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Editing in Process Modeler — Connectors and flow actions

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Use connectors to connect a shape in the flow with the next shape, to indicate a possible path for the flow execution.

Note: Do not confuse connectors with Integrator shapes, which support connector interfaces from a Pega 7 Platform system to another system, using Rule-Connect- rules.

You can use the notation param.name in a field to refer to a flow parameter.

Understanding connectors

Connectors between two shapes can either be anchored to a specific connection point, or be unanchored and tied only to the shape. Consider the kinds of connections as you create a neat, easy-to-follow flow.

You can draw a connector to and from a specific connector point so that it is anchored to that point. When the connector is selected, these anchored connections will display as a solid gray dot at each connector point. If you move the shape on the canvas, the connector remains anchored to that point.

Plan for whether your connector points should be anchored or unanchored. As a shape is dragged on the canvas, the unanchored connector ends can switch among some of the available connector points, trying to reduce the number of bends in their associated connectors. When the shape is released in its new position, the connector ends that were anchored will stay on those same points, and the unanchored connectors will typically connect at the closest connector point on the shape. Unanchored connectors may result in multiple connectors on a single connector point after dragging. 

When a Visio flow is converted for use in the Process Modeler, all connections in the converted process flow are unanchored.

Plan your connectors and criteria so that at least one is True no matter what data values are present. As a good practice, select Else as the criterion for the connector with the lowest likelihood. 

Adding a connector to the flow

1. Hover over a shape to see the connection points.

2. Click and drag your mouse from the starting shape to draw the connector to another shape. A connector must make a valid connection to a shape. The dashed line will remain until you connect to a valid destination point. Valid connections display with a green connector line and a green outline around the target shape.

3. If this flow is a screen flow, special rules apply. Continue with Flow Rules — Editing in Process Modeler — Creating and Editing a Screen Flow.

4. Do one of the following to display the Connector Properties panel

Complete the fields that appear according to the tables below.

5. Optionally, enter a name for the connector in the Step Name field.The name will display if you change it from the default provided or if you change a status. Note that for a connector originating at the Start shape, Name is the only field in the panel.

6. Optionally, enter a description in the text area to associate a specification with this shape. See Working with specifications in Process Modeler and Case Designer.

7. Click OK or click anywhere off the shape to save edits and close the panel.

8. The on the toolbar toggles the likelihood display on the connectors.

Completing the Connector Properties panel

The contents of the Connector Properties panel varies depending on the shape that the connector originates from. For example, a connector originating from an assignment shape will display a different property panel than a connector originating from a decision shape.

Case 1: The connector leads from an Assignment or Assignment Service shape

Complete the Connector Properties panel to identify the connector flow action available to a user who performs this assignment. The flow action rule controls how users interact with user forms to complete the assignments.

On the Connector section, complete the following:

Field

Description

Flow Action

Select the name of a flow action.

Application

Optional. Select the name of the application that you want to link to this shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents.

Work Type

Optional. Select the name of the work type for the application that you want to link to this shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents.

Likelihood

Enter a percentage between 1 and 100 that indicates how likely it is that a user selects this flow action. If only one path is possible, enter 100. Otherwise, allocate percentages among the multiple flow actions as appropriate. Toggle their display using on the toolbar.

These can be approximate; you can change them later.

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 connector. The Pega 7 Platform 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.)

Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.

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 How to control history instances written to the audit trail.

On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.

Case 2: The connector leads from a Decision

Typically, there are two or more outgoing connectors from a decision shape, one of which is labeled Else.

On the Connector section complete the following:

Field

Description

Condition Type

Select Result or Else or When. Select:

  • Result — Use to perform a comparison.
  • Else — To define a last resort, none-of-the-above connector that the flow is to use when no other connectors are valid.
  • When — If the work item is permitted to flow along this connector when only when a certain when condition rule evaluates to true. Use the SmartPrompt to enter the name of a when condition rule. Alternatively, you can use the Expression Builder.

If the Decision is a Fork type, two more conditions are available:

  • Always — When only one path is possible from the shape.
  • Percentage — Enter the percentage or relative amount of time that work objects should take this path in the flow. For example, in a financial services application, you can indicate that five percent of all work objects should take a specified path for auditing purposes. As a best practice, create an Else path when you use Percentage to ensure that the flow can continue when none of the other paths are satisfied.
    Note: Do not confuse this with Likelihood.
Result

Available when you select Result for the Condition Type. Use the drop-down menu to select the value returned at runtime by the decision shape.

This field is a text entry box when draft mode is on or when the decision shape is a Fork. This allows you to enter temporary results, even if you have not assigned an actual decision rule to the shape. When draft mode is off, you must associate a decision rule and enter a valid result.

