Prerequisites

• Access to the menu Execution > Inbox (PT005) or My Tasks > Inbox.
• Protocol already dispatched.
• User defined as a recipient of the protocol.

Presentation

Closing a protocol is the final stage of the routing process in SoftExpert Protocol. It is important to understand that closing the routing is not the same as closing the protocol itself.

• When a protocol is dispatched, it is sent to the defined recipients.
• After dispatch, it enters the routing phase, meaning it is in use.
• Each recipient who receives the protocol is responsible for one stage of the routing.

The difference between physical and electronic protocols directly affects the closing process:

• A physical protocol can only be dispatched to one recipient at a time. Therefore, when it is received, that user always represents the final stage and closes the entire protocol.
• An electronic protocol can be dispatched to multiple recipients in parallel. In this case, each recipient closes only their own stage, until the last participant completes the routing, closing the protocol as a whole.

There is also an exception: if, in the general parameters of the Document component, the option “Allow closing the protocol before all stages are closed” is enabled, the system will allow changing the closing behavior even if there are still pending stages.

To illustrate the step-by-step instructions in this article, the license request protocol developed as an example during the workflow will be closed.

Close protocol

1. Access the menu Execution > Inbox (PT005) or My Tasks > Inbox.

2. Locate and select the desired protocol.

3. Click the button on the toolbar.

4. In the Close field, one of the following options will be displayed, and it may be edited if the appropriate parameter is enabled:

• Stage: this option is displayed when an electronic protocol has more than one recipient. When selected, the user closes only their own routing stage and can no longer dispatch the protocol to another recipient. This is an individual closing and does not interrupt the overall workflow, allowing the other recipients to continue their own stages until final completion.
• Protocol: this option is displayed when the protocol is physical or when the user represents the final stage of an electronic protocol with multiple recipients. In this case, the closing applies to the protocol as a whole. When this option is selected, no recipient will be able to dispatch the protocol anymore. After saving the closing, the system automatically generates the “Closure Acknowledgment” task for all users with the appropriate permission. If necessary, the system also allows re-routing a protocol that has already been closed.

5. The Description field will be enabled if the previously selected option is “Protocol”. In this case, enter the reason for closing the protocol routing.

Conclusion

Closing a protocol is an important step, as it defines the official end of the entire routing cycle. It is essential to clearly distinguish the terms: dispatch (sending), routing (protocol usage), stage (responsibility of each recipient), and protocol (the complete process).

When closing, the system records all actions performed, ensuring full traceability. In this way, the organization maintains control over its processes, ensuring that no movement is lost and that all responsibilities are properly recorded.

After routing is closed, it is possible to create a new protocol, re-route a closed protocol, or register the filing of the document in the Physical Archive component.

With this, the protocol routing workflow comes to an end!