Flow form - Editing in Visio - Decision shape properties

At runtime, the system evaluates the decision rule based on inputs from the flow and the work item, and chooses one of the outgoing connectors based on the result. No user interaction or input is required.

For example, a decision shape for a credit card processing application may select one of three paths A, B, or C in the flow based on two input values — a card type (Standard, Silver, or Gold) and an amount.

1. Drag the decision shape () and drop it onto the flow.

2. When the Decision Properties panel appears, complete the Name field.

3. Choose a decision rule Type: Map Value, Decision Tree, Decision Table or Boolean Expression.

4. Complete the fields that appear for that type. Click Apply when done.

5. Connect at least one incoming connector to the shape.

6. Connect two or more outgoing connectors from the shape.

If the decision table or decision tree you reference has no more than five possible results, the outgoing connectors appear automatically when you drop the shape. You can add to, delete, rearrange, and modify such automatic connectors as desired. If the decision rule has more than five possible results, five connectors appear automatically. Make sure each distinct decision outcome has an appropriate connector condition.

You can add a Decision shape by dragging and dropping a map value, decision tree, or decision table from the Application Explorer onto the Visio diagram. Click the icon to select the rule. See Using the Application Explorer.

You can reference a one- or two-dimensional map value.

Field	Description
Name	Enter a text name for this shape. Choose a name meaningful to application users who see this on the work item history display, the breadcrumbs control (for entry points), and the Where-Am-I? diagram. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution of the flow. This name also appears inside the Decision shape on the Diagram tab.
Type	`Map Value`
Rule	Select a map value, identified by the second key part.
Row Input	Optional. Enter a literal text value or a property reference that becomes the input value for the row of the map value at runtime. When you leave this blank, the row property identified on the Inputs tab is used as the source of the value.
Column Input	Optional. If the map value selected has two dimensions, enter a literal value or a property reference that becomes the input value for the column of the map value at runtime. When you leave this blank, the column property identified on the Inputs tab is used as the source of the value.
Result in	Optional. Select a target property to contain the result of the chosen 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 item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized. See About the Localization wizard.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work item history. See Controlling the volume of generated work item history instances and the PDN article 25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail.
Entry Point?	Select to indicate that this decision shape 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. This checkbox works with Perform harnesses that include a breadcrumbs display and with assignments that offer the Work-.Previous flow action. In other cases, the checkbox 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. 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 shapes that are not entry points.
Post Action on Click Away?	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Click Apply . (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.)

At runtime, the system evaluates the map value using one or two values supplied by this settings dialog box, and compute a result value. The decision result (a text value) is the basis of the decision, using outgoing connectors and the Status comparison.

For example, if the map value returns values "Red", "Green", or "Yellow", the flow can include four connectors flowing from the Decision shape, all corresponding to Status comparisons. One connector compares the returned value to "Red", one to "Green", one to "Yellow", and a fourth can become the default (Else) connector.

Field	Description
Name	Enter a text name for this shape. Choose a name meaningful to application users who see this on the work item history display, the breadcrumbs control (for entry points), and the Where-Am-I? diagram. .. For example: CustomerLimitCheck. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution of the flow. This name also appears inside the Decision shape on the Diagram tab.
Type	`Decision Tree`
Rule	Select a decision tree, identified by the second key part.
Input	Optional. Enter a literal text value or a property reference that becomes the input value for the decision tree at runtime. If you leave this blank, the system uses the value of the property identified on the Input tab.
Result in	Optional. Select a target property to contain the result of the chosen 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 item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized. See About the Localization wizard.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work item history. See Controlling the volume of generated work item history instances and the PDN article 25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail.
Entry Point?	Select to indicate that this decision shape 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.
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 shapes that are not entry points.
Post Action on Click Away?	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Click Apply . (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.)

At runtime, the system evaluates the decision tree based on the input value you supply and the value of any other properties it references. Your connectors leading from this decision shape can use the result (the output of the decision tree) in Status comparisons.

The system evaluates connectors in order of decreasing likelihood. Flow execution continues along the first connector that evaluates to true.

Field	Description
Name	Enter a text name for this shape. Choose a name meaningful to application users who see this on the work item history display, the breadcrumbs control (for entry points), and the Where-Am-I? diagram. For example: Customer Limit Check. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution of the flow. This name also appears inside the Decision shape on the Diagram tab.
Type	`Decision Table`
Rule	Select a decision table, identified by the second key part.
Result in	Optional. Select a target property to contain the result of the chosen 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 item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item 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 item history. See Controlling the volume of generated work item history instances and the PDN article 25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail.
Entry Point?	Select to indicate that this decision shape 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. Because a decision shape presents no user form, if a user clicks a breadcrumbs control to return to this entry point, flow processing resumes and pauses at the next assignment.
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 shapes that are not entry points.
Post Action on Click Away?	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Click Apply . (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.)

At runtime, the system evaluates the decision table based on the input value you supply and the value of any other properties it references. Two connectors (one for true and one for false) leading from this decision shape can use the result.

The system evaluates connectors in order of decreasing likelihood. Flow execution continues along the first connector that evaluates to true.

Field	Description
Name	Enter a text name for this shape . Choose a name meaningful to application users who see this on the work item history display, the breadcrumbs control (for entry points), and the Where-Am-I? diagram. For example: Customer Limit Check. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution of the flow. This name also appears inside the Decision shape on the Diagram tab.
Type	`Boolean Expression`
Expression	Enter an expression that returns true or false, for example: .myProperty == "Yellow" See About expressions.
Result in	Optional. Select a target property to contain the result of the expression.
Audit Note	Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this shape. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized. See About the Localization wizard.) Optionally, to reduce the volume of history detail instances, your application can prevent system-generated messages from being added to work item history. See Controlling the volume of generated work item history instances and the PDN article 25196 How to control history instances written to the audit trail. When you plan to localize the application using this rule, so the application can support users in various languages or locales, choose the text carefully and limit text length to 64 characters. A field value rule with this text as the final key part is needed for each locale. When practical, choose a caption already included in a language pack, to simplify later localization.
Entry Point?	Select to indicate that this decision shape 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.
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 shapes that are not entry points.
Post Action on Click Away?	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point? checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Click Apply .

At runtime, the system evaluates this Boolean expression. In the connectors leading from this decision shape, you can use the result in Status comparisons.

The system evaluates connectors in order of decreasing likelihood. Flow execution continues along the first connector that evaluates to true.

Field	Description
Type	`Predictive Model`
Rule	Select a predictive model rule, identified by the second key part.
Entry Point	Select to indicate that this decision 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. This checkbox works with Perform harnesses that include a breadcrumbs display and with assignments that offer the Previous flow action. In other cases, the checkbox 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. 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.
Post Action on Click Away	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Field	Description
Type	`Scorecard Model`
Rule	Select a scorecard rule, identified by the second key part.
Entry Point	Select to indicate that this decision 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. This checkbox works with Perform harnesses that include a breadcrumbs display and with assignments that offer the Previous flow action. In other cases, the checkbox 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. 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.
Post Action on Click Away	This checkbox appears only when you select the Entry Point checkbox. Select to run flow action post-processing when you click away from this entry point.

Click Apply .

At runtime, the system evaluates the scorecard rule to determine the decision shape outcome.

Flow form — Editing in Visio Decision shape properties

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Flow form — Editing in Visio
Decision shape properties