[SalesForce] Time-based workflow when overdue object

I have a custom field on a standard object called Due_Date__c.
When the record has an overdue date, the owner of the record should receive a reminder email.

So I have set a workflow rule with a time dependent action. The criteria is the following:
TODAY() >= Due_Date__c
It is evaluated 'when a record is created, and any time it’s edited to subsequently meet criteria'.

I have added a time-dependent action 0 Hours After Rule Trigger Date with an Email alert.
The email is sent if I create a Case with a Due Date equal to Today, but how can I know for sure that, if I set the Due Date to tomorrow, tomorrow the email alert will be sent? Without waiting until tomorrow, how can I test it?

I'm not quite sure about the meaning of 'any time it’s edited to subsequently meet criteria' – do I need to edit the object to make the workflow start or is it evaluated automatically?

Thanks

Best Answer

The way you need to approach this is make it so that the workflow always fires, but if the Case is not overdue at the time the Time-Dependent action takes place, the email won't go out. In a deadline scenario, there are usually two factors - the deadline, and some indication of whether the task has been completed. With a Case, this is likely whether or not the Case has been Closed. So your WFR criteria could be:

NOT(ISBLANK(Due_Date__c)) && NOT(IsClosed)

Then your time dependent action would be 0 hours after Due_Date_c. If the Case is closed between the time the workflow initially fires and the Due Date, then the email won't go out. If the case is still open, then the queued email will be sent. If the Due Date is changed, then the workflow re-fires and the old email is removed from the queue and a new one based on the new date is queued up.

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