Siebel Business Process Designer Administration Guide > For Developers: Testing Workflow Processes > Testing Workflow Processes with the Process Simulator >

About the Process Simulator and Supported Modes for Simulation

The Process Simulator allows you to step through a workflow process while viewing the results of each step. A workflow process does not have to be active to run it in the Process Simulator. The simulator ignores activation date, expiration date, and status.

NOTE:  Before you run the Process Simulator or deploy your workflow processes, you use the Validate feature. The Validate feature has rules to make sure the workflow process works correctly. For more information, see Using the Validate Tool to Correct Errors in Workflow Processes.

You can use the Process Simulator to test workflows that run in the Siebel client. This includes service workflows, 7.0 workflows, and interactive workflows. You cannot use the Process Simulator to test workflows that involve a server component, such as Workflow Process Manager, Server Request Broker, Assignment Manager, and Communications Server. To test workflows that involve a server component, the workflow must be deployed to the run-time environment and tested using the application server.

When you start the Process Simulator, the Siebel Web Client is launched with a connection to the database specified in your debug options. (For information on setting debug options, see Running the Process Simulator.) A Watch window shows the Workflow variables (process properties) and application data (business objects and business components).

This topic is organized as follows:

• Process Simulator Buttons
• Process Simulator Watch Window

For more information on testing workflow processes, see:

• Using the Validate Tool to Correct Errors in Workflow Processes
• Running the Process Simulator
• Testing Workflows That Involve Server Components

Process Simulator Buttons

At the top of the Process Simulator, there is a set of buttons that you use to simulate workflow processes. Table 17 describes the buttons on the Process Simulator.

Process Simulator Watch Window

You can use the Watch window in the Process Simulator to view process properties. To view the Watch window, right-click in the Process Simulator and select Watch Window.

Table 18 describes the fields in the Watch window.