Using web forms in workflows

When you configure web forms for use in Process Manager, it enables those forms to be used in the workflow system. Users can be assigned Request information tasks in workflow processes. When they complete the request, the data is passed back to Process Manager and the workflow continues toward completion.

The following important information needs to be communicated to the web forms developer:

To enable the web form to call back into the workflow to complete the Request Information action, it must call a web service listener hosted in Process Manager. The URL for this web service is

http://<servername>/landesk.workflowservicehost/workflowcallback.asmx

This will call the ProcessExternal Message method. The method's single parameter is the data in XML format. The XML data must include the ActionInfoId field. The value for ActionInfoId will be passed back to the web page by the Process Manager web service.

Step 1: Add the web form and create the field mappings

  1. In Process Designer, click Configure | Forms | Add.
  2. In the Form type drop-down list, select Custom web form.
  3. Browse to and select the XML file that defines the data structure for the web form. The data structure must include the ActionInfoId field.
  4. Click Open. This populates the dialog box with the fields from the web form.
  5. Click Autogenerate field mappings and click Yes to autogenerate the mappings.
    OR, select a field and click Edit to manually create mappings, then click OK.
  6. Insert the URL for the web form. (The value for ActionInfoId will automatically be passed to the web page.)
  7. Click OK to close the Form dialog box.
  8. Click Close.

Step 2: Create workflows with web forms

At this point, you are ready to create workflows that use your web forms. To include web forms, drag and drop the Request Information action onto the canvas and then configure the corresponding attributes. Required attributes for web forms include specifying the form and the form recipients. See the Request Information action, in "System actions".

How it works

Workflow participants who are designated as Form recipients will receive an email from Process Manager, with a link to open and fill out the form.  Form recipients also have the option of clicking "I cannot complete this action", or clicking "Click here to see the details", which will open the Web application, prompt the user to log on, and then display details about the Request.  Once they fill out the form and submit the data, it is passed back to and stored in the Process Manager core database.

To use Microsoft InfoPath forms in workflow processes, see"Configuring Microsoft InfoPath forms" .