Step Escalation: Automatic Manager Notifications

Escalation automatically sends an email alert to the assignee's manager when a step has been waiting too long without being actioned.

How escalation works

1. A step is assigned to a person
2. The escalation timer starts
3. If the Escalate after N hours threshold is reached without completion, an alert email goes to the assignee's direct manager
4. The alert names the step, the assignee, and links to the instance
5. The workflow continues normally — escalation is an alert only, not a reassignment

Escalation vs SLA deadline

Setting	Purpose	Who is notified
SLA deadline	Flags step as "overdue" in reports	No email — shows in admin reports
Escalate after N hours	Triggers an email alert	The assignee's manager

Common pattern:

• SLA = 48 h (overdue flag after 2 days)
• Escalate = 24 h (manager alert after 1 day)

Configuring escalation

1. Click the Action step node on the canvas
2. Open the SLA & Escalation section
3. Enable the Escalate after toggle
4. Enter the number of hours
5. Publish (or republish) the flow

Requirements

• The assignee must have a manager configured. If not, the escalation is logged as failed silently.
• Escalation fires only once per step instance — it does not repeat.
• If the step is completed before the timer fires, no email is sent.

Verifying escalations

• SLA Adherence report → "Escalated" count
• Escalation effectiveness section shows whether escalated steps resolved faster

FAQ

Can I escalate to someone other than the direct manager? No — always goes to the direct manager.

Does escalation reassign the step? No — the step remains with the original assignee.

What if the assignee has no manager? The attempt is logged as failed. Set managers in Users → Edit user.

See also

• How to Set Deadlines (SLA) on Workflow Steps
• Understanding Notifications