---
title: Example: Creating an Escalation Workflow using the Decision Quick Action (GAD)
slug: neurons-for-itsm/admin-user-help/enu/latest/example-creating-an-escalation-workflow-using-the-decision-quick-action-gad
createdAt: 2026-07-14T19:16:50.305Z
---
Decision Actions enable you to create advanced workflows. For example, a subsection of actions can be executed based on the Escalation feature continually checking on the Status of an Incident record.
This is an example of an escalation workflow. The first Decision Quick Action conditionally checks the Status of an Incident record and determines which pathway to execute. The second Decision Quick Action (**Decision - Waiting for Customer**) Is used by the Escalation Schedule to check if the Incident response and resolution targets have been breached. If they have, it updates the record to the Closed state before jumping back to the first Decision Quick Action ready for processing another record.
:::hint{type="info"}
This example uses the Graphical Action Designer (GAD). The Decision Quick Action is not available in the Classic Action Designer (CAD).
:::
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/SnBPI_P07R4215Znk7Jsa_brancheddecisioneditorexampleescalation.png" alt="Complex workflow showing the escalation of an incident that can be achieved with the Decision Action." position="flex-start" size="40" initialPath="../../quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Escalation.png" githubPath="Content/Configure/QuickActions/quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Escalation.png" showCaption="false" width="1177" height="389" darkWidth="1177" darkHeight="389"}
## Prerequisite
:::hint{type="info"}
To use this Quick Action, set the global constant **EnableActionService **to **True**. If **EnableActionService **is not available in the global constants list (this may be the case for upgraded instances), Administrators can manually add the constant.
:::
This example assumes you have administrator-level access to the **Configuration console** and are familiar with creating business objects and Quick Actions. If you do not have administrator-level access, see [Notes on roles and permissions](docId:2Wq6ihUN2zxiR21eA3M7g) and [Open the Graphical Action Designer](docId:2Wq6ihUN2zxiR21eA3M7g)
## Creating the Escalation Composite Action
1. Go to the **Configuration Console **> **Build **>**Business Objects **> **Incident **> **Quick Actions **> **Graphical Action Designer**.
2. Under **Advanced Actions**, find the **Decision** Quick Action and drag it on to the Designer Board.
3. In the **Common **Settings tab, set a name for the whole Composite Action such as **My Escalation Workflow**.
4. In the **Block**Settings tab for the **Decision** block, enter a block name in the **Name **field, for example, **Decision - Status**.
5. Drag all the other actions on to the Designer Board until your board resembles the image above. The action types used are as follows:
| Action Type | Used For |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Decision | Decision – Status
Decision – Waiting For Customer |
| Send an Email | Response Threshold Breach
Resolution Threshold Breach
Closed Notification
Send Reminder |
| Show a Popup | Delete Confirmation |
| Go to Action | Jump to Decision - Status |
| Update a Record | Update Status – Closed |
| Delete a Record | Delete Incident |
6. The first **Decision **Quick Action continually checks the **Status **of an Incident record and determines which of three pathways to execute.
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
Select **Decision - Status** and then click **Decision Editor**. Enter the following expressions and select **Response Threshold Breach** as the default action.
:::
| Action | Expression | Default option |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| Response Threshold Breach | Deliberately left empty | True |
| Resolution Threshold Breach | $(Status in ("Active", "Logged", "Waiting for Resolution")) | False |
| Delete Confirmation | $(Status == “Closed”) | False |
| Decision - Waiting for Customer | $(Status == “Waiting for Customer”) | False |
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/uydDKHEKzW1RlGzxe6Fc-_brancheddecisioneditorexamplestatus.png" alt="Values for three branches or paths that join on to Decision Status action." position="flex-start" size="40" initialPath="../../quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Status.png" githubPath="Content/Configure/QuickActions/quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Status.png" showCaption="false" width="945" height="240" darkWidth="945" darkHeight="240" indent="1"}
7. The second **Decision **Quick Action, (**Decision - Waiting for Customer**), conditionally checks if the Escalation period has been breached. If so, it updates the record to the **Closed **state before jumping back to the first **Decision **Quick Action ready for processing another record.
