Flow form
Editing in Process Modeler — Connectors and flow actions
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Use connectors to connect a shape in the flow with the next shape, to indicate a possible path for the flow execution.
Don't confuse connectors with Integrator shapes, which support connector interfaces from a PRPC system to another system, using Rule-Connect- rules.
You can use the notation param.name in a field to refer to a flow parameter.
Understanding connectors
Connectors between two shapes can either be anchored to a specific connection point, or be unanchored and tied only to the shape. Consider the kinds of connections as you create a neat, easy-to-follow flow.
You can draw a connector to and from a specific connector point so that it is anchored to that point. When the connector is selected, these anchored connections will display as a solid gray dot at each connector point. If you move the shape on the canvas, the connector remains anchored to that point.
You can also draw an unanchored connector from one shape to another by clicking a gray arrow outside the shape and dragging to the destination the shape. The connector is tied to the shape, but not to a specific connector point on the shape. When the connector is selected, these unanchored connections will display as an open white dot on the shape at each connector point. If you move the shape on the canvas, the connector stays with the shape, but will automatically route to the nearest connector point.
Plan for whether your connector points should be anchored or unanchored. As a shape is dragged on the canvas, the unanchored connector ends can switch among some of the available connector points, trying to reduce the number of bends in their associated connectors. When the shape is released in its new position, the connector ends that were anchored will stay on those same points, and the unanchored connectors will typically connect at the closest connector point on the shape. Unanchored connectors may result in multiple connectors on a single connector point after dragging.
When a Visio flow is converted for use in the Process Modeler, all connections in the converted process flow are unanchored.
Plan your connectors and criteria so that at least one is True no matter what data values are present. As a good practice, select Else as the criterion for the connector with the lowest likelihood.
Adding a connector to the flow
1. Hover over a shape to see the connection points.2. Click and drag your mouse from the starting shape to draw the connector to another shape. A connector must make a valid connection to a shape. The dashed line will remain until you connect to a valid destination point. Valid connections display with a green connector line and a green outline around the target shape.
3. If this flow is a screen flow, special rules apply. Continue with Flow Rules — Editing in Process Modeler — Creating and Editing a Screen Flow.
4. Do one of the following to display the Connector Properties panel
on the toolbar.Complete the fields that appear according to the tables below.
5. Optionally, enter a name for the connector in the Step Name field.The name will display if you change it from the default provided or if you change a status. Note that for a connector originating at the Start shape, Name is the only field in the panel.
6. Optionally, enter a description in the text area to associate a specification with this shape. See Working with specifications in Process Modeler and Case Designer.
7. Click OK or click anywhere off the shape to save edits and close the panel.
8. The 
on the toolbar toggles the likelihood display on the connectors.
The contents of the Connector Properties panel varies depending on the shape that the connector originates from. For example, a connector originating from an assignment shape will display a different property panel than a connector originating from a decision shape.
Complete the Connector Properties panel to identify the connector flow action available to a user who performs this assignment. The flow action rule controls how users interact with user forms to complete the assignments.
On the Connector section, complete the following:
Field | Description |
| Flow Action | Select the name of a flow action. |
| Application | Optional. Select the name of the application that you want to link to this shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents. |
| Work Type | Optional. Select the name of the work type for the application that you want to link to this shape. The value of this field is referenced with the flow diagram in application documents. |
| Likelihood | Enter a percentage between 1 and 100 that indicates how likely it is that a user selects this flow action. If only one path is possible, enter 100. Otherwise, allocate percentages among the multiple flow actions as appropriate. Toggle their display using These can be approximate; you can change them later. |
| Audit Note | Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this connector. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized.) Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.
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On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.
on the toolbar.Set Properties.
Don't use this feature to set pyStatusWork to a resolved value. Always use the standard utility Work-.Resolve to resolve a work object.
to add rows as needed.Apply Data Transform. Use the SmartPrompt to select the data transform. The data transform you select may accept input parameters that will appear in the box below. Supply a value for each parameter.Typically, there are two or more outgoing connectors from a decision shape, one of which is labeled Else.
On the Connector section complete the following:
Field | Description |
Condition Type | Select
If the Decision is a Fork type, two more conditions are available:
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| Result | Available when you select This field is a text entry box when draft mode is on or when the decision shape is a Fork. This allows you to enter temporary results, even if you have not assigned an actual decision rule to the shape. When draft mode is off, you must associate a decision rule and enter a valid result.
