Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide > Administering, Testing, and Migrating Workflow Policies > Administering Workflow Policies >

Configuring a Workflow Policy to Run in Batch Mode

Running a workflow policy in batch mode allows you to evaluate more data in the Siebel database and not only the records that call a workflow policy. This configuration is useful if you create a new workflow policy that Siebel CRM must apply to historical data, and for enforcing a workflow policy that includes a date condition.

To configure a workflow policy to run in batch mode

1. In the Siebel client, navigate to the Administration-Business Process screen, and then the Policy Groups view.
2. Create a new Policy Group.
3. In the Name and Comments fields, enter a descriptive name and comment.
4. Navigate to the Administration-Business Process screen, and then the Policies view.
5. In the Policies List, query the Name field for the workflow policy you must run in batch mode.
6. In the Policies List, make sure the Batch Mode field contains a check mark.

   If you start workflow monitor in batch mode, then it determines if workflow policies exist with the Batch Mode check box marked. To identify the records that meet the workflow policy conditions, each policy causes Siebel CRM to send an SQL statement. It then processes these records and performs the appropriate actions.

7. In the Policy Group field, associate the workflow policy with the workflow group you created in Step 2.
8. Optional. Consolidate email messages:
   1. Add a condition in the Conditions list and a corresponding action in the Actions list.
   2. Consolidate email messages. In the Actions list, click the Consolidate field.

      For more information, see Consolidating Email Messages.

9. When you start the Workflow Monitor and Workflow Action server components, use the group name you created in Step 2 and set the Processes the Batch Policies parameter to TRUE.

   For more information, see Setting the Parameters of the Workflow Monitor Agent.

If create a batch workflow policy, then you must use an IS ADDED, IS UPDATED, or IS DELETED comparison operator in conjunction with regular workflow policy conditions. These comparison operators are special conditions that Siebel CRM uses for Dynamic mode when it triggers rows to look up regular conditions.

Consolidating Email Messages

If you configure Siebel CRM to consolidate messages, then it sends one email to the recipient that includes information about multiple actions rather than sending information about multiple actions in multiple emails. For example, you can define a workflow policy that sends an email to a sales director each time a sales representative sends a quote that includes a discount over 30%. If 20 sales representatives send quotes that include the 30% discount, and if the Batch Mode field is:

• Checked. The sales director receives one email that lists the 20 quotes.
• Not checked. The sales director receives 20 email messages.

To consolidate email messages

1. In the Siebel client, navigate to the Administration-Business Process screen, and then the Actions view.
2. Make sure the Consolidate field in the Actions list contains a check mark.

Configuring Batch Mode to Make Sure Siebel CRM Calls a Workflow Policy Correctly

You can configure batch mode to make sure Siebel CRM calls a workflow policy correctly.

To configure batch mode to make sure Siebel CRM calls a workflow policy correctly

1. Make sure the Batch Mode field is checked for the workflow policy.
2. Set the Batch Mode parameter to TRUE for the Workflow Monitor Agent.

Example of Configuring Batch Mode to Make Sure Siebel CRM Calls a Workflow Policy Correctly

Table 70 describes an example that demonstrates why a previously existing record that meets the workflow policy conditions does not call the workflow policy.

In this example, to monitor a field, Siebel CRM starts a workflow policy that references a business object when the following situations occur:

• Workflow Condition, Account Status is Active.
• Workflow Action, Action: Send Email to Employee.
• Remove and create database triggers, and then start a workflow monitor server task for the Test workflow group.

Note the following:

• If a user adds a new account that meets these requirements, then Siebel CRM calls the workflow policy.
• If a user updates an existing account in such a way that these requirements are met, then Siebel CRM calls the workflow policy.

If an account existed in the Siebel database before you created the workflow policy, and if the account meets the requirements that you define for this workflow policy, then this workflow policy does not start a workflow process for this account.

If Siebel CRM creates database triggers for this workflow policy, then the Workflow Monitor Agent evaluates a record only if the user updates it or if the user creates a new record. Old records are not affected.

To evaluate an account record that existed before you created the workflow policy, make sure the Batch Mode field is checked for the workflow policy, and that the Workflow Monitor Agent runs with Batch Mode set to TRUE.