Add configurable task locking and plan finalization controls for Planning Analytics Workspace Plans

Dear team,

Description

Current behavior

IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Plans provide workflow capabilities that allow users to complete assigned tasks by entering data and submitting their work.

However, after a task has been submitted, administrators currently have limited control over the final state of completed workflow steps. Depending on the process requirements, previously submitted tasks may still be reopened or modified — even when subsequent workflow steps have already been completed.

This can create situations where data that has already been reviewed, approved, or processed in later workflow stages can be changed again.

Additionally, when the final task in a sequential plan has been completed, the plan remains active. There is currently no standard option to automatically finalize or close the plan after all workflow activities have been completed.

Business requirement

Many enterprise planning and reporting processes require stronger workflow governance to ensure that completed steps remain final once the process has progressed.

Examples include:

• Budget approval processes

• Forecast cycles

• Financial reporting workflows

• KPI submission processes

• Compliance-related planning processes

At the same time, collaborative planning scenarios may still require flexibility. Therefore, administrators should be able to configure the appropriate level of control depending on the business process.

Requested enhancement

Provide configurable lifecycle management options for Plans and Tasks, including:

• Ability to configure whether submitted tasks remain editable or become locked after completion

• Option to prevent reopening of completed workflow steps once the process has moved forward

• Ability to disable the "Revert submission" functionality for workflows that require strict control

• Option to automatically finalize or close a Plan after all tasks have been completed

• Clear workflow status information indicating whether a task or plan is open, completed, locked, or finalized

Business value

Providing configurable task locking and plan finalization controls would:

• Improve workflow governance and process reliability.

• Prevent unintended changes to already processed data.

• Support audit and compliance requirements.

• Reduce the need for custom automation solutions.

• Make Planning Analytics Workspace Plans more suitable for enterprise approval processes.

This enhancement would not remove flexibility from collaborative planning scenarios. Instead, it would give administrators the ability to enforce stronger controls when required.

A configurable workflow lifecycle would make Plans more predictable, transparent, and suitable for business-critical planning processes.

Thanks in advance.

With best regards,
Vitalij