Designing Processes › Process Control › Child Processes

Child Processes

Use the Start Process operator to start a secondary or child process from a running instance of a primary or parent process. The Start Process operator starts a new process instance on a specified touchpoint. The Start Process operator initiates process variables that are associated with the new instance.

The Start Process operator can start a new instance of a process in attached mode, detached mode, or as an inline process:

• Attached mode: The process that starts the new instance is referred to as the parent process. The new instance is referred to as the child process. The application finishes processing the entire new instance. A child process finishing its flow in attached mode can copy its dataset values to the dataset in the calling parent process.

  If a parent process activates a Stop operator on a branch before a child activates its own Stop operator, it is possible for the parent instance to finish before the child instance.

• Detached mode: The Start Process operator launches a new child process instance that behaves as if it has no parent. In detached mode, the workflow that starts a new instance of another process completes immediately after queuing the start request. A process finishing in detached mode cannot copy its dataset values to the dataset in the calling parent process.
• Inline process: The child process runs as a separate instance. A parent process has limited control over the child process. The inline child process is tightly linked to the parent with access to the parent context and lifecycle such as instantiation or archiving. You cannot run an inline process in detached mode.