Linking Process Flow Steps Together

A process flow connects a series of steps in a logical order based on conditional outcomes. Each process flow begins with a first step (such as Step A in Figure below). After executing the first step, the process flow proceeds to the next step. However, the next step depends on the result of the first step.

In the figure below, if Step A's outcome is Result 1, then the process flow executes Step B. However, if Step A's outcome is Result 2, then it executes Step C. The result code links illustrate the execution logic that the process flow follows.

Follow this procedure to link together a series of steps and define a process flow's execution order:

1. Rearrange the process flow steps within the Process Flow Designer in a logical order based on the execution logic you plan to implement.
   • You should have planned the execution logic at the time you designed the process flow. See How to Create a Process Pipeline.
     
     
2. If not already marked as the first step, select the first step. Then, right-click the step and select Set As First Step from the pop-up menu.
   
   
   
   • By default, the first step is the first Process Flow Step you added to the Process Flow Designer.
   • The step with a green border is the current first step.
     
     
3. Use the Insert Result Code Link option to link the first step to the next step in the execution logic.
   • Click the Insert Result Code Link button on the main toolbar (as shown in the figure below) or select Insert > Result Code Links from the record's menu.
     
     
   • Place the mouse cursor over one of step's handles until the cursor turns into a target icon (as shown below).
   1. • If a step is not currently selected, the handles appear as "x"s. If selected, the handles appear as small, gray squares.
        
        
   • Click the handle to anchor to the link at the first step.
   • Move the mouse cursor to a handle on the step that you want to link to the first step.
   1. • A dotted line appears as you move the mouse cursor towards the second step.
      • A target icon appears when you place the mouse cursor over a handle on the next step.
        
        
   • Click the handle on the next step.
   1. • The Create New Result Code dialog appears.
        
        
   • Select or enter a valid Result Code for the first step.
   1. • For Component or Sub-Process steps, the available codes (previously configured at the Component or Process Flow level) automatically populate the Result Code drop-down list. Select one of these options. See Using the Web Service Process Component Wizard and Defining Process Flow Result Codes for information on defining result codes.
      • For Rule-based steps, manually enter one of the rule's results in the Result Code field. This creates a new result code on the step's Action Map tab.
        
        
   • Configure the Is Success option, if applicable.
     • If this Result Code corresponds to a successful operation, leave the Is Success option selected. The Process Flow Designer displays successful results in green.
     • If this Result Code is considered to be an unsuccessful outcome, clear the Is Success option. The Process Flow Designer displays unsuccessful results in red.
       
       
   • Click OK to close the dialog.
     • The Process Flow Designer inserts a single-headed arrow that indicates the direction of the process flow execution order. The Result Code appears in the center of the arrow.
       
       
4. Create additional links as necessary to link all of the steps in your process flow in the desired order.
   • Repeat Step 3 to add additional links.
     
     
5. For Component and Sub-Process steps, configure Result Codes that do not proceed to another step to use the End Process option on step's Action Map tab. Also, specify a Process Flow Result Code for each step result.
   • For Rule-based steps, you may need to manually add Action Maps for actions that result in End Process. Any rule-based results should be linked to another step in the Process Flow using the Insert Result Code Link button. This automatically generates the Action Map entries for you.
     
     
   • All Result Codes must either link to another step or end the process. Follow these steps to mark a result code as End Process:
   1. • Select the step in the Process Flow Designer to load its properties.
      • In the Properties area, click the Action Map tab.
      • For Result Codes that do not link to another step, select End Process from the Action drop-down list.
        
        
   • Also, associate each step's result that ends the process with a Process Flow Result Code. This will be the value returned by the Process Flow Debugger tool if it obtains this results. Follow these steps:
   1. • Select a step in the Process Flow Designer to load its properties.
      • In the Properties area, click the Action Map tab.
      • For each of the step's Result Codes that ends the process, specify a corresponding Result Code from the Process Flow's Result Codes tab in the Process Flow Result Code field. (See Defining Process Flow Result Codes for information on Process Flow Result Codes.) At a minimum, specify a Process Flow Result Code for each End Process action; specifying a Process Flow Result Code for Go To Step actions is not required (but it is included in the figure below for illustration purposes).
        
        
        
        
6. Save the Process Flows record.