Creating a standard PDT

Standard process definition templates (PDTs) define the fulfillment process steps that occur when a user requests a service. Fulfilling a service request can involve one or more fulfillment applications. For example, a request to onboard a new employee can involve many groups such as Human Resources, IT, Security, and so on. Thus, one service request can initiate multiple fulfillment processes.

A complex PDT can contain several application object templates (AOTs) and PDTs representing multiple fulfillment processes. A PDT can also contain one or more conditions that specify when a process begins.

How PDTs are defined

Defining a PDT includes the following steps:

1. Associate processes and AOTs with the PDT. 
2. Specify the order in which the processes and AOTs are activated. 
   You can order them to run either in parallel (in any order) or in strict sequence (1, 2, 3, and so on). You also add conditions to the PDT to skip sequences, for example, 1, 3, 5, and so on. 

For example, activating a phone line for a new employee might require that the application create the fulfillment requests for the following processes in the specified order:

• Verifying the employee's specific details
• Searching for an available phone number to assign
• Ordering the phone
• Activating the line
• Testing the line
• Scheduling an appointment for a technician, if necessary
• Notifying the employee that the service is active

How standard PDTs work when a user requests a service

When a user submits a request, if the PDT is created as a series of fulfillment requests (for example, change requests), fulfillment providers can perform some tasks in parallel. Some tasks might need to be performed in a strict sequence, and some tasks might be conditional. 

When PDTs and AOTs run in parallel, the application simultaneously creates one request (for example, a change request to order a phone) and another request (for example, a change request to search for an available phone line). The fulfillment providers can work on these requests at the same time. To create a request for ordering a phone, you can design a PDT that creates one request to verify the employee's specific details and another to search for an available phone line to assign. These two requests can be performed in any order. 

When the PDTs and AOTs run in a strict sequence, the application activates the first request (for example, the change request to order a phone is assigned a change request ID). The second change request is activated only after the first change request is completed. The assignee must complete the first change request before the second assignee can start testing the phone line. In turn, both these requests must be completed before the application activates the third request to notify the employee that the phone line is active.

When the PDTs and AOTs are conditional, the flow criteria determines if the next action is executed or bypassed. For example:

• If the first change request is completed, create the second request.
• If the first change request is not approved, create an incident.

Application instances that were created for a particular service request are visible in request details.

Variables and their use in standard PDTs

Use variables to pass data from a service request to a fulfillment application, and from one fulfillment application to another. You can define variables and the process flow in a PDT, and map variables to questions and responses in the SRD that contains that PDT. For information about creating questions for SRDs, see Creating questions to use with SRDs.

If the PDT contains an AOT, any target data selected in the AOT is mapped to the variables defined in the PDT. You can map PDT variables to:

• A question in the SRD
• A service request field
• A hard coded text string that you create in the SRD
• A combination of all three options. See Concatenating multiple inputs.

Create variables using the correct Type, such as Process Input, Process Output, or Internal, to distinguish how the variable should be used within the PDT. Only Process Input types are exposed to the service request. Use internal variables to pass data between AOTs and nested PDTs. A fulfillment application should use process output variables to receive data from an AOT or nested PDT after it has completed.

See the following table to know more about the types:

To allow branching within a process, you can add conditions to the PDT. Only variables can be used when creating the qualification for conditions.

To create a standard PDT

1. Create a new PDT from the Service Catalog Manager console:
   1. From IT Home, select Service Request Management> Service Catalog Manager Console.
   2. In the left navigation pane, click Console Focus and then click Process.
   3. Click Create.
2. Define basic information for the PDT:
   

   1. In the Process Definition area, specify the details of the PDT.
      The company can represent internal groups or business units as well as external vendors or customers. If you select Global , any user (including guests) can access the PDT.
      PDTs can be used in a multi-tenancy environment.

   2. From the Request Type list, select Standard.

3. Use the Visual Process Editor to associate an application object or process to the PDT, and to arrange the process flow:

   1. To add processes to the Visual Process Editor workspace, drag the PDT, AOT, or condition objects from the Palette.
      When designing your PDT, you can mix and match any combination of nested PDTs, AOTs, or condition objects for a standard SRD.
      You can use the Zoom to fit , Zoom In , and Zoom Out option  to adjust the visibility of the process flow on the screen and the Layouticon to modify the canvas view.
   2. Select an object and drag the connectors to connect the object to other objects on the Visual Process Editor.
      The objects are activated in the visual sequence displayed in the workspace:
      • When you specify that processes are at the same level (for example, the two AOTs), they run in parallel.
      • When you drag a new node (for example, an AOT) to a row of nodes, the node is added to the beginning or end of the row.

   3. To rearrange PDTs, AOTs, and conditions, select the object in the workspace, and drag it to its new level or position.

