Workflow

In SimpleOne, workflows provide an interface for automating multi-step processes across the solution. Each workflow consists of activities, such as generating records, notifying users of pending approvals, or running scripts. The graphical Workflow Editor represents workflows visually as a type of flowchart. It shows activities as boxes labeled with information about that activity and transitions from one activity to the next as lines connecting the boxes.

Generally, workflow consists of:

• Properties: such as workflow name, the table whose records the workflow acts on, and the conditions under which to run it.
• Versions: specific workflow version information stored in a Workflow Context record.
• Activities: the sequence of the operations the workflow performs, for example, generating records or running scripts.
• Activity Exits: specify the conditions under which to run a transition.
• Transitions: the connection between the activity exit and the next activity.
• Contexts: specific workflow runtime information stored in a Workflow Context record.

Workflow life cycle

A workflow starts when a triggering event occurs, Common triggers are, for example, a record insertion into a specific table, or setting a particular field in a table to a specified value. For example, you might create a workflow, that runs whenever a user submits a major or an infrastructure Incident. You can also schedule workflows to run periodically or call them from scripts such as business rules.

After activity completion, the workflow transitions to the next activity, or the exit. An activity might have more than one different possible transitions to various activities, depending on the activity outcome.

The graphical Workflow Editor displays workflows as a flowchart. It shows activities as boxes labeled with information about that activity and transitions from one activity to another as lines connecting the boxes.

At each step in a workflow:

1. An activity is processed, and an action defined by that activity occurs.
2. At the completion of an action by an activity, the workflow checks the activity's conditions.
3. For each matching condition, the workflow follows the transition to the next activity.

Workflow states

Generally, the workflow can be in one of two states - Checked Out or Published.

The Checked Out state is intended for editing new or existing workflows.

When you start working on your workflow (whether a new or existing one), it is in the Checked Out state. In this state, other users cannot edit this workflow along with you, since the workflow is already checked out. Also, the workflow is inactive when checked out; it needs to be published to enable.

To check out your workflow, navigate to the hamburger menu () in the Control Panel, and click Publish.

The Published state is intended for the finalized workflows ready to be run; finalized but unpublished workflows are inactive and non-functional.

To publish your workflow, navigate to the hamburger menu () in the Control Panel and click Publish.

How it works

1. You just created a new workflow (version 1, for example). It has the Checked Out state equal to TRUE and the Published state equal to FALSE.
2. You have edited it to the end, and then you decided to publish it. You click Publish, and your workflow now has the Checked Out state equal to FALSE and the Published state equal to TRUE.
3. In a while, you need to modify it, and you make a checkout, what has happened:
   1. There's a copy of the existing workflow has been created;
   2. The existing workflow was not affected;
   3. The copy created has the Checked Out state equal to TRUE and the Published state equal to FALSE.
4. You have finished editing this copy and published it, what has happened;
   1. The previous workflow (that was version 1) moves to workflow archive (now it has the Checked Out and Published states equal to FALSE).
   2. The workflow you were working on is now an active one.