Flow form
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A Flow shape () may represent any of the following:
Don't confuse the Flow shape with the similar Start shape (). Every flow contains a single Start shape. A Start shape has no incoming connectors.
A flow rule that is branched to or called by another is sometimes informally called a subflow. However, no field on the rule form identifies a flow rule as a subflow. The term subflow describes how a flow execution is started rather than the rule's characteristics. Some Business Process Management materials use the term subprocess for a branch flow.
Use the Spin-off shape rather than a Flow shape to start an asynchronous flow execution, in which the current flow execution continues while the subflow executes. See Flow form — Editing the Spin-off shape properties.
To call or branch to a subflow from this flow
1. Drag the Flow icon from the stencil onto the flow and drop it.
2. When the SubProcess Properties appear, complete five fields:
Field |
Description |
Name |
Assign a name to the shape. BUG-2983removed no more than 32 characters long B-16966. Choose a name meaningful to application users who see this on the work object history display, the breadcrumbs control (for entry points), and the Where-Am-I? diagram. It does not affect flow execution. When first building, it is simplest to make this name the same as the name of the called flow. Later when your flow is complete, you can change the name to be more descriptive. |
Define Flow on |
Identify the objects the flow rule is to update. Select:
|
Application |
Optional. Select the name of the application that you want to link to the flow shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents. 5.4 Proj-831 |
Work Type |
Optional. Select the name of the work type for the application that you want to link to the flow shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents. 5.4 Proj-831 |
Use Case |
Optional. Select the name of the use case for the application and work type that details the implementation requirements for the flow shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents and on the Implementation tab of the corresponding Application Use Case rule. 5.4 Proj-831 |
3. Complete other fields that appear.
Completing the fields — On Current Work Item
Complete these fields if you selected On Current Work
Item
in the Define Flow on field.
Field |
Description |
Name |
Assign a name to the new flow, an arbitrary text string containing no spaces. This name appears in the Visio diagram and in your flow form. When first building, it is simplest to make this name the same as the name of your flow. Later when your flow is complete, you can change the name to be more descriptive. |
Define Flow on |
Identify the objects the flow rule is to update. Select:
|
Flow Type |
Select If the current flow is a screen flow, the subflow must also be a screen flow. |
Flow Rule |
(for
|
Subflow Re-entry? |
Select to allow users to reenter this subflow at the beginning by clicking a rectangle on the breadcrumbs display. This field works with Perform harness rules that include a breadcrumbs display and with assignments that offer the Previous flow action. In other cases, the value has no effect. |
Parameters |
Some flow rules have input parameters. Enter parameters for the selected flow rule. |
Audit Note |
Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work object history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. B-18887 Process Commander includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work object history displays can be localized.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work object history. See Controlling the volume of generated work object history instances and the Pega Developer Network article PRKB-25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail. |
Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this task is an entry point, which a user can return to using the breadcrumbs control or the standard flow action Work-.Previous. The default is cleared. 5.2 If this box and the SubFlow Re-Entry? box are both selected, steps marked as entry points in the subflow disappear from the breadcrumbs display when the subflow execution is complete. The user can restart the subflow execution from the beginning, but can no longer re-enter it at interim entry points. This field works with Perform harness rules that include a breadcrumbs display and with assignments that offer the Work-.Previous flow action. In other cases, the value has no effect. |
Only going back? |
This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to restrict users at runtime from jumping ahead to this step without having completed the preceding steps. After having completed this step, users may jump back to it from steps that follow it. Leave unselected to allow users to select this entry point from anywhere within the flow. They can complete or visit an earlier or later step. For maximum user flexibility, leave this checkbox unselected if your flow accepts inputs in any order. However, this approach is typically not workable for flows that contain fork and decision shapes, or that have intermediate tasks that are not entry points. |
Completing the fields — On Another Work Item
If you choose On Another Work Item
, complete these
fields. This choice is not available for screen flows.
Field |
Completing the Field |
Class |
Select the class (work type) of the "other" work object. |
Work Property |
Enter a property reference in the current work object that identifies the key (.pzInsKey property) of the other work object. not pyIDGARFJ 3/11/09 Leave this blank if the (when this shape is reached) the other work object is already open as a page on the clipboard. |
Page Name |
Optional. If (when this shape is reached) the other work
object is present on the clipboard, enter the page name that
holds it. If the other work object is not present, enter the
page name to be created that holds it. When you leave this
field blank but complete the Work Property
field, the system opens the work object on a page named
To start the flow execution, the current requestor must hold a lock on the work object. If the current requestor does not hold or cannot acquire this lock, the system starts a problem flow rather than the designated flow.) MARIK C-1804 |
Flow Type |
Select |
Flow Rule |
Select the Flow Type, the second key part of the flow started for the other work object. |
Audit Note |
Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work object history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. B-18887 Process Commander includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work object history displays can be localized.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work object history. See Controlling the volume of generated work object history instances and the Pega Developer Network article PRKB-25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail. |
Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this task is an entry point, which a user can return to using the breadcrumbs control or the standard flow action Work-.Previous. The default is cleared. 5.2 |
Completing the Fields — On Embedded Page
If you choose On Embedded Page
, complete these fields.
This choice is not available for screen flows.
Field |
Completing the Field |
Page Property |
Enter a
reference to the property (of mode |
Class |
Identify the class (such as the work type) of the embedded page. You can enter a property reference or expression here. SR-3875 B-20978 MARIK 8/24/06 B-21061 |
Flow Type |
Select |
Flow Rule |
Select the Flow Type, the second key part of the flow to be started for the other work object. |
Audit Note |
Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work object history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. B-18887 Process Commander includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work object history displays can be localized.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work object history. See Controlling the volume of generated work object history instances and the Pega Developer Network article PRKB-25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail. |
Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this task is an entry point, which a user can return to using the breadcrumbs control or the standard flow action Work-.Previous. The default is cleared. 5.2 |
Only going back? |
This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to restrict users at runtime from jumping ahead to this step without having completed the preceding steps. After having completed this step, users may jump back to it from steps that follow it. For maximum user flexibility, leave this checkbox unselected if your flow allows inputs to arrive in any order. However, this approach is typically not workable for flows that contain fork and decision shapes, or that have intermediate tasks that are not entry points. |
4. Click Apply .
5. Attach at least one incoming connector to the shape. For a branch to another flow, do not connect any outgoing connectors to the shape. For a call of a subflow (with return), attach one outgoing connector from the shape.
(To edit these shape properties after you save the Flow form, open the Diagram tab, right-click the shape, and select the Edit tab on the pop-up window.) GRP-202