Step Actions

During instance execution, operators advance through procedure steps using a set of actions. Each action transitions a step to a new status and is recorded in the audit trail. This page covers every available step action, the completion status options, execution modes, and the auto-complete behavior for parent steps.

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Execution Modes

Steps in a template are configured with one of two execution modes, which determine how they relate to sibling steps at the same level.

Sequential

Steps marked Sequential must be executed one at a time, in order. The next sequential step cannot be started until the previous one reaches a terminal state (Completed, Skipped, or Aborted).

In the execution view, sequential steps display a right-arrow icon next to their step number.

Parallel

Steps marked Parallel can be started and worked on simultaneously. All parallel siblings at the same level become startable as soon as their parent step has been started.

In the execution view, parallel steps display a branching-arrow icon next to their step number.

Tip

Execution mode is set at the template level by template editors. It cannot be changed during instance execution.

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Starting a Step

Starting a step signals that work has begun. The step timer starts, and the step appears with a blue pulse animation in the execution view.

Prerequisites:

• The instance must be in Running status
• The step must be in Pending status
• For sequential steps: all preceding sibling steps must be in a terminal state
• For child steps: the parent step must already be started
• You must have the Executor, Instance Head, or Deputy Head role

1. Select the step in the step structure panel (left panel)
2. Click the Start button in the step detail panel (middle panel)
3. The step transitions to Running status and the timer begins

Note

When a parent step is started for the first time, RAMP checks if its children are sequential or parallel. Parallel children all become startable immediately; sequential children become startable one at a time.

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Completing a Step

Completing a step records the work as done and captures a granular outcome. RAMP provides five completion statuses to accurately document what happened during execution.

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Running status
• If the step has the Requires Evidence setting, at least one attachment must be uploaded before completion is allowed
• If the step has children, child steps should be completed first (unless auto-complete handles the parent)

1. Select the running step in the step structure panel
2. Click the Complete button
3. Choose a completion result from the five available options (see table below)
4. The step transitions to Completed status

Completion Results

Result	Description	Approval Required?
Succeeded	Step completed with no issues whatsoever	No
OK with Complications	Step completed but encountered complications that did not prevent success	No
OK with Warnings	Step completed with warnings that can be acknowledged but do not affect the outcome	No
OK with Errors	Step completed but with errors that need review	Yes — requires Instance Head approval
Failed	Step failed entirely; execution may be terminated depending on configuration	N/A — step is marked as failed

Caution

When a step is completed with OK with Errors, the Instance Head or Deputy Head must review and approve the result before execution can proceed past that step. The approval includes a notes field to document the decision.

Approval Workflow for “OK with Errors”

When an executor completes a step with the “OK with Errors” result:

1. The step is marked as requiring approval
2. The Instance Head (or Deputy Head) receives a notification
3. The approver reviews the step and its attachments
4. The approver either approves (with notes) or rejects the result
5. Once approved, execution continues normally

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Skipping a Step

Skipping allows operators to bypass a step that is not applicable to the current execution without blocking subsequent steps.

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Running status
• The step must have the IsSkippable flag enabled in the template (or overridden at the instance level)
• A reason is required when skipping

1. Select the running step
2. Click the Skip button (visible only on skippable steps)
3. Enter a reason explaining why the step is being skipped
4. Click Confirm
5. The step transitions to Skipped status

Note

If a step is not marked as skippable in the template, the Skip button does not appear. The Instance Head can override this setting in Draft status, or use Force Skip during execution (see Force Actions).

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Pausing and Resuming a Step

Pausing suspends work on a step without completing or cancelling it. The step timer stops while paused.

Pause

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Running status

1. Select the running step
2. Click the Pause button
3. The step transitions to Paused status
4. The step timer stops; paused duration is tracked separately

Resume

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Paused status

1. Select the paused step
2. Click the Resume button
3. The step returns to Running status
4. The step timer resumes

Tip

The execution view displays both the total elapsed time and the net runtime (elapsed minus paused time) for each step. This helps distinguish between genuine work time and waiting time.

