cDevWorkflow Version 8.1 offers several new workflow steps for handling form-related operations within a workflow process. The following steps are provided:

Using the Instantiate Form step within a Workflow Process

Let’s use the Forms Workflow Definition “TestMainForm” that we created in our last blog. The Form Definition looks like this:

To begin, navigate to the Workflow Definitions tab and create a new Workflow Definition called “TestFormDef”.

After the Forms Workflow Definition is created, open the definition in the Workflow Designer.

Drag an “Instantiate Form” step from the designer toolbox to the design canvas. Connect the Start step to the Instantiate Form step.

Since newly instantiated form instances are tracked using a variable within the Workflow Instance, let’s define a string variable called “formID1”. Click on the start step to show its properties to the right of the designer canvas and click on the Variables link to add the new string variable called “formID1”.

Next, click on the Instantiate Form step to configure its properties.

As indicated by the red asterisks, there are two required properties that need to be filled in. Select our “TestMainForm” definition from the form definition drop down list. Enter “variable.formID1” in the “variable to hold the form instance ID”. The “Instance Name” property is optional. If an instance name is provided, that name will be used to identify the newly created Form Instance, otherwise a GUID will be generated and assigned for identification. Click the “Save” button to save the values of the properties.

Click the “Save Definition” button on the designer toolbar to save the changes to the Workflow Definition.

Now let’s create a Workflow Instance based on this Workflow Definition and execute the Instance. Navigate to the Workflow Instances tab on the Configuration Manager. Create a new Workflow Instance using the toolbar button “Create”.

Select the definition “TestFormDef”, provide the name “TestFormInst” for the new Form Instance and select the “Execute” radio button for immediate execution of the new Instance. Click the “Create Instance” button to create the new Instance. Click the “Close” button to close the dialog.

Newly created and executed instance should have a status of “finish”. (Note: You may need to refresh your browser to see the updated status.) Select the new instance in the list and click the “Render” toolbar button to view the execution instance.

Based on the successful execution of the process, a new Form Instance should have been created. Click on the “Forms” toolbar button on the rendered view to view the list of Forms created by the process.

Click on the Form Name link to render the Form Instance. Form will render as follows:

Navigate to the form instance via the main Forms->Form Instances menu option to edit this instance and enter field values.

Coming Next: We will use the workflow process to route the form for data entry.

A small sampling of the Workflow Technology for BPM Solutions contained within our cDevWorkflow product offering can be found here: Workflow Technology That Works.

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