We are a translation agency, and a project usually consists of two steps: translation > proofreading. I would therefore like to implement the following workflow: A supplier reports via a form that she or he is finished. The delivery date is automatically entered in the database (already working). If there is a follow-up step (usually proofreading), it should now start automatically, even if no user is logged in to our app.
The trigger for the next step is of course saving the delivery date. In principle, one could probably determine in a WeWeb workflow whether the delivery date has been entered (how?). However, several jobs can be executed at the same time and then the whole thing is likely to get complicated. To make matters worse, a PO must be sent automatically when starting the next step. POs are generated with an external program and are not saved in the database.
Is all this possible? We use Supabase.
I find it hard to grasp the issue and what you’re achieving. Could you give a more concrete example?
Maybe the problem has solved itself. So far I have used a workflow with Make in conjunction with a form tool to enter the delivery date in the database. But if I use a WeWeb form, there are probably better options. Because then WeWeb notices that the job is finished and can trigger a corresponding workflow.
I will still try to make it clearer. I’ll leave out the PO story for now, it’s confusing.
In a project I have already created a job for translation and a job for proofreading.
When a translator is finished, she/he reports this via a web form. When the form is submitted, the delivery date is automatically entered in the database. Now the proofreader should be automatically notified that she/he can start their job.
Can this be implemented with WeWeb? I think now, it can, but maybe you have some ideas on how to do it efficiently.
You can store the “notification” in the DB, either with the job as a column, or as a separate table, and make the logic so that the proofreaders fetch the notifications. Or you could send e-mails, but that would be more of a backend approach. I’d need to understand your means of “notifying” them, but I think it’s pretty much doable 
They will be notified by email. The email contains a link to a WeWeb page to report completion as well as links for downloading and uploading their work files.
I’ve not yet decided on how to send emails. But this won’t be an issue I guess.
Weweb is your front-end. You can have your people
- see their pending work based on a “pull” from your back-end and
- execute that work and then “push” to your backend.
Your backend has two jobs:
- Handle the above transactions between the front end and the database
- Store the info in the database
- Based on the changing state of the database, trigger workflows for push actions.
- Execute event-driven workflows.
Currently I think you’re using weweb for the frontend, Supabase for 1-3 of the backend, and Make for 4 in the backend.
That seems fine. You’re also looking for an email vendor to compose in for notifications (Postmark) is the most-used by State Change members) and you can trigger that from make, a SB function, or whatever you choose. That it contains a link to WW doesn’t really matter - as long as you know what the URL is of the correct WW page so you can compose it into your email.
The “can weweb do this” is fine as long as it stays in its front-end lane. You bring backend tools (in your case SB, Make, and the email vendor) for those other steps.
More broadly, the question of “efficiency” becomes a source of analysis paralysis. The question should be what is keeping you from making progress? If you have a solution, then after applying it, what you then look for is the bottleneck that is slowing your development or the user experience. You’ll find there’s lots of “inefficient” code that doesn’t matter, and lots of “inefficient” developer practices that are faster than “efficient” ones. The bottlenecks will tell you where to go back and make high-leverage efforts to get exceptional performance and value.
Let time-to-value be your guide and you’ll do great.
Thank you! I will think about this carefully and will certainly find an “efficient” solution.