Process fields

Process fields are repositories of data that hold constant or variable values. These values consist of all data types, including characters, numbers, dates, times, integers, strings, and so on. The fields serve as representatives or aliases of those values. When you insert a field, you essentially place the actual value or variable into that location. Since fields can contain any data type, they play a pivotal role throughout the application, allowing you to implement internal or external system values in order to institute processes, perform tasks, and execute processes.

Asset Lifecycle Manager lets you create, assign, and implement fields, so they can be passed to data controllers and provide the intended value when and where it is needed. When working with external systems, fields work with forms and event listeners to put the data where it is needed. Several fields are dependent on field mappings to obtain the values and the process will not run without them, such as external system ID, requester, proposed date, and so on.

Field mapping

A field is a holding location for constant or variable data that can be retrieved by a form or event listener and then passed between workflow processes and their components. Field mappings define the relationships between the data retrieved and the values that need to be populated to enable workflows to proceed toward completion. Once this relationship is established, Asset Lifecycle Manager is able to direct the data and populate the fields each time a form or event listener is run.

While forms and event listeners tell Asset Lifecycle Manager where to retrieve values from, field mappings specify how and where to use those values. Whenever a form or event listener runs, the associated fields are populated with the corresponding values.

A single field can be mapped to several external systems. Each mapping to an external system constitutes a separate and independent mapping. Once the corresponding field mappings are in place, you can create your workflow processes once and then exchange data actively and dynamically between external systems and your workflow processes.

Aside from delivering data to Asset Lifecycle Manager, process field mappings can also be used to pass data between system actions, LANDesk actions, web services, e-mail templates, audit templates, and so on.

NOTE: When mapping fields to form controls, don't try to map incompatible data. For example, don't map a string to a checkbox control.

Creating a field

A field is a holding location for constant or variable data that can be retrieved by an event listener so it can be passed between workflow processes and their components. The field mappings you create define the relationships between the data retrieved and the values that need to be populated to enable workflows to proceed toward completion.

Fields are extremely versatile. As you learn to take advantage of the Design console's features, you will find many uses for them. A single field can be mapped to several external systems and reused in a variety of contexts.

Once you have mapped the data relationships, Asset Lifecycle Manager can populate the associated process fields with the corresponding values. With the process field mappings in place, you will be able to reuse the process fields in different situations to support other workflow processes.

To create a field
  1. In the navigation pane, click the Process tab and open the Fields panel.
  2. Create a folder for the new field or use an existing folder.
  3. Right-click the folder you want to contain the view and click New field.
  4. Give the new field a name and double-click it.
  5. Fill in the field information. See Field details.
To create a field that links to an external system
  1. Open the field you want to link.
  2. Select the event listener whose data you want to populate the field and click Edit.
  3. Click Insert event listener column and select the specific column to pull the value from, then click Insert.
  4. (Optional) If you want to treat multiple columns as one value, select Treat the mapping as a collection, then click in the Collection delimiter text box and type the character you want to use for a delimiter. For each new column you insert, type the delimiter character.
  5. Click OK.

Field details

Field details provide specific information about a selected field. To properly use fields in processes, you need to understand how they function, their data types, and how to implement them.

A field is a holding location for constant or variable data that can be retrieved by an event listener so it can be passed between workflow processes and their components. The field mappings you create define the relationships between the data retrieved and the values that need to be populated to enable workflows to proceed toward completion.

The actual value of a field is provided by the field mapping or by the process context. When you define a field you specify a data type, so the system knows how to interpret the data and how to use it. Field details consist of the following: