Try OpenEdge Now
skip to main content
User's Guide
Setting workstep properties : About worksteps
 

About worksteps

Worksteps define the flow of business processes. In Business Process Modeler, you can create a workstep:
*In process models by dragging one of the these shapes into the Content pane: Start, Activity, Decision, Or-Join, Exclusive Or-Join, AND Gateway, Message, and End.
*In Web applications using these shapes: Start, Activity, Decision, Or-Join, and End.
Table 35 lists and describes the types of worksteps and how they appear in a process template.
Table 35. Types of Worksteps
Workstep Type
Appearance
Description
Activity
This workstep is performed by a User (human performer). In a Process Model, an activity can be performed by an individual or group user, or by a queue. In a Web application, this workstep is performed only by a single user. For details, see Defining properties of Activity worksteps.
Adapter
This is an activity workstep, performed by an adapter. For details, see Defining properties of Adapter worksteps.
Subprocess
This workstep is a process by itself with its own process diagram and is external to the main process, including the subprocess workstep. For details, see Defining properties of Subprocess worksteps.
External Activity
This is a monitoring workstep, performed by an external human performer. This workstep type is only available for process models. For details, see IntroducingMonitoring process.
External Adapter
This is a monitoring workstep, performed by an external adapter performer. This workstep type is only available for process models. For details, see IntroducingMonitoring process.
Although the properties of an Activity, Adapter, and Subprocess worksteps vary according to their performers, these worksteps have the following properties in common:
*Name. Business Process Modeler assigns each workstep a default name; for instance, the first Activity workstep added to a process template is displayed as Activity 1. You can replace the default name with a more descriptive name in the Properties view for the workstep.
*Dataslots. Dataslots are used to transfer information between worksteps. You can define editable inputs (information that flows into the workstep) and read-only outputs (information that is sent out to other worksteps) in the Dataslots tab of the Properties view for Adapter, Message and Subprocess worksteps; in the Fields tab of the Properties view for Start and Activity worksteps; and in the Configuration tab of the Properties view for Managed Adapter worksteps.
*Performers. Each of these worksteps can be assigned a performer. Performer types include: User, Adapter, and Subprocess.
* Workstep properties