---
sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/platform-administration

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration

ft:clusterId :

    - platadm

bundleId :

    - platadm

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Workflow assignments

# Workflow assignments {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

An alternative to creating data lookup or assignment rules is to create one or more
workflow tasks that assign a task record as part of a workflow.

Consider using [Task workflow activities](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_TaskActivities&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) for assignment if your process includes multiple steps or conditions such as requiring a particular group approve a request.

When using a workflow to manage task assignments, add a brief [Timer workflow activity](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_Timer&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US) to the start of the workflow. Without this timer activity, the workflow runs before the parent record, the current record, is inserted into the database. After
the timer activity completes, the workflow resumes using the parent record information from the database instead of the original current. Pausing a workflow in this way does not change a default workflow to a deferred workflow. For
more information on how the workflow engine interacts with the database, see [Workflow engine operation order](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_WorkflowEngineOperationOrder&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US).
**Related concepts**   

* [Assignment rules module](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/rR78IoisLlgCOyK3ZOrqOw "The Assignment rules module allows you to automatically set a value in the assigned_to and assignment_group fields when a set of conditions occurs.")
* [Data lookup rules](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/M~dNIR1lsNC51geTU8yfiQ "Data lookup rules offer a generic way to change any field value, not just assignment fields.")
* [Precedence between data lookup, assignment, and business rules](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/hvWUlSrSKDn2adzOkFj6kA "Scripts, assignment rules, business rules, workflows, escalations, and engines all take effect in relation to a database operation, such as insert or update. In many cases, the order of these events is important.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Create an assignment rule](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xe0hjK2CjyaY4TGX~Oj94w "Automatically assign a record according to one or more conditions in an assignment rule. Assignment rules are designed to run at the time you open a record.")
* [Create an assignment data lookup rule](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/vQHScXzjNwEQtbe5bwW~XA "Automatically assign a record using Data Lookup and Record Matching.")  
**Related reference**   

* [Baseline assignment rules example](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/CsSPKXDDusnJgP13ayXwuw "A baseline instance contains certain assignment rules.")