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Cancelling a Step

Cancelling marks a step as terminated before completion.

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Running or Paused status

1. Select the step
2. Click the Cancel button
3. Provide a reason for cancellation
4. Click Confirm
5. The step transitions to Cancelled status

Caution

Cancelling a required step may cancel the entire instance, depending on the template configuration. Review the impact before confirming.

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Aborting a Step

Aborting marks a step as failed, signaling that the work was attempted but could not be completed successfully.

Prerequisites:

• The step must be in Running status

1. Select the running step
2. Click the Abort button
3. Provide a reason explaining the failure
4. Click Confirm
5. The step transitions to Aborted status

Danger

Aborting a step marks it as failed. This may prevent subsequent dependent steps from starting and could affect the overall instance outcome.

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Blocked Steps

If a step displays a Blocked indicator, it cannot be started. Common reasons include:

• Sequential dependency: A preceding sibling step has not yet reached a terminal state
• Parent not started: The parent step must be started before child steps become available
• Instance not running: The instance is in Draft, Planned, Paused, or a terminal status

Hover over the Blocked indicator to see the specific reason preventing the step from being started.

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Auto-Complete for Parent Steps

Parent steps (steps that have child steps) can be configured to auto-complete when all their children finish.

How It Works

When Auto-Complete is enabled on a parent step:

1. The system monitors the status of all child steps
2. When every child step reaches a terminal state (Completed, Skipped, or Aborted), the parent automatically transitions to Completed
3. A notification appears: “Step auto-completed: [Step Title]”
4. If the parent’s own parent also has Auto-Complete enabled, the cascade continues upward (grandparent auto-completes when all its children, including the just-completed parent, are done)

Overriding Auto-Complete

Instance Heads and Deputy Heads can override the Auto-Complete setting for individual steps while the instance is in Draft status:

• Disable auto-complete on a step that normally auto-completes, requiring manual completion (useful when the parent step needs its own review after children finish)
• Enable auto-complete on a step that normally requires manual completion

Overrides apply only to the current instance and do not modify the template.

Tip

The Auto-Complete indicator appears as a blue chip with an auto-mode icon on parent steps in the execution view. If the setting has been overridden at the instance level, the chip reflects the override value.

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Step Settings Reference

Each step can have several settings that affect execution behavior. These are configured in the template and displayed as colored indicator chips in the execution view.

Setting	Indicator	Description
Auto-Complete	Blue chip	Parent auto-completes when all children finish
Skippable	Orange chip	Step can be skipped during execution
Requires Evidence	Red chip	At least one attachment must be uploaded before the step can be completed

Instance-Level Overrides

In Draft status, Instance Heads and Deputy Heads can override the following settings for individual steps:

Setting	Override Effect
Planned Duration	Custom duration used for runtime comparison instead of template value
Is Skippable	Make a non-skippable step skippable, or vice versa
Auto-Complete	Enable or disable auto-complete for a specific parent step

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Runtime Tracking

RAMP tracks detailed timing for every step during execution:

Metric	Description
Planned Duration	Expected time from the template (or instance override)
Actual Duration	Wall-clock time from start to completion
Paused Duration	Total time the step spent in Paused status
Net Runtime	Actual duration minus paused duration

Performance Color Coding

Runtime comparison is displayed with color indicators:

• Green: On time or ahead of schedule (at or below planned duration)
• Yellow: Slightly over planned duration (up to 10% over)
• Red: Significantly over planned duration (25% or more over)

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Role Permissions for Step Actions

Not all roles can perform all step actions. The table below summarizes which roles can perform which actions.

Action	Instance Head	Deputy Head	Executor	Editor	Observer
Start step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Complete step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Skip step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Pause step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Resume step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Cancel step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Abort step	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Force actions	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Override settings	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

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Related topics

Status Flow Understand instance and step status lifecycles, transitions, and the Reset to Draft feature

Notes & Comments Document observations and decisions with execution notes and comments

Force Actions Bypass normal execution rules with Force Complete, Force Skip, and Force Abort