      Important

      You cannot drag a condition to a new position if an AOT, PDT, or other condition is connected to at least one of its branches. Instead, you must delete the condition and create a new one.

      For nested conditions, sometimes the connecting lines overlap. In this case, you can change the position of conditions or add a node (for example, an AOT) to avoid overlap of connecting lines.

   4. To delete an object, select the object and click the Delete icon (X).

      Warning

      If you delete a condition, any AOTs, PDTs, and nested conditions in the branches of the condition are also deleted. You will not receive a confirmation, and you cannot undo the action.

4. Define variables:
   1. Select an AOT or PDT in the Visual Process Editor workspace.
   2. Click the Define Variables panel (at the bottom right).
   3. In the Define Variables area, define the names, description, and default value of the variable.
   4. Select the process input type (Process Input, Process Output, or Internal).
      You use these to specify the direction of your variables. The Internal type is used to pass data between PDTs in the process diagram. You cannot map questions to Internal variables.
      Select Process Input if you want to map the variable to a question when creating an SRD.
   5. For Process Input variables, if you require data be entered for this variable (by users answering a question, through a mapping, or through a default value), select the Input Required check box.
   6. Click Add.
      You can modify or remove these variables as needed. You can also view their usage.
5. Define properties for the AOT and PDT objects:
   
   1. Select an AOT or PDT in the Visual Process Editor workspace.
   2. In the Name field of the Define Properties panel, select an AOT or PDT from the menu.
   3. Verify the read-only information in the remaining fields, such as the fulfillment application and template to make sure that you selected the correct AOT or PDT.
   4. To allow users to view the status of the process from the Request Entry console, select Show in simplified view.

   5. Click Apply to show the object name in the process workspace.

6. Define properties for conditions:
   1. Select the condition object in the Visual Process Editor workspace.
   2. In the Name and Description fields, enter a name and description for the condition.
   3. In the Condition field, enter a qualification that the condition will evaluate.
      You can use variables that you created for the PDT. Click the ellipsis button (...) to open the Condition Builder and create the condition.
   4. Click Apply.
7. Map the direction of the data flow:
   When you map the direction of the data flow, you can, for example, specify that the data from one variable is passed to another variable. See Dynamic data flow: Passing data between fulfillment applications.
   1. Select an AOT or PDT in the Visual Process Editor workspace.
   2. Click the Map Data panel (at the right).
   3. In the table on the Map Data panel, select one of the fields that you exposed in the AOT. (The fields come from the fulfillment application.)
   4. If you want to enter data into the field on the fulfillment application, select a variable from the Input field.
      The data from the variable will be entered into the field on the fulfillment application.
   5. If you want field data from the field on the fulfillment application pushed to another AOT or PDT, select a variable from the Output field.
      You can enter variables in the Input and Output fields. For example, an input variable might enter data into a Cube Number field, but if the fulfillment provider changes the data in that field on the fulfillment application, the data can be passed on to the next process steps (AOT) through the Output variable.
   6. Click Apply.
   7. Click Save.
8. Define general details and save the PDT:
   In the General Details tab, define the following:
   • (Optional) End User Displayed Name — name that you want to be displayed to the end user if it is different from name in the Name field. This name is displayed in the Process View of the Request Entry form.
   • Category — select a category from the menu, for example, Generic. You can also enter a new PDT category (for example, BMC Change Management, BMC Incident Management, or Work Order). After you save the PDT, you can select these categories from the Category menu. If multi-tenancy is enabled, not all categories are available to all managers.
   • Status (for example, Active)
   • (Optional) Version number.

   For information about the Used By area on the General Details tab, see Checking the use of a PDT by other PDTs or SRDs.

Tracking work by creating a PDT

You can add work information to the PDT about tasks performed on the PDT. For example, you might track a PDT's progress by recording the steps you took to implement it. The work information for each task is shown in the Work Info History area on the process definition template form.

To track work in a PDT

1. In the process definition template form, click the General Details tab if it is not already in view.
2. In the Work Info area, click Create.
3. Enter the details of your work information record in the Summary and Notes fields.
4. To add attachments to the record, right-click in the attachment table, and click Add.
5. Click Save.
   The Save operation adds your entry to the task's work history. The Show field enables you to filter specific work entries based on the type of activity shown in the table.
6. To see a Action Request System report of the activities you performed against this task, click Report.
   The Report Preview dialog box displays the work information entries.
   You can create AR System reports by using the Report Selection and Report Creator forms. Reports created using the Report Creator form automatically create an entry to the Report form when submitted. For more information about AR System reports, see Reporting on application activity .
7. To show all entries for work information history, click View.
8. Click Save.

Additional resources

Watch the following videos to learn more about creating a standard PDT: