How Sona Workflows automate HR and compliance tasks, what they can do, and how to get one set up for your organisation.
What is a workflow?
A Sona workflow is an automated process that watches for a specific condition and takes action when that condition is met. Rather than relying on someone to remember to do something at the right time, a workflow detects it automatically and creates a task for the right person.
For example:
- An employee's DBS check is expiring in 30 days — a task is automatically created for their manager to arrange a renewal
- An employee's probation end date is two weeks away — a task is created reminding the manager to complete the probation review form
- An employee returns from maternity leave — a task is created for their manager to conduct a return-to-work meeting
Workflows remove the need for manual tracking, calendar reminders, or spreadsheet-based checklists. Once a workflow is active, it runs automatically in the background.
What workflows can do
Workflows can be built around almost any condition that Sona can detect. Common use cases include:
Document and compliance monitoring
- DBS check expiring within a set number of days
- Right to Work document approaching expiry
- NMC pin expiry
- National Minimum Wage compliance checks at age milestones (18th and 21st birthdays)
Employment milestone reminders
- End of probation review (create task for manager X weeks before probation end date)
- Mid-probation check-in
- Annual performance review reminder
- New starter onboarding checklist tasks
Leave and absence management
- Return-to-work task created when an absence ends
- Maternity leave halfway check-in for the manager
- Return from maternity leave meeting task
Form and HR process automation
- Create a task when a specific custom form is submitted
- Link the submitted form directly to the task so the reviewer can see it
- Auto-complete a task when the associated form is updated
Each workflow generates tasks that appear in the relevant person's Sona task inbox. Tasks can have a title, a description, a due date, and a linked document (such as a submitted form or employment record).
How tasks are assigned
When a workflow creates a task, it can be assigned to:
- The employee's reporting manager — the most common option
- A permission role or team — the task goes to everyone in that role (e.g. all members of the HR team)
- A specific named person — the task always goes to one individual
If an employee does not have a manager assigned, workflows can be configured with a fallback — for example, sending the task to the HR team if no manager is found.
How to request a workflow
Workflows are set up by Sona's implementation team. To request one, contact Sona Support with the following information:
- What the workflow should do — describe the business problem it solves (e.g. "We want to be reminded when DBS checks are about to expire")
- What triggers it — when should the workflow activate? (e.g. "30 days before the expiry date on the DBS custom form")
- Who should receive the task — the employee's manager, a specific team, or a named person
- When the task should be due — e.g. "3 days before the document expires"
- Which form or document is involved — if the workflow is linked to a custom form, let us know which one
The more detail you can provide, the faster the workflow can be built and tested.
How to act on workflow tasks
When a workflow creates a task for you, it will appear in your Sona task inbox.
Each task shows:
- The task title (e.g. "Probation review for Jane Bloggs")
- The due date
- Any linked document or form (shown as "Linked Document")
- The description, which typically includes the relevant context (e.g. the probation end date)
To complete a task, open it and mark it as done once you have taken the required action. Some tasks are auto-completed by a second workflow when the underlying condition resolves — for example, a DBS expiry task is automatically closed when the employee submits an updated DBS form.
How to track workflow task status
Managers and admins can see tasks assigned to them in the task inbox. Tasks show whether they are outstanding, due, or completed.
If you want to know whether a specific workflow is running correctly — for example, if you expected a task to be created but it hasn’t appeared — contact Sona Support with the employee's name and the workflow you're expecting to trigger. The Sona team can check whether the workflow ran and why a task was or wasn't created.
Common workflow examples
DBS check expiry
A task is created for the employee's manager when their DBS document is expiring within 30 days. The task is due 3 days before expiry, with the DBS document linked directly so the manager can see the current record. The task is automatically closed when the employee uploads an updated DBS form.
End of probation review
A task is created for the employee's manager two weeks before the probation end date. The task includes the probation end date in the description and links the probation review form for the manager to complete. If no manager is assigned, the task falls back to the HR team.
Return to work after maternity leave
The day after an employee's maternity leave ends, a task is created for their manager to conduct a return-to-work discussion. The task title includes the employee's name and the return date.
NMW birthday checks
When an employee is approaching their 18th or 21st birthday — National Minimum Wage age thresholds — a task is created to check that their pay rate meets the new NMW requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: A task has appeared in my inbox but I'm not sure what to do with it. What does it mean?
Open the task to see the description, which should explain what action is needed and why the task was created. The task may also have a linked document attached — click on it to open the relevant form or employment record.
Q: I was expecting a workflow task to be created but it hasn’t appeared. Why?
A few things could prevent a workflow task from being generated: the trigger condition might not have been met yet, the employee might not have a manager assigned, or the relevant data (such as an expiry date on a form) might be missing. Contact Sona Support and the team can check the workflow run history.
Q: Can I set up a workflow myself?
Workflows are currently built and activated by Sona's implementation team. To request a new workflow, contact Sona Support with the details above.
Q: Can an existing workflow be changed?
Yes — contact Sona Support with details of what you'd like to change. Common changes include adjusting how far in advance a task is created, changing who receives the task, or linking a different form.
Q: Can a workflow send emails or notifications?
Workflows currently create tasks in the Sona task inbox. Email notification functionality is available for some workflows but requires additional configuration. Contact your Customer Success Manager or Sona Support to discuss.
Q: What happens if an employee has no manager assigned?
Workflows can be configured with a fallback — for example, if no manager is found, the task goes to the HR team instead. Let the Sona team know your preferred fallback when requesting a workflow.
Still Need Help?
To request a new workflow or report an issue with an existing one, contact Sona Support with the employee name, workflow name, and a description of what you’re seeing.