Conditional Routing Matrix

Visual Flow

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When to Use This Pattern

Use a routing matrix when:

• Work items need to go to different people/teams based on multiple criteria
• The routing rules are complex enough that nested if-else becomes unreadable
• Business users need to update routing rules without modifying the workflow
• You have combinations of criteria (department + amount + region → specific approver)

How It Works

Instead of hardcoding routing logic in the workflow, store it in a lookup table:

The workflow reads this table at runtime and routes accordingly.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Design the Routing Table

Create a SharePoint list, database table, or Excel file with columns for each criterion:

• Criteria columns: Department, Amount Min, Amount Max, Region, Request Type, etc.
• Wildcard support: Use "*" or blank to mean "any value"
• Output columns: Approver Email, Approver Name, Escalation Contact
• Priority column: When multiple rows match, use the highest priority

Step 2: Query the Table at Runtime

When a request arrives:

1. Read the request's attributes (department, amount, region)
2. Query the routing table for matching rows
3. Filter: match each criterion, treat wildcards as "always match"
4. If multiple matches, take the one with highest priority
5. If no match, use a default route (and alert an admin to update the table)

Step 3: Route the Work Item

Using the matched row:

1. Assign the task to the specified approver
2. Set the escalation contact from the table
3. Apply any other routing parameters (SLA, priority level)

Step 4: Maintain the Table

Give business users a simple interface to manage routing rules:

• A SharePoint list with column validation
• A GalleryAdmin page with CRUD operations
• An Excel file in a shared location (less ideal but works)

Example: Purchase Request Routing

A new purchase request arrives with:

• Department: Marketing
• Amount: $12,000
• Region: EMEA

The workflow queries the routing table and finds:

• Row match: Marketing, $5,001–$25,000, EMEA → EMEA Marketing Lead

The task is assigned to the EMEA Marketing Lead with appropriate SLA.

Tips & Best Practices

• Always have a fallback rule. A catch-all row with wildcards in every criterion column ensures that every request gets routed somewhere.
• Log the matched rule. Store which routing rule was applied in the request's history. This helps with auditing and debugging.
• Validate the table. Periodically check for common issues: overlapping rules, missing approver emails, inactive employees in the approver column.
• Test with edge cases. The asterisk/wildcard matching logic is where bugs hide. Test with boundary amounts, missing fields, and unexpected combinations.