Failing to set content side by side in a 3 column document

Question

I am trying to write a process document, and I am trying to show a frame/workflow process diagram right next to it, but it seems not to want to merge within the exact page where the current text is.

If anyone could share any advice or suggestions based on my code would be greatly appreciated, I am using overleaf to create this in case it may have anything to do with the issue.

The beginning of document is

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[portrait, paperwidth=17in, paperheight=11in, margin=0.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{paracol} % Use paracol package
\usepackage{lipsum} % For dummy text
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}
\usepackage{adjustbox}
\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{setspace} % Added package for controlling line spacing

\setstretch{0.8} % Replace 0.8 with your desired line spacing factor

The section in question which currently appears as is produced by

\newpage

\begin{paracol}{3} % Create 3 columns
\switchcolumn[0]* % Switch to the left column (0-indexed)

% Skipping sections 3 and 4 as they were previously written in a separate answer
\section{Quick Change Task Form}
\subsection{Key Details on the Publication Form}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Title: automatically set at assigned by workflow
\item RequestID: new numbering scheme automatically set by workflow.
\item Requested By: the person who submitted the request.
\item Assigned To: the assigned person defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Peer Reviewer: the peer reviewer defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Status: automatically set by workflow.
\item Open Date: date in which the quick-change task was created; automatically set by workflow.
\item Revision Date: date in which the last revision to the quick-change task took place; automatically set by workflow.
\item Target Date: target resolution date defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Hide Attachments: Show/hide the attachments section.
\end{enumerate}

\subsection{Quick Change Task Overview}
\subsubsection{Creation}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Task is created from a closed ETSR
\item Alternatively, Standards team members can submit a request.
\item Also automatically created as part of a Project if the “Create Quick Change” checkbox is checked when creating development tasks during Planning.
\item Status = Submitted.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Assignment}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Standards Manager sets Assigned To, approver, and publisher, as well as other assignment details.
\item RTL is responsible for defining assignment details for quick-change tasks that are part of a project.
\item Status changes to assigned
\item Alternatively, standards manager can close right away
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Development}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Assigned to drafts the deliverables to meet the scope of the request.
\item Assigned to resolves the quick-change tasks and adds resolution details
\item If development, status changes to under review
\item Other resolution options include moved to dashboard, deferred, duplicate, not accepted, and no longer needed; status changes to closed.
\item No Peer Review
\item The quick-change tasks process does not include a peer review.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Approval}
\begin{enumerate}
\item If approval is required (decided by standards manager during assignment), the approver reviews the quick-change task and adds approval details.
\item If not approved, quick-change task is assigned to, status changed to assigned, and the process repeats.
\item If approved, status changes to awaiting publishing.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Publishing}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Publisher moves the completed deliverables to the appropriate publication location and adds publishing details.
\item Status changes to published.
\end{enumerate}

\switchcolumn[2]* % Switch to the left column (0-indexed)

\begin{adjustbox}{valign=t,raise=1.5\baselineskip,lap=-0.5\linewidth}

% Define block and line styles
\tikzstyle{block} = [rectangle, draw, fill=gray!25, text=black, text width=6em, text centered, rounded corners, minimum height=5em]
\tikzstyle{line} = [draw, -latex']

% Move to the right column
\hspace*{0.5\linewidth}

% Create the TikZ picture environment
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]

    % Creates the blocks
    \node [block] (sec1) {Initiation};
    \node [block, below of=sec1] (sec2) {Planning};
    \node [block, below of=sec2] (sec3) {Standard Development};
    \node [block, below of=sec3] (sec4) {Roll-Out};

    % Connect the blocks with lines
    \path [line] (sec1) -- (sec2);
    \path [line] (sec2) -- (sec3);
    \path [line] (sec3) -- (sec4);

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{adjustbox}

\end{paracol}{3} % Create 3 columns

Answer 1

This assumes that you want the first two columns to flow, for which multicol would work best. However, you want direct control over the third column, for which paracol is better suited. However, I eventually went with minipages so that I could align the centers instead of the tops.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[portrait, paperwidth=17in, paperheight=11in, margin=0.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{paracol} % Use paracol package
\usepackage{lipsum} % For dummy text
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}
\usepackage{adjustbox}
\usepackage{titlesec}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
%\usepackage{setspace} % Avoid if possible

\usepackage{multicol}

\begin{document}

\begin{minipage}{\dimexpr 0.667\textwidth-\columnsep}% first two columns
\begin{multicols}{2}

% Skipping sections 3 and 4 as they were previously written in a separate answer
\section{Quick Change Task Form}
\subsection{Key Details on the Publication Form}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Title: automatically set at assigned by workflow
\item RequestID: new numbering scheme automatically set by workflow.
\item Requested By: the person who submitted the request.
\item Assigned To: the assigned person defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Peer Reviewer: the peer reviewer defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Status: automatically set by workflow.
\item Open Date: date in which the quick-change task was created; automatically set by workflow.
\item Revision Date: date in which the last revision to the quick-change task took place; automatically set by workflow.
\item Target Date: target resolution date defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Hide Attachments: Show/hide the attachments section.
\end{enumerate}

