Understanding Workflow Templates in Ecoscope

Ecoscope Workflows allow you to generate dynamic dashboards from your selected data source. Each workflow runs predefined calculations to help you discover patterns and trends. Transforming raw data into spatial and temporal outputs such as maps, charts, and metrics. These outputs support analysis and interpretation but do not perform analysis on your behalf.


Workflow templates in Ecoscope are predefined, reusable processes tailored to common conservation scenarios. Each template encapsulates a specific data logic (e.g., for tracking, events, or patrols) that can be configured and reused across different contexts or regions.
 

 

What Are Workflows?

In Ecoscope, workflows are structured data-processing pipelines that perform work and may generate various types of outputs They enable teams to:
 

  • Pull, filter, and transform raw data directly from the source (e.g., EarthRanger), eliminating the need for manual data exports
  • Run calculations that produce geospatial and temporal outputs such as maps, charts, and tables
  • Automatically generate dashboards with configurable visual components and summary metrics
  • Support the creation of recurring operational or outreach reports through reusable workflows

Each workflow is composed of modular steps that can each be configured:

  • Input selection – Define the time range, data source (e.g., EarthRanger), and what type of data to bring in
  • Data handling – Filter, group, or transform data (e.g., turn relocations into trajectories, extract patrol events)
  • Output generation – Create dashboard components like maps, bar charts, pie charts, or time series charts

Why Use Workflow Templates?

Workflow templates offer a quick-start configuration for common conservation monitoring tasks. Each template is tailored to a specific type of data: such as subject movement, event reporting, or patrol activity and includes all of the prebuilt processing logic needed to turn that data into usable visual outputs. 

Note: At this stage, templates are the only way to create workflows in Ecoscope. Support for custom workflows is planned for a future release.

By using templates, you can:

  • Skip repetitive configuration steps
  • Follow a structured setup process optimized for each data type
  • Ensure consistency in analysis methods across users and teams
  • Focus on interpretation and results rather than time-consuming data wrangling

 

What Does a Workflow Output Include?

When a workflow is successfully run, it generates a dashboard composed of several data visualizations. These may include:

  • Interactive maps showing points, trajectories, or coverage areas
  • Density maps highlighting high-activity zones
  • Charts such as pie charts, bar graphs, and time series plots
  • Key statistics such as speed, time, distance, or event counts
  • Legends and filters to help interpret data types and categories

Each template produces slightly different outputs based on its focus. 

Available Workflow Templates

Ecoscope currently includes three workflow templates, each designed to handle a specific type of data and generate tailored visual outputs:
 

  • Subject Tracking Workflow
    This workflow processes GPS-based location data from subjects like animals or vehicles. It creates trajectory maps, movement statistics, and spatial density layers to help visualize patterns over time and space.
  • Event Workflow
    This workflow organizes and summarizes reported field events. It visualizes where and when events occurred and provides charts that break down event types and frequency.
  • Patrol Workflow
    This workflow analyzes patrol routes and associated field events. It generates maps and charts that reflect patrol coverage, time spent in the field, and event encounters along patrol paths.
     

Understanding Workflow Failures 

In some cases, you may encounter errors due to the amount of data being processed, configuration issues, or unexpected system timeouts. When a failure occurs, you’ll see the status marked as Failed in the My Workflows.

To investigate, use the View Metadata option in the workflow’s options menu (⋮). This opens a detailed panel with the full configuration used during the run and any errors that were encountered.

Example: Timeout Error

A common error looks like this:

"error": "InvocationTimeoutError: The workflow timed out. Consider reducing the amount of data being processed."

This message is generated directly from the system and can help you locate the root cause of the issue.

What Metadata Includes

The metadata panel shows all the behind-the-scenes details of a workflow run, including:

  • The error message (if the workflow failed)
  • The name and version of the template used
  • Connected data source information
  • Groupers, filters, and configuration parameters

What to Do Next

You can use the error message and configuration details to:

  • Look up the issue in our Common Errors & Solutions page
  • Copy and paste the metadata into an email to support@earthranger.com
    if you need assistance

This information helps the Support Team quickly understand what went wrong and how to assist you more effectively.