers Only / Manager] is selected. Specify the hierarchy level as seen from the requester.
[Action]
Displayed when you choose “Create Action” in [Select Action]. Enter the name of the action to create.
■ Changing a Transition
Click a cell with a defined transition to open the transition’s edit screen. The items you can change are the same as “Adding a Transition.”
■ Deleting a Transition
Click a cell with a defined transition to open the transition’s edit screen. Click the [Delete] button to delete the transition.
Actions Tab
In the Actions tab, you define the actions that trigger transitions.
Actions can be defined together with a workflow, or independently, as described here.
■ Adding an Action
Click the [Add Action] button to add an action to the list. An edit screen for entering the action name will appear.
[Action]
Enter the name of the action.
■ Changing an Action
Click an action in the list to open the action’s edit screen. The items you can change are the same as “Adding an Action.”
■ Deleting an Action
Click an action in the list to open the action’s edit screen, then click the [Delete] button to delete the action. Alternatively, you can click the [Delete] button directly in the list to delete the action.
If a transition using that action has already been defined, deleting the action will also delete the transition.
Advanced Settings Tab
The Advanced Settings tab lets you configure various options.
[Initial Step]
Select the initial step to set when the [Start Workflow] button is pressed on a card after it is created.
[Copy Step to Custom Field]
When checked, the card’s step is copied to a custom field whenever the card’s step transitions. Select the custom field to copy to. The custom field must be created on the board beforehand.
[Add Approver to Card]
When checked, when the card’s step transitions to a step requiring action by an approver (e.g., “Pending Approval”), the approver defined in the [Transition] is added as a card member.
Actions can be executed even by users who are not card members. However, only card members are prompted to act. To prompt an approver to act, the approver must be added as a card member. This can be done manually in advance, or automatically using this option.
[Add Self to Card When Starting Workflow]
When checked, the user themself is added as a card member when starting the workflow. Becoming a card member allows you to follow changes made to the card.
[Allow Actions Only for Card Members]
When checked, only card members can execute actions. Since anyone can operate a card, users unrelated to the workflow might accidentally execute an action. Restricting actions to card members only prevents such mistakes.
This setting does not affect approval steps. The approver of an approval step can execute an action even if they are not a card member.
[Allow Actions Only for Requester]
When checked, only the user who started the card’s workflow can execute actions. Whether the user is a card member has no effect.
This setting does not affect approval steps. The approver of an approval step can execute an action even if they are not the requester.
Plan Tab
The Plan tab lets you check your Stepra usage plan. You can also apply to upgrade to the Pro plan if needed.
■ Current Plan
Your current plan is displayed.
- Free Plan
- Pro Plan
Note: If your Pro plan expires, you will be switched to the Free plan.
■ License Status
If you have a currently valid license, its details will be displayed. Even if there is no valid license, if you have obtained a license in the past, that information will be displayed.
■ Upgrading to the Pro Plan
If you are using the Free plan, a button to apply for the Pro plan will be displayed. The application is processed on Lemon Squeezy’s site. After applying, Lemon Squeezy will email you a link to access your order. Keep this, as it will be needed to cancel the Pro plan.
When you apply for the Pro plan, Stepra links the board ID with the license for management purposes. For this reason, always apply for the Pro plan from this screen.
Lemon Squeezy’s fees and taxes will be added to the displayed price. You can check the final amount on the upgrade application screen (you can also cancel without applying).
Admin Tab
■ Operating Environment
This displays information about Stepra’s operating environment. Please include this information when reporting issues. The IDs are Trello’s internal IDs.
[Board]
This board’s ID.
[Member]
Your member ID.
[Version]
Stepra’s version.