\subsection{Quick Change Task Overview}
\subsubsection{Creation}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Task is created from a closed ETSR
\item Alternatively, Standards team members can submit a request.
\item Also automatically created as part of a Project if the “Create Quick Change” checkbox is checked when creating development tasks during Planning.
\item Status = Submitted.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Assignment}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Standards Manager sets Assigned To, approver, and publisher, as well as other assignment details.
\item RTL is responsible for defining assignment details for quick-change tasks that are part of a project.
\item Status changes to assigned
\item Alternatively, standards manager can close right away
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Development}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Assigned to drafts the deliverables to meet the scope of the request.
\item Assigned to resolves the quick-change tasks and adds resolution details
\item If development, status changes to under review
\item Other resolution options include moved to dashboard, deferred, duplicate, not accepted, and no longer needed; status changes to closed.
\item No Peer Review
\item The quick-change tasks process does not include a peer review.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Approval}
\begin{enumerate}
\item If approval is required (decided by standards manager during assignment), the approver reviews the quick-change task and adds approval details.
\item If not approved, quick-change task is assigned to, status changed to assigned, and the process repeats.
\item If approved, status changes to awaiting publishing.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Publishing}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Publisher moves the completed deliverables to the appropriate publication location and adds publishing details.
\item Status changes to published.
\end{enumerate}
\end{multicols}
\end{minipage}\hfill
\begin{minipage}{\dimexpr 0.333\textwidth-\columnsep}
\centering
%\begin{adjustbox}{valign=t,raise=1.5\baselineskip,lap=-0.5\linewidth}% ???

% Define block and line styles
\tikzstyle{block} = [rectangle, draw, fill=gray!25, text=black, text width=6em, text centered, rounded corners, minimum height=5em]
\tikzstyle{line} = [draw, -latex']

% Create the TikZ picture environment
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]

    % Creates the blocks
    \node [block] (sec1) {Initiation};
    \node [block, below of=sec1] (sec2) {Planning};
    \node [block, below of=sec2] (sec3) {Standard Development};
    \node [block, below of=sec3] (sec4) {Roll-Out};

    % Connect the blocks with lines
    \path [line] (sec1) -- (sec2);
    \path [line] (sec2) -- (sec3);
    \path [line] (sec3) -- (sec4);

\end{tikzpicture}
%\end{adjustbox}
\end{minipage}

\end{document}

Answer 2

The tikzpicture is ending up on the second page as you are using \switchcolumn[2]* which is bottom-balancing (the first column finishes on page 2, so the third column starts there), rather than \switchcolumn which is top-balancing.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[portrait, paperwidth=17in, paperheight=11in, margin=0.5in]{geometry}
\usepackage{paracol} % Use paracol package
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes,arrows,positioning}
\usepackage{setspace} % Added package for controlling line spacing

\setstretch{0.8} % Replace 0.8 with your desired line spacing factor

\begin{document}
\begin{paracol}{3} % Create 3 columns
\switchcolumn[0] % Switch to the left column (0-indexed)

% Skipping sections 3 and 4 as they were previously written in a separate answer
\section{Quick Change Task Form}
\subsection{Key Details on the Publication Form}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Title: automatically set at assigned by workflow
\item RequestID: new numbering scheme automatically set by workflow.
\item Requested By: the person who submitted the request.
\item Assigned To: the assigned person defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Peer Reviewer: the peer reviewer defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Status: automatically set by workflow.
\item Open Date: date in which the quick-change task was created; automatically set by workflow.
\item Revision Date: date in which the last revision to the quick-change task took place; automatically set by workflow.
\item Target Date: target resolution date defined during assignment by Standards Manager.
\item Hide Attachments: Show/hide the attachments section.
\end{enumerate}

\subsection{Quick Change Task Overview}
\subsubsection{Creation}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Task is created from a closed ETSR
\item Alternatively, Standards team members can submit a request.
\item Also automatically created as part of a Project if the “Create Quick Change” checkbox is checked when creating development tasks during Planning.
\item Status = Submitted.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Assignment}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Standards Manager sets Assigned To, approver, and publisher, as well as other assignment details.
\item RTL is responsible for defining assignment details for quick-change tasks that are part of a project.
\item Status changes to assigned
\item Alternatively, standards manager can close right away
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Development}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Assigned to drafts the deliverables to meet the scope of the request.
\item Assigned to resolves the quick-change tasks and adds resolution details
\item If development, status changes to under review
\item Other resolution options include moved to dashboard, deferred, duplicate, not accepted, and no longer needed; status changes to closed.
\item No Peer Review
\item The quick-change tasks process does not include a peer review.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Approval}
\begin{enumerate}
\item If approval is required (decided by standards manager during assignment), the approver reviews the quick-change task and adds approval details.
\item If not approved, quick-change task is assigned to, status changed to assigned, and the process repeats.
\item If approved, status changes to awaiting publishing.
\end{enumerate}
\subsubsection{Publishing}
\begin{enumerate}
\item Publisher moves the completed deliverables to the appropriate publication location and adds publishing details.
\item Status changes to published.
\end{enumerate}

\switchcolumn[2] % Switch to the left column (0-indexed)

\centering

% Define block and line styles
\tikzstyle{block} = [rectangle, draw, fill=gray!25, text=black, text width=6em, text centered, rounded corners, minimum height=5em]
\tikzstyle{line} = [draw, -latex']

% Create the TikZ picture environment
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance = 3cm, auto]

    % Creates the blocks
    \node [block] (sec1) {Initiation};
    \node [block, below of=sec1] (sec2) {Planning};
    \node [block, below of=sec2] (sec3) {Standard Development};
    \node [block, below of=sec3] (sec4) {Roll-Out};

    % Connect the blocks with lines
    \path [line] (sec1) -- (sec2);
    \path [line] (sec2) -- (sec3);
    \path [line] (sec3) -- (sec4);

\end{tikzpicture}

\end{paracol}
\end{document}

Where we can also ditch the adjustbox and \hspace. This produces

This does leave a lot of white space in the middle, the example could easily be two-column which you can then tune the relative widths of with \columnratio.