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Create Step Actions

You can define context within a manual action item by using attribute tags (from multiple objects) within the Subject and Description fields of the action item. When the action item is sent, the process engine replaces the attribute tags with the values in the object instance, providing users who are sent action items more relevant content to better respond to action items.

For example, a process for getting all new requisitions approved from the project manager includes within its action item the project manager, the requisition manager, the requisition creator, and the project name for the requisition. This information resides in the requisition and project objects. So, the attribute tags allow process designers to incorporate data from multiple objects within the action item.

You can assign manual action items to the following:

• Object Roles. To assign the action item to a role based upon object ownership. This describes the object roles that are generic to all investments:
  • All Child Managers. Select this role, for example, to send an action item to all the child managers to zero out all the ETCs for their tasks when the master project becomes inactive.
  • All Parent Managers. Select this role, for example, to send an action item to all the parent managers to review the project schedules submitted by the child project managers.
  • Immediate Child Managers. Select this role, for example, to send an action item to all the child managers to submit their project schedules for approval by immediate parent managers.
  • Immediate Parent Managers. Select this role, for example, to send an action item to the immediate parent managers when the child application is retired.
• System Roles. To assign the action item to a resource based upon a system role.
• Groups. To assign the action item to a resource based upon group membership.
• Resources. To assign the action item to a resource based upon resource name.
• Resource Fields. To assign the action item to a resource based upon a resource field.
• Template Object Roles. To assign the action item to a resource based upon the template object. This tab only appears if a project template exists in the process.

Note: See the Studio Developer’s Guide for more information.

To create a manual action for a process

1. Select Processes from the Data Administration menu.

   The Available Processes page appears.

2. Click the process name for which you want to create a manual action.

   The Process Definition: Properties page appears.

3. Open the step you want to edit.

   The Process Definition: Step Details page appears.

4. In the Actions section, click New.

   The Select Action Type page appears.

5. Select Manual Action and click Next.

   The Create Manual Action page appears.

6. Write your own action item message by inserting a combination of text and variables in the subject or description (body) of your action item:
   1. In the General and Notifications sections, enter the action name, ID, description and any notification details.
   2. In the Actions sections:
      • Click the Action Object drop-down and choose an object for this action item. This drop-down appears only if the process includes multiple objects.
      • At Actions, select available actions to use for the selected action object from the Available box and click the Move Right (right) arrow to move the actions to the Selected box. The available actions will vary depending on the action object that you selected.
   3. In the Action Item Message section:
      • At Subject, enter text that describes the subject of the step. Else, enter a portion of the subject in the box, then click the Browse icon, select attributes to add to the subject from the list and click Add. See the attribute appear in the subject line. The attribute is substituted with a value when the action item is processed. Only those attributes that pertain to the object involved in the step display on the list.
      • At Description, enter text that describes the step. Else, enter a portion of the description in the box, then click the Browse icon, select attributes to add to the subject from the list and click Add. See the attribute appear in the description box. The attribute is substituted with a value when the action item is processed. Only those attributes that pertain to the object involved in the step display on the list.
      • At Priority, select the appropriate priority for the step. Choose Low, Medium, or High.
      • At Enter Assignees, enter one or more user IDs and click Quick Add Assignees to add them to the Assignees list below. (This is a quick method for adding assignees). Optionally, at Assignees click the Browse icon.

        The Select Object Roles page appears listing the roles assigned to the objects included in this process. If the process includes multiple objects, you can filter by the objects to view the list of roles assigned to a specific object. Click the tab that corresponds to the type of resource, group, or role to which you want to assign the step, select the resource, group, or role you want to assign to the action item, and then click Add.

        To apply a custom resource field to an object, you must create an attribute of data type "Multi Valued Lookup" for that object in Studio. For the Lookup option, you must select Resource Browse with an ID "BROWSE_WORKFLOW_RESOURCES."

        After you add it in Studio, this lookup shows up under the Resource Fields tab when you click the Browse icon.

      • To make this action item available to other steps, click Make Action Item and attached objects available to other Steps.

        If you select this check box, the action item object itself (created in this manual action), as well as all attached objects (for example, documents or forms) become available to other steps in the entire process. These objects can then be used in the condition builder to build pre and post conditions. The action item is not automatically closed after the step containing the manual action completes; it automatically closes after the entire process completes, unless you create a system action in a following step to explicitly close the action item.

      • To display only the current user's assignment status when an assignee views an action item, select the Only display assignee status for the current user check box. When the check box is cleared, the status of all assignees is displayed. The box is cleared by default.
   4. Optionally, attach any documents to your action item. If one of the process objects is a project object, additional Document Attachments and Form Attachments sections appear from where you can attach documents or forms to the action item.
7. Click Submit.

   The Process Definition: Step Details page appears.
   Note: You can create another action in the same step by clicking New.

More information:

About Step Actions