Creating and controlling process flows

You can connect two elements in a process with a gateway element to provide a flow to the process tasks. You can also control the execution of the process, such as separating or combining the flow according to the business requirement and by using gateways.

The sequence flow element is used to connect elements in a process. The sequence flow element can have only one source and one target and is represented by a solid arrow. This element is not a part of the Process designer Palette section. 

This topic explains the types of gateways with examples and gives the procedure to connect the elements in the process and to control the process flow.

Related topic

Defining-the-application-business-logic-through-processes

Types of gateways

Gateway

Description

Example

Parallel

A Parallel gateway element models concurrency in a process. It is used to visualize the concurrent execution of activities. It forks into multiple execution paths or joins multiple incoming paths of execution.

Important: Make sure you always use a parallel gateway in a pair. All the execution paths that begin from a parallel gateway must end with a parallel gateway. This ensures that the parallelly processing paths wait for each other at the parallel gateway before executing the next action. 

22_1_Parallel_gatewa_and_sequence_flow_example.png

Exclusive

An Exclusive gateway element models a decision in the process and the conditions on exit paths.

When the process execution arrives at an Exclusive gateway element, the system evaluates the conditions that you define in the outgoing Sequence Flow element of all flows. The system evaluates the conditions in the order in which they are defined. It selects a flow to execute depending on whether a condition evaluates to true or a condition is not defined.

22_1_Exclusive_gateway_and_sequence_flow_example.png

Limitation of the Exclusive gateway

You can use the Exclusive gateway element to create loops in processes only if the loop runs for fewer than 15 iterations. 

If you want to use the Exclusive gateway element to create loops that run for more than 15 iterations, modify the existing loop by performing the following steps:

  1. Define a local process variable to maintain the iteration count.
  2. In the loop created by using the Exclusive gateway element, increment the local process variable (iteration counter) for every iteration.
    If the iteration counter is greater than 15, the Compute Value element (Reset Count) resets the iteration counter to 0.
  3. Use the Receive Task element that has a timer attached to it.
    After the specified time has elapsed, the process routes to the original Exclusive gateway element. Here, the iteration counter restarts from 0, and therefore, the loop continues for the next 15 iterations.

The following image shows an example of the workaround if using the Exclusive gateway:

22_1_exclusive_gateway_workaround.png

To connect elements in a process

Important

Application business analysts can customize the objects developed in their applications and that are marked customizable by the administrator, but cannot customize the objects developed in com.bmc.arsys in Best Practice Customization mode. For example, objects in core BMC applications like Foundation, Approval, and Assignment cannot be customized in Best Practice Customization mode. For more information, see Customization-layer.

  1. In the Process designer, select the element on the canvas that you want to connect to another element.
    The sequence flow element is displayed.
  2. Drag the sequence flow element (arrow) and connect it to the other corresponding element.

  3. In the Properties pane, enter the properties for the sequence flow element.
    The following table provides more information about sequence flow element properties:

    Property

    Description

    Type

    Type of the Sequence Flow element.
    You cannot select a particular type. The type is decided at the run time depending on where the sequence flow is used and if a condition is defined on the sequence flow. The types of sequence flow are as follows:

    • Default—Denotes an outgoing path of an exclusive gateway where the sequence flow has no defined condition.
    • Conditional—Denotes an outgoing path of an exclusive gateway where the sequence flow has a defined condition.
    • Normal—Denotes a path that connects all other flow nodes.

    Label

    Name of the element by which the element is shown in the process diagram.

    Label Position

    Position of the label on the element.

  4. Save the process.

For information about how to run a process, see Viewing-and-managing-process-execution .

To control process flows by adding Gateways

  1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
  2. Select the application in which your process exists.
  3. In the application, click the Processes tab.
  4. Click the process name where you want to add the Gateways element.
    The system opens the Process designer and displays the process diagram on the canvas.
  5. Drag the Gateways element to the canvas and place the element where you want to represent concurrent tasks (Parallel gateway) or specify a condition (Exclusive gateway).
  6. In the Properties pane, enter the values of the element properties and specify the flow of execution that you want to create for your business logic.
  7. Save the process.

If the source automation system provides a Template ID or Template Name as part of the inputs to create the change record, the corresponding template is searched and applied to the change record.


 

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