Example of Starting a Workflow Using an Event

 

This section presents an example that shows you how to define a Start node that starts a workflow when an event is triggered. The event that starts the workflow is the receipt of an XML document that contains the root element order, and a workflowstatus element with a value of new.

To define the Start node, the entries in the Start Properties dialog box should look like those shown in the following figure.

Figure B-1 Start Properties Dialog Box

 

In the Start Properties dialog box, specify the following:

• Document Type/Root Element — specify the root element order

• Condition — specify the following XPath statement that determines if the workflowstatus element of the XML document contains the value new:

  XPath("/order/workflowstatus/test()-'new")

  If the condition evaluates to true, the workflow starts.

• Variables — specify the XPath statements shown in the following table that are used to populate the workflow variables when the workflow is started with values contained in the XML document:

  Table B-1 Callback Variables and XPath Statements

  Workflow Variable	XPath Statement
  OrderID	XPath("/order/orderid/text()")
  QuoteID	XPath("/order/quoteid/text()")
  CustomerName	XPath("/Order/Customer/FirstName/text()") + XPath("/Order/Customer/LastName/text()")

  
   

To specify the variables, click Add to open the Workflow Variable Assignment dialog box.

Figure B-2 Workflow Variable Assignment Dialog Box

 

The XML document that triggers the event-type start is shown in the following listing.

Listing B-1 XML Document That Triggers the Event-Type Start

<Order>
   <OrderId>1</OrderId>
   <OrderType>New</OrderType>
   <WorkflowStatus>New</WorkflowStatus>
   <Status />
 <LEC>
   <VendorId>ABC</VendorId>
   </LEC>
<SalesPerson>
   <UserId>Mark</UserId>
   <Email>Mark@ABC</Email>
</SalesPerson>
<Quote>
   <Id>1</Id>
</Quote>
<Customer>
   <FirstName>Joe</FirstName>
   <LastName>Customer</LastName>
 <Address>
   <Street>123 Main Street</Street>
   <City>Boston</City>
   <State>MA</State>
   </Address>
   </Customer>
   </Order>