Once you have launched the canvas, you design your processes by
dragging and dropping actions onto the canvas from the Actions
toolbox. By default, every process begins with a primary action,
represented by a lightning bolt.
For each action you drag to the canvas, Process Designer
automatically checks to see what attributes will need to be defined
to enable the workflow to proceed. It reports any missing
attributes in the Missing or incorrect information window
directly below the canvas. To define an action's attributes, click
and select its icon and then provide the applicable information in
the Attributes window. Each time you provide a missing attribute,
its error message will disappear from the error checking window.
You can turn this automatic error checking on or off by clicking
the Stop/Resume error check button. See "Actions
toolbox".
Drawing an arrow from one action to another establishes the
directional flow of the process. To draw the arrow, place your
cursor over the first action. When the cursor changes to a hand
pointer, click and drag the line to the next action and then
release the mouse button.
Tips
A green box outlines an action once it has been
selected. You may need to click an action's icon more than once to
select it.
To remove an action (or an arrow you have drawn
between actions), select it and then press Delete.
To move an action to a different position on the
canvas, click the action to select it. Then place the mouse pointer
just outside the green frame that highlights the icon and drag it
to a new position on the canvas.
To nest a workflow inside another, simply drag the
"child" workflow to the canvas of the "parent", as you would do
with any other action. Then click on the action or result you want
to launch the child workflow, and draw a directional arrow to the
child workflow.
As you continue to add new elements to the workflow,
you may find it helpful to click the Layout diagram button
on the toolbar to redraw or realign the actions in a symmetrical
and balanced layout.
If the workflow canvas begins to fill up or extend
beyond the viewable window, click the Fit diagram to screen
button on the toolbar to see the entire workflow.
Click the Zoom in or Zoom out buttons
to adjust the view to the area you are working on.
Before attempting to run a workflow, make sure all
attributes are defined and no errors appear in the Missing or
incorrect information window.
Click the Save button on the toolbar to save
your workflow occasionally. You must save a workflow layout in
order to run or test it.