Workflow Transition Rules: Required Fields
TL;DR
Required fields in custom workflows help you keep handoffs consistent by making certain standard or custom fields mandatory before a status can be changed. You can set them only on custom workflows, starting from the second status onward. If a required field is missing or doesn’t meet the rule you set, Wrike blocks the status change until the user enters valid data. This works for manual changes, bulk actions, and automation, and mobile also supports required fields and allows status changes. If something fails, it’s usually due to field permissions, sharing, or workflow setup.
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Availability: Legacy Business, Legacy Enterprise.; Unavailability: Legacy Free, Legacy Professional.; |
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Availability: Business, Pinnacle, Apex. ; Unavailability: Free, Team; |
Required fields help you standardize handoffs in your workflow. You can make specific standard and custom fields mandatory when someone changes an item’s status.
If a required field is missing or doesn’t match the rule you set, the status won’t change.
Important
You can set required fields only for custom workflows. This isn’t available for the default workflow.
Note
You can set required fields starting with the second status in a workflow. You can’t set them for the first status, because Wrike applies that status when the item is created. If you need to require fields at creation, use Request Forms. Required fields are supported, but optional fields aren’t.
The following fields are supported:
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Assignee
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Checkbox
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Currency
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Date
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Multi-select
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Number
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People
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Percent
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Single-select
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Text
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Click your profile image 1 from the sidebar.
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Select Settings 2 from the dropdown menu.
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Click Workflows 3 in the left panel.
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Open the workflow you want to edit 4.
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Select the status where you want to add required fields.
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Under Required fields on status selection, choose the fields you want users to complete.
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Set the criteria each field must match, such as:
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is exactly
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is not empty
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is in-between
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no more than
Note
The available predicates can vary depending on the field type.
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Click Save.
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Navigate to the relevant space 1 in the sidebar.
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Click the gear icon 2 next to the space overview in the sidebar.
OR
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Click the gear icon 2 below the space title in the current view.
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Switch to the Workflows tab 3.
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Select the workflow you want to edit 4.
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Select the status where you want to add required fields.
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In Required fields on status selection, choose the required fields.
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Set the criteria for each field.
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Click Save.
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Open a task, project, or other work item that uses the workflow.
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Try to change its status to the status where required fields are configured.
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If one or more required fields are missing or invalid, complete them in the validation form.
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Submit the form to finish the status change.
If all required fields already meet the criteria, Wrike changes the status right away and doesn’t show the form.
When someone changes a status manually, Wrike checks whether the required fields meet the configured criteria.
There are three possible outcomes:
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The user closes the form without entering values, and the status doesn’t change.
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The user enters invalid data, and Wrike highlights the errors. The status doesn’t change, and the values aren’t saved.
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The user enters valid data, and Wrike saves the values and changes the status.
When a user changes a status manually, Wrike shows a validation form if required fields are missing or invalid.
In bulk actions, Wrike updates only the items that meet the required field criteria. Items that don’t meet the criteria won’t update.
If a status change comes from automation, AI Agent, or API and the required fields don’t meet the criteria, the status change won’t go through.
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You can’t configure required fields for the default workflow.
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You can’t configure required fields for the first workflow status.
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Optional fields aren’t supported.
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Required fields validate only the status a user selects, not skipped statuses.
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Required fields don’t validate retroactively for items already in a status.
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If users change field values later, Wrike doesn’t recheck the previous status transition.
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If required values are already present, Wrike won’t show the validation form.
This usually happens when the user can’t view or edit a required field.
Examples include:
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The custom field isn’t shared with the user.
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The user doesn’t have permission to edit the custom field.
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The user type or access role limits field editing.
In these cases, an admin may need to update field sharing, permissions, or workflow settings.
The status change can also fail if the workflow, field, and item settings don’t align.
Examples include:
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A project custom field is required in a task workflow.
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A required custom field is deactivated.
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A required custom field isn’t available in the relevant space or location.
If this happens, update the workflow or custom field setup so the required fields are available where they’re needed.