Every project has a process—even if it’s not written down. Whether your team follows a formal stage-gate methodology or an informal to-do list, tracking the status of work is central to managing progress and identifying roadblocks.
Wrike’s Custom Workflows feature lets you define exactly how work moves through your process. Instead of being limited to “New → In Progress → Done,” you can create workflows that match the way your team really works—whether it’s software sprints, marketing campaigns, product development, or client onboarding.
In this article, we’ll cover how to design, create, and apply custom workflows in Wrike, plus share best practices for project managers looking to gain better control, consistency, and visibility across tasks and teams.
What Are Custom Workflows in Wrike?
In Wrike, a workflow is the list of statuses that a task can move through. Each task or subtask has a status like:
- New
- In Progress
- On Hold
- Completed
With custom workflows, you can rename statuses, group them by category (Active, Completed, Deferred), assign them colors, and define flows that reflect your unique process.
Why Custom Workflows Matter for Project Management
- Accurate Status Tracking: You get a clearer picture of where tasks actually are.
- Consistent Reporting: Statuses align across teams, which improves dashboards and reports.
- Smarter Automation: You can trigger actions (notifications, task moves) based on status.
- Stakeholder Visibility: Clients and executives understand the workflow at a glance.
- Fewer Miscommunications: Clear handoffs between people and departments.
Instead of adapting your process to the tool, you adapt the tool to your process.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Custom Workflow in Wrike
Step 1: Go to Account Settings
You’ll need admin-level access to create or modify workflows.
- Click your profile picture
- Navigate to Account Management > Workflows
Step 2: Create a New Workflow
- Click + New Workflow
- Name it clearly (e.g., “Marketing Content Workflow” or “Client Project Flow”)
Step 3: Add and Organize Statuses
- Click Add Status and enter the name (e.g., “Draft”, “Review”, “Approved”)
- Choose a status group:
- Active (work in progress)
- Completed (finished work)
- Deferred (on hold, delayed, cancelled)
- Assign colors to make the workflow visually intuitive
- Reorder statuses by dragging them
Step 4: Save and Apply
- Save the workflow
- Go to any folder or project → click the gear icon → select Custom Workflow
- All tasks inside that folder or project will now follow the new status flow
Examples of Effective Custom Workflows
1. Agile/Scrum Teams
- Backlog
- Selected for Sprint
- In Progress
- In Review
- QA
- Done
2. Marketing Campaigns
- Briefing
- In Design
- Ready for Review
- Feedback Needed
- Final Approved
- Published
3. Client Onboarding
- Discovery
- Proposal Sent
- Contract Signed
- Kickoff Scheduled
- In Implementation
- Onboarded
4. IT/Service Desk
- New Request
- Assigned
- In Progress
- Waiting on Customer
- Resolved
- Closed
Best Practices for Custom Workflows
1. Avoid Too Many Statuses
It’s tempting to reflect every micro-step, but too much detail can slow users down. Aim for 5–7 statuses per workflow to keep it clean and usable.
2. Use Clear, Actionable Names
Choose status names that reflect actual states of work. Avoid vague terms like “Working” or “Pending.” Instead use:
- “In Review”
- “Waiting for Approval”
- “Ready to Launch”
3. Color-Code Strategically
Use green for done/completed states, red or orange for blockers, and blue or gray for in-progress steps. This makes dashboards more scannable.
4. Train Your Team
Introduce the workflow to your team in a short session. Explain what each status means and who is responsible for moving tasks forward. Include examples.
5. Use Workflows to Trigger Automation
Once your custom statuses are in place, use Wrike’s Automation Engine to create rules like:
- When status changes to “Review,” assign the task to the reviewer
- When status changes to “Done,” move the task to the “Completed” folder
- Send a notification if a task stays in “In Review” for more than 3 days
This creates a living workflow that reinforces itself without constant PM intervention.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcomplicating workflows for small teams
- Creating separate workflows for every project when one shared model would suffice
- Using custom statuses that no one understands or uses consistently
- Not reviewing workflows quarterly to keep them relevant
Final Thoughts
Custom workflows are one of the most powerful features in Wrike—and one of the easiest ways to bring structure and clarity to your project process. When designed with your real-world workflow in mind, they turn Wrike into more than a task tracker. They create a shared language across your team and a system that reflects how work actually gets done.
As your projects grow in complexity, your workflows will evolve too—but with a strong foundation, Wrike will scale right alongside you.
