In many business scenarios, applications are required to take specific actions when a task is not completed by the defined due date. Business Process Server enables users to select one or more options from a list of predefined tasks/actions that can be directly associated with the overdue worksteps.
By default, the Overdue Action daemon activates every 30 seconds and starts to check all the worksteps that are activated, have due dates, and have timer actions specified for overdue. This duration is set in the file OEBPS_HOME\conf\bpserver.conf for the parameter bizlogic.timer.schedule.checkdue. The default value is 30 seconds, and the recommended minimum level is ten seconds. If the duration is set to zero or less than zero, then the default value of 30 seconds is used. For more information on setting duration for overdue actions, see Action details for overdue and last overdue tasks.
Note: Changing the bizlogic.timer.schedule.checkdue value may affect the performance of BP Server.
When the overdue date or time is reached, the overdue actions you specified are automatically executed. The overdue actions are executed for the specific number of times the workstep has reached the due date. The overdue tasks are executed each time the due date is reached until one of the following conditions are satisfied:
The maximum number of repetitions is reached.
The workstep is completed.
The process instance is completed.
To set overdue actions:
1. Click the On Overdue tab of the Advanced tab of the workstep’s Properties view.
Figure 5. The On Overdue tab of the Advanced tab of the properties view
2. To add an overdue action, click New to open the Overdue Actions dialog box, which contains three tabs: Actions, where you can define the actions that take place when the workstep is overdue; Script, where you can enter JavaScript to perform overdue actions; and Alerts, where you can add alerts to be triggered on overdue.
Figure 6. Overdue actions dialog box
3. Type the number of times you want the action repeated in the Number of times to execute box.
If the Number of times to execute field is set to a value=2 for action A1, then the action is repeated twice. If a particular execution of the action fails, then the execution is retried again.
4. Select one or more of the checkboxes to set the Overdue actions. For more information on adding details, refer to "For an Overdue Workstep" section of the OpenEdge Getting Started: Developing BPM Applications with Developer Studio.
5. After defining the Overdue actions, click OK, returning to the On Overdue tab of the workstep’s Properties view. The Overdue actions you have defined are now displayed in the Overdue actions table.
6. You can also set an action in the On last overdue section (Figure 5) of the On Overdue tab of the workstep’s Properties view. This action is executed only on the final overdue of the workstep, and is only repeated once, and contains no other actions.
The maximum number of repetitions is reached.
