Gated connector

A Gated connector is the link between two steps that keeps the second step hidden on mobile until the first step is done. It is the right pick whenever order matters, like making sure a photo is taken before a temperature reading is recorded.

What a Gated connector is for

When you wire two steps together with a Gated connector, the second step does not appear in the workflow run on the mobile app until the first step has been completed. Staff finish step 1, the next step pops in, then they can carry on.

The tooltip on the Gated button reads: Next step stays hidden until this one is completed.

Good fits include:

• Enforcing a real-world order, like "take a photo of the cleaned surface before recording the temperature"
• Gating a sensitive step so the worker can not skip past prep work, like signing off only after the inspection is filled in
• Building a step-by-step procedure where each step builds on the last
• Cutting visual clutter on mobile, so staff only see the next thing they need to do

How to pick a Gated connector

You pick the connector type when you add a step below an existing step.

1. Click the + button below the step you want to connect from
2. The connector picker opens with three options: Open, Gated, and Decision
3. Click Gated (the second option, shown with a lock icon)
4. A second picker opens showing the element types you can add
5. Pick the element type for the new step

The new step is added below, and the line between the two steps shows a small padlock at the midpoint.

How to tell a Gated connector on the canvas

A Gated connector shows a padlock icon at the midpoint of the line between two steps. Hover over the padlock and a tooltip reads: Gated — next step stays hidden until this one is completed.

When you click the line itself, the padlock is replaced with a small toolbar that lets you insert a step into the middle of the line or delete the connector outright. Clicking elsewhere returns the padlock to view.

Plan requirements

The Gated connector needs the Standard plan or higher. On the Basic plan, the Gated button in the picker is greyed out and the tooltip reads Upgrade to Standard to use.

Tips

• Use Gated only where order genuinely matters. Over-using it makes mobile feel slow and rigid
• The padlock on the canvas is your at-a-glance signal that a step is gated. If you scan a template and only see plain lines, you can be confident nothing is hidden behind another step
• A gate is on the connector, not on the step itself. The same step can be Open in one template and Gated in another
• If you change your mind, click the line and delete it, then re-add the step with an Open connector. The step itself stays put