start Step
Description:
This step is the first step of any workflow definition. It starts the execution of the workflow/process.
Inputs
- Variables – define variables for the workflow definition
- Globals – define globals for the workflow definition
- formVariables - manage Form variables
- businessObjects - manage Business Objects
- priority - Set process priority (low, medium, high)
- useSingleIterations - keep only the last execution iteration
- errorDef - execute this process definition when the instance has errors
- abortDef - execute this process definition when the instance is aborted
- completeDef - execute this process definition when the instance completes
Returns
- None
Usage:
Example:
Let’s build and execute the “startDef” example.
- Create a new definition called “startDef”
- Select the definition and click the “design” button
- Drag the above controls from the toolbox
- Connect the dots between the steps as shown above
- Click on the "start" step to configure its "Settings" properties. Provide a name to the step.
- Click on the "start" step to configure its "Advanced" properties. Configure “Yes” to Use a Single Execution Iteration if you want the process instance to retain only the last execution iteration. This is useful when the process instance is designed to loop (n) times to complete the workflow, and only the last iteration must be retained. By default, the configuration is “No,” which means all iterations are retained.
- Click on the button to manage variables. All variables defined earlier in the workflow are listed in the table. Provide the variable name, select the data type, and click on the “Add” button to add new variables to the process. Select the variable name and click the “Remove” button to permanently remove the variable from the process. Select the data type from the dropdown list. first, select the variable from the list and click on the “Change Type” button to change the data type of the variable.
- Select the variable from the list and click on the “Used by steps” button to view all steps using the variable. The associated steps are hyperlinked to help track their location when clicked.
- Select the variable and click on the “Mark Required” button to prevent accidental removal. The variable is marked in red, and the same button toggles its status to normal.
- Click on the button to manage globals. All globals defined earlier in the workflow are listed in the table. Provide the global name, select the data type, and click on the “Add” button to add new globals to the process. Select the global name and click the “Remove” button to permanently remove the global from the process. Select the data type from the dropdown list. First, select the global from the list and click on the “Change Type” button to change the global data type. Select the variable from the list and click on the “Used by steps” button to view all steps using the global. The associated steps are hyperlinked to help track their location when clicked. Select the global and click on the “Mark Required” button to prevent removing the global by mistake. The global is marked in red, and the same button toggles the status to normal.
- Click on the button to manage form variables. Select the form definition from the dropdown list. Provide the variable name and click on the “Add” button to include a new form variable to the list. Select the variable name from the list and click on the “Remove” button to remove the variable permanently from the list. Select the variable name from the list and click on “Change Schema” to map the variable to another form definition from the dropdown list.
- Click on the button to manage business objects (BO). Select the type from the dropdown list. Provide the BO name and click on the “Add” button to include a new object to the list. Select the BO name from the list and click on the “Remove” button to remove it permanently from the list. Select the BO name from the list and click on “Change Type” to change the BO type from one to another.
- Configure the execution path to follow when the process instance status is Abort, Errors, or Completed. Click on the dropdown list to select an existing process workflow for each status. The configuration is not mandatory, but the process instance's conclusion in real-time can be optimally used.
