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Flow form — Editing in VisioPurpose
When a work item advancing through a flow reaches the Spinoff shape, PRPC starts execution of a different flow, using the current or a different work item. Processing in the current flow continues in parallel, without waiting for the other flow to complete.
A flow that is reached and started by another is sometimes informally called a subprocess; the original is called the parent flow. However, no field on the rule form marks a flow as a subprocess; the term describes how a flow is referenced rather than its characteristics. Some Business Process Management materials use the term subprocess for a branch flow.
Use the Subprocess shape rather than a Spinoff shape to start a synchronous flow execution, in which the current flow execution pauses while the subprocess executes. See Flow form — Editing Call or branch to a subprocess shape properties.
Adding a Spinoff shape to a flow
1. Drag the Spinoff shape (
) onto the flow and drop it.
2. When the Spinoff Properties panel appears, complete the five fields:
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, Begin Contract Processing. The shape name is only descriptive; it does not affect runtime execution of the flow. This name also appears inside the Spinoff shape on the Diagram tab. |
| Define Flow on |
Identify the objects the flow is to update. Select:
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| Application |
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| Work Type |
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| Specification |
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Optional. Select the name of the application that you want to link to the shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents.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.
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| Define Flow on |
Identify the objects the flow is to update. Select:
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| Flow Name |
Select |
| Flow Rule |
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| Parameters |
Some flows have input parameters. Enter parameters for the selected flow. |
| Audit Note |
Optional. Text entered here appears as a history instance for the work item, recording that this flow was initiated.
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| Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this Spinoff 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.
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When first building, it is simplest to make this name the same as the name of your flow. Later when your flow is more complete, you can change the name to be more descriptive.
For maximum user flexibility, clear this checkbox 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.On Another Work Item
If you choose On Another Work Item, complete the following fields. Complete either the Work Property field, Page Name field, or both.
- When a Work Property value is supplied but the Page Name field is blank, the other work item is opened base on the supplied key into a new page named
pyNextObjZZZZ, where ZZZZ makes the page name unique. - When both Work Property and Page Name are supplied, if they specific a common page, that page is locked. If they specific different pages, the page named in the Page Name field is unlocked and the other work item is opened into that page (overwriting the previous contents)
- If the Work Property field is blank and a Page Name is supplied, that page is assumed to contain the other work item, and a lock is acquired.
Field |
Completing the Field |
| Work Property |
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| Class |
Optional. Select the class (work type) of the other work item. |
| Page Name |
Optional. Identify the page containing the other work item, or a property reference holding the pzInsKey value of the other work item. |
| Flow Type |
Select |
| Flow Rule |
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| Audit Note |
Optional. Text entered here appears as a history instance for the work item, recording that this flow was initiated.
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| Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this Spinoff 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. |
On Embedded Page
If you choose On Embedded Page, complete these fields:
Field |
Completing the Field |
| Page Property |
Identify the embedded page on which the spinoff flow is to run; for example, .pyWorkParty("Originator"). |
| Class |
Select the work type of the "other" work items. |
| Flow Type |
Select |
| Flow Rule |
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| Audit Note |
Optional. Text entered here appears as a history instance for the work item, recording that this flow was initiated.
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| Entry Point? |
Select to indicate that this Spinoff 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. |
4. Click Apply when finished.
5. Connect at least one incoming and one outgoing connector to the Spinoff 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.)