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| When | Available if this connector is from a fork decision shape. Enter the name of a When condition rule.
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| Likelihood | Available when you select These can be approximate; you can change them later. When the system lists connector flow actions to the user, they appear sorted by decreasing likelihood values. |
| Audit Note | Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this connector. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized.) Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.
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On the Set Properties section optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.
Set Properties.
Don't use this feature to set pyStatusWork to a resolved value. Always use the standard utility Work-.Resolve to resolve a work object.
to add rows as needed.Apply Data Transform. Use the SmartPrompt to select the data transform. The data transform you select may accept input parameters that will appear in the box below. Supply a value for each parameter.A utility shape can return a literal constant result using the TaskStatus-Set method. Similarly, a subprocess called from this flow can return a literal constant result to indicate which End shape was reached. Complete these fields to have the system test the result returned in these situations to select a connector.
Field | Description |
Condition Type | Select
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| Result | Available when you select Enter a text value to match the text value returned at runtime by the called flow (through a setting on the End shape) or by the TaskStatus-Set method in the called activity. When the End settings of the called flow are previously defined, SmartPrompt is available. |
| When | Available when you select |
| Likelihood | Appears when |
| Audit Note | Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this connector. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized.) Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.
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On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.
Set Properties.
Don't use this feature to set pyStatusWork to a resolved value. Always use the standard utility Work-.Resolve to resolve a work object.
to add rows as needed.Apply Data Transform. Use the SmartPrompt to select the data transform. The data transform you select may accept input parameters that will appear in the box below. Supply a value for each parameter.Complete the Connector Properties panel to set properties at the beginning of the process.
On the Connector section, complete the following:
Field | Description |
| Audit Note |
Alternatively, enter a brief text phrase between double quotes.
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On the Set Properties section, optionally indicate how you want to set properties for work items as they advance over this connector. You can set properties explicitly or apply a data transform rule. A clipboard icon appears on the connector if you assign properties or a data transform on the connector.
Optional. Select or enter the name of a Rule-Message rule to control the text of an instances added to the work item history (the "audit trail") when a flow execution completes this connector. PRPC includes a few dozen standard messages in the Work- class. (Through field value rules, the corresponding text on work item history displays can be localized.)Set Properties.
Don't use this feature to set pyStatusWork to a resolved value. Always use the standard utility Work-.Resolve to resolve a work object.
to add rows as needed.Apply Data Transform. Use the SmartPrompt to select the data transform. The data transform you select may accept input parameters that will appear in the box below. Supply a value for each parameter.Moving or rerouting a connector
A connector may be moved or rerouted to or from another valid shape.
Status indicators on connectors
A status indicator appears on connectors to shapes that change a work item status. For example, if the shape status is set to Pending-External, the connector to that shape will display a small red flag. All transitions connecting to the shape will display the status indicator. Following are the status indicators for the four status prefixes.
New
Open
Pending
Resolved
Deleting a connector
A connector may be deleted from the process flow. Right-click the connector, and select Delete from the drop-down menu.
You can also select the connector and do one of the following:
icon on the toolbar.When a shape is deleted, the connectors to and from the shape are also deleted.
Results
By selecting a flow action and completing the resulting HTML form, a user determines which path is followed from an assignment shape. For all other shapes, system processing determines which path is followed:
True, or until the Else Connector is chosen.Refining likelihood probabilities
As a start during initial development, you can enter approximate likelihood values. Later, after this flow is used in a production setting, you can use the Flow Analysis button to compare experience with likelihood values.
If the actual results vary significantly from the likelihood values, it can be valuable to understand why. You can update the flow with more accurate likelihood values at any time later; such changes do not affect the logic or operation of the workflow. A decision with type of fork may take one of several paths of processing based on the set of conditions resulting from When rules invoked.
Making a local action appear first
At runtime, the system presents available flow actions in a selection list, with connector flow actions (sorted by decreasing likelihood) appearing above local flow actions. In generally, you cannot control the order of the local flow actions. However, if for one assignment you want to make a local flow action appear first, add a connector to the flow that loops back to the assignment, and assign the largest likelihood value to that connector.