Task Menu

 

The following sections explain how to use the various WebLogic Process Integrator Worklist Task menu commands:

• Task Menu Overview

• Task Command Permissions

• Task Assignment

• Execute Command

• Mark as Done Command

• Unmark Done Command

• Take Command

• Reassign Command

• Properties Command

• Other Commands

 

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Task Menu Overview

Use the Task pull-down menu commands to operate on the currently selected task in the worklist window. These commands are also available as a pop-up menu that you access by right-clicking on a selected task in the worklist.

Figure 2-1 Task Pull Down Menu

 

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Task Command Permissions

When a task in a workflow is first defined in the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio application, certain permissions are set for that task in the Permissions tab of the Task Properties dialog box. These permissions determine which commands you can perform for a particular task in the Worklist Task menu. Refer to "Using Tasks" in Chapter 4, "Working with Workflow Components," of the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide for more information about defining tasks in a workflow.

For example, if the Mark as Done and Reassign permissions are set for a task when it is first defined in the Task Properties dialog box, any user, user within a role, or user who belongs to a role to which the task is assigned can perform the Mark as Done and Reassign commands on the task. Therefore, the commands that can be performed for a particular task are dependent on the permissions set at task definition time, and all users and roles to which these tasks have been assigned can perform these commands.

 

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Task Assignment

Tasks are assigned in the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio application. Task assignment occurs in three venues:

• User—A task is assigned to a particular user ID through the Assign Task to User action. Only the assigned user can perform the task unless this user reassigns the task to another user. (Reassignment can only occur if the Reassign command is valid, which is dependent on the permissions that are set at the time of task definition. Refer to "Using Tasks" in Chapter 4, "Working with Workflow Components" of the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide.) The first tab in the Worklist window is the User ID tab containing tasks assigned to your user ID.

• Role—A task is assigned to a role. A role is a common area of responsibility, ability, or authorization level that is shared by a group of individuals (such as "Buyer" or "Supervisor"). A single user can belong to one or more roles. If you belong to roles, each role will be represented by a tab to the right of the User ID tab in the Worklist window. Tasks contained within a role tab can be performed only by users who are members of that role. Any user who is a member of that role can take a task assigned to the role and execute the task.

  To do a task assigned to a role, the user belonging to the role must first select the task in the Role tab and choose Take from the Task menu. This action moves the task to the user's User ID tab, where the user can execute the task.

• User in a role—A task is assigned to a user in a role through the Assign to Role member option of the Assign Task to User action dialog box. The system automatically assigns the task to the user within the selected role who has the least number of tasks to perform. Refer to "Assign Task to User" in Chapter 5, "Actions," of