8. Select **Decision - Waiting for Customer** and then click **Decision Editor**. Enter the following expressions and select **Send Reminder** as the default action.
| Action | Expression | Default option |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| Closed Notification | $(\[Frs\_data\_escalation\_watch#.IncidentAssocWaitingEscWatch]BreachPassed) | False |
| Send Reminder | | True |
9. Here are the field values for all the other actions used in this example:
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Closed Notification**
:::
| Field | Value |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Log in Journal | All |
| From Address | Enter an ITSM email address that can send out emails to customers. |
| To Address | Email |
| Subject | $("Incident# " + IncidentNumber + " has been closed") |
| Compose Email | :inlineImage[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/Y09vahiV5FkNozd-N9c8n_brancheddecisioneditorexamplecomposeemail.png" alt="Fields for an email to inform customer of incident closure." caption size="40" width="706" height="430"} |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Update Status - Closed**
:::
| Field | Value |
| ------ | ------ |
| Status | Closed |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Jump to...**
:::
| Field | Value |
| ------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| Target Action | Decision - Status |
| Max Number of Iterations (between 1 and 10) | 1 |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Send Reminder**
:::
| Field | Value |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Log in Journal | All |
| From Address | Enter an ITSM email address that can send out emails to customers. |
| To Address | Email |
| Bcc | Email |
| Subject | $("Incident# " + IncidentNumber + " Reminder: Additional Information request") |
| Compose Email | :inlineImage[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/zW5XJp9MmOKrypWsaUauG_brancheddecisioneditorexamplecomposeemailreminder.png" alt="Reminder Email to customer " caption size="40" width="706" height="428"} |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Response Threshold Breach**
:::
| Field | Value |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Log in Journal | All |
| From Address | Enter an ITSM email address that can send out emails to customers. |
| To Address | Email |
| Subject | $("Incident# " + IncidentNumber + " - Response Threshold has been breached") |
| Compose Email | :inlineImage[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/R58DasQxCEerGaHfH9uNN_brancheddecisioneditorexamplecomposeemailbreach.png" alt="Email message for breach of response time for an Incident" caption size="40" width="943" height="569"} |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Resolution Threshold Breach**
:::
| Field | Value |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Log in Journal | All |
| From Address | Enter an ITSM email address that can send out emails to customers. |
| To Address | Email |
| Subject | $("Incident# " + IncidentNumber + " - Resolution Threshold has been breached") |
| Compose Email | :inlineImage[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/i588KpGVLOMDQ5gkd4dlM_brancheddecisioneditorexamplecomposeemailbreachresolution.png" alt="Email telling customer that Incident has breached Resolution Threshold" caption size="40" width="749" height="456"} |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Delete Confirmation**
:::
| Field | Value |
| -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Title | $("Delete Incident# " + IncidentNumber + "?") |
| Contents | $("Are you sure you want to delete Incident# " + IncidentNumber + "?") |
| Buttons | Ok and Cancel |
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
**Delete Incident**
:::
:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
No properties to be set for this action.
:::
## Setting up an Escalation
Using ITSM Escalations, create an escalation schedule that uses the Composite Action created in this example.
Here our Composite Action has been renamed to** Auto Close Waiting for Customer** and will be called when service targets are breached.
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/rJZHkfk6ANB-qOefeceVZ_brancheddecisioneditorexampleescsetup1.png" alt="Escalation schedule showing example composite action being called when breaches are exceeded." position="flex-start" size="40" initialPath="../../quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Esc_Setup_1.png" githubPath="Content/Configure/QuickActions/quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Esc_Setup_1.png" showCaption="false" width="463" height="220" darkWidth="463" darkHeight="220"}
The same action can then be renamed again to **Waiting for Customer Reminder **and also used for Escalation Level 1 when a reminder needs to be sent out to the customer.
::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/parib0MC3hVoUNdfQdnac/fgikQRIulen7j0H-Jvmz9_brancheddecisioneditorexampleescsetup2.png" alt="Escalation for Level 1 showing the example action being used again." position="flex-start" size="40" initialPath="../../quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Esc_Setup_2.png" githubPath="Content/Configure/QuickActions/quick-actions-images/Branched_Decision_Editor_Example_Esc_Setup_2.png" showCaption="false" width="447" height="285" darkWidth="447" darkHeight="285"}
For more information: [Working with Escalations](docId\:nx511p1yft4C9v57akRQ-).