Sometimes, tasks simply get left behind. For example, if an employee forgets to answer a question about their mode of transport, all subsequent tasks—which depend on that answer—come to a standstill. To prevent this, a task can be set to complete automatically after its deadline by providing a predefined answer.
You can configure automatic completion for each task individually within the flow template (not in the task template).
How to enable it
Open the flow template and click the pencil icon in the row for the specific task.
Switch to the "Automatic completion" tab.
Enable the option: "Automatically complete this task if it is still open after its deadline."
Under "Waiting period," specify how many days after the deadline this should occur.
Click "Save," and then save the flow template.
The task is completed on the morning after the waiting period has elapsed. For example, if the deadline is January 6th and the waiting period is 3 days, the task will be completed on the morning of January 10th. If the waiting period is 0 days, it will be completed on the morning following the deadline.
If the task is still waiting on another task, it will only be completed once it is no longer in a waiting state.
In the task log, the "system user" is listed as the person who completed it.
What happens to the responses
Below the button, you will find the task's fields. For each field, you can specify which response should be applied if no one provides an answer.
Required fields (marked with an asterisk *) must have a response; otherwise, the task cannot be saved.
Optional fields can be left blank; they will remain empty, and the task will still be completed.
Tasks that contain no fields—such as "Information about your first day"—are simply marked as completed.
Any information already entered by a user will remain unchanged; the default response only fills in empty fields.
With Branching
A predefined answer counts just like an actual response. For example, in an "Onboarding – Sales" workflow: if an employee has not answered the question "How do you get to work?" by three days past the deadline, a "commuter pass" (Jobticket) is assigned by default. The task "Order commuter pass" is then triggered, and the workflow continues.
In the "Rules" tab, the relevant condition will state: "This branch is triggered if no one responds." If no condition matches the predefined answer, no tasks from that branch will be triggered—the tab will also alert you to this.
When it’s not possible
Some information cannot be provided in advance. If a task requires any of the following as a mandatory input, it cannot be completed automatically:
a signature
a file (e.g., for an "Upload driver's license" task)
the employee's business email address
the selection of a manager or "buddy"
The "Auto-complete" tab will explain why this is the case. The task will remain open until someone completes it.
How to identify it
In the "List" and "Day" views, the date on which such a task will be completed is displayed below its due date—for example, "Auto-complete on 01/10/2027." In a workflow template, this date is calculated based on a sample first day of work, whereas in an active workflow, it is calculated using the actual date.
