Adding attachments to processes
BMC Helix Innovation Studio enables you to add an attachment or a list of attachment as an input parameter to a process. You can publish the process as an interface, which enables a user to include attachments to those interfaces.
For example, you add an attachment parameter in any of the following scenarios:
- You can add an attachment parameter to an application interface and attach files to records.
- BMC Helix Digital Workplace Advanced users should be able to attach additional details when creating case requests.
This capability provides you the following benefits:
- Add attachments to processes quickly and easily.
- Share files conveniently.
- Enhance collaboration between users.
To add an attachment parameter or attachment list to a process
You can attach only one file to an attachment parameter; however, you can attach multiple attachment parameters to a process. You can attach any of the file formats that the administrator configures for your environment. However, if the administrator restricts specific file formats from being uploaded and viewed, you cannot attach the restricted file types to processes.
For example, you add a Record Association attachment of input type to a process. When you run the process that contains an attachment parameter, you are prompted to choose the file to attach to the process, as shown in the following image:
To add an attachment parameter or attachment list, perform the following steps:
- Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
- Select the application in which you want to create a process or modify an existing process.
- Perform any of the following tasks:
- If you want to create a new process and add an attachment parameter to the process, click New > Processes tab.
- If you want to add an attachment parameter to an existing process, select the process.
- In the Properties section of a new process or an existing process, click Add/Remove Variables.
In the Add/Remove Variables window, click Add Variable and complete the fields as described in the following table:
Field NameActionName Specify a suitable name for the variable. For example, AttachmentVariable1. Variable ID Specify a unique ID for the variable. This value must be numeric. Variable Type Specify whether the variable is an input parameter, output parameter, or a local variable.
For more information, see Process variables and data types.
Description Provide a description that clearly indicates the purpose of this variable. Data Type From the list displayed, select the Attachment data type. (Optional) List
If you want to add a list of attachments to the process, select the List toggle key
.The following image shows the Add/Remove Variables window:
(Optional) To configure the Create List element to create a list of attachments, see Creating lists from processes.
- Click Save.
Tasks that you can perform after adding the Attachment parameter
The following table provides information about the actions that you can perform after you add an attachment to a process:
| Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Start process instance that includes an attachment | When you start the process instance that includes an Attachment parameter, select the file that you want to attach to the process. You can attach files, such as PDFs, text documents, images, and so on to individual processes. The following image shows the option to select the file that you want to attach to the process:
|
| Get process instance attachment | Retrieves the attachment associated with the process instance. You can download the attached file, update it with the required information, and upload the updated file to the process. The following image shows an example of a retrieved attachment:
|
Pass an attachment to another process by using the Call Activity element | To pass an attachment from one process to the other, the parent process can pass an attachment as an input to the child process. If any child process has output as an attachment, the attachment can be stored into a process variable of the parent process or it can be passed to any other activity as an input. |
| A Get Record Service Task retrieves the field value of the record definition; however, the service task cannot retrieve the attachments of a record definition. To retrieve the attachments associated with a specific record definition, BMC Helix Innovation Studio provides a new Get Attachment Service Task. To retrieve attachments of a specific record definition, use the following Service Tasks in your process:
Notes
For more information, see Creating or modifying record instances using Record Service Tasks. |
| Delete a process that includes an attachment | BMC Helix Innovation Studio stores the actual attachments associated with the process to a separate backend record definition. When the process is deleted, those attachments too get deleted. |
| Use the activity result that has attachments. If any activity has output as an attachment, the attachment can be stored into a process variable or it can be passed to any other activity as an input. For example, the get attachment result is stored as an activity result and can be used in the process as an input to other task or stored to a process variable. |
| Create or update Record service actions | Create Record and Update Record Service actions support attachment type input when used in process. A process can use attachment type variable to pass as an input to create a record and update a record by using the service actions. The output of the actions cannot be used for attachment type field. If you want to access the particular attachment that is associated with the record action, you can use the newly-added Get Attachment Service Type in addition to the create record or update record actions. |
| Pass attachment to signal process command | Signal process command supports the attachment type variable as an input. |
Tasks that you cannot perform after adding the Attachment parameter
Tasks that you cannot perform with processes having attachment parameter from rules:
Tasks that you cannot perform with processes having attachment parameter:
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