  • If decision type is Boolean, select true or false.
  • If decision type is Map Value, select from the list of values that are configured on the third column of the Map Value rule form Matrix tab.
  • If decision type is Decision Table, select from the list of values that are configured on the Table tab of the Decision Table form.
  • If decision type is Decision Tree, select from the list of values that are configured on the Decision tab of the Decision Tree form.
  • If the decision type is a Fork, complete the text entry field.
When

Available if this connector is from a fork decision shape. Enter the name of a When condition rule.

  • If you chose Always or Else, no further input is required.
Likelihood

Available when you select Result or When for the Condition Type. Enter a percentage between 1 and 100 that indicates how likely you expect that the work item at runtime follows this connector path. If only one path is possible, enter 100. Otherwise, allocate percentages among the multiple paths as appropriate.

These can be approximate; you can change them later. When the system lists connector flow actions to the user, they appear sorted by decreasing likelihood values.

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 connector. The Pega 7 Platform 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.)

Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.

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 How to control history instances written to the audit trail.

On the Set Properties section optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.

Case 3: The connector leads from a Utility, Integrator, Subprocess, Split For Each, or Split Join

A utility shape can return a literal constant result using the TaskStatus-Set method. Similarly, a subprocess called from this flow can return a literal constant result to indicate which End shape was reached. Complete these fields to have the system test the result returned in these situations to select a connector.

Field

Description

Condition Type

Select Always, Else, Result, or When:

  • Always — When only one path is possible from the shape.
  • Else — To define a last resort connector that the flow is to follow when no other connectors are valid.
  • Result — The flow proceeds on this connector only if a value returned at runtime matches a value in the next text box.
  • When — If the work item is permitted to flow along this connector when only when a certain when condition rule evaluates to true.
Result

Available when you select Result for the Condition Type. Use the drop-down menu to select the value returned at runtime by the shape. The value you enter here depends on your selection in the Condition Type field:

Enter a text value to match the text value returned at runtime by the called flow (through a setting on the End shape) or by the TaskStatus-Set method in the called activity. When the End settings of the called flow are previously defined, SmartPrompt is available.

When

Available when you select When for the Condition Type. Enter the name — second key part — of a when condition rule.

Likelihood

Appears when Result or When is selected. Enter a percentage between 1 and 100 that indicates approximately how likely it is that the work item at run follows this path. If only one path exists, enter 100. Otherwise, allocate percentages among the multiple paths as appropriate. If you chose Always or Else, no further input is required.

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 connector. The Pega 7 Platform 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.)

Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.

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.

On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.

Case 4: The connector leads from a Start shape

Complete the Connector Properties panel to set properties at the beginning of the process.

On the Connector section, complete the following:

Field

Description

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 connector. The Pega 7 Platform 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.)

Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.

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.

On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.

Moving or rerouting a connector

A connector may be moved or rerouted to or from another valid shape.

  1. Click a connector. The connector highlights when it is selected. You must have selected the connector before you can move an endpoint.
  2. Move the mouse over the connector point you want to move.
  3. Click and drag the connector point to or from a different shape, making an anchored or an unanchored connection.
  4. Adjust the properties panel as needed for the new shape.

Status indicators on connectors

A status indicator appears on connectors to shapes that change a work item status. For example, if the shape status is set to Pending-External, the connector to that shape will display a small red flag. All transitions connecting to the shape will display the status indicator. Following are the status indicators for the four status prefixes.

New

Open

Pending

Resolved 

Deleting a connector

A connector may be deleted from the process flow. Right-click the connector, and select Delete from the drop-down menu.

You can also select the connector and do one of the following:

Note: When a shape is deleted, the connectors to and from the shape are also deleted.

Results

By selecting a flow action and completing the resulting HTML form, a user determines which path is followed from an assignment shape. For all other shapes, system processing determines which path is followed:

Refining likelihood probabilities

As a start during initial development, you can enter approximate likelihood values. Later, after this flow is used in a production setting, you can use the  Flow Analysis   button to compare experience with likelihood values.

If the actual results vary significantly from the likelihood values, it can be valuable to understand why. You can update the flow with more accurate likelihood values at any time later; such changes do not affect the logic or operation of the workflow. A decision with type of fork may take one of several paths of processing based on the set of conditions resulting from When rules invoked.

Making a local action appear first

At runtime, the system presents available flow actions in a selection list, with connector flow actions (sorted by decreasing likelihood) appearing above local flow actions. In generally, you cannot control the order of the local flow actions. However, if for one assignment you want to make a local flow action appear first, add a connector to the flow that loops back to the assignment, and assign the largest likelihood value to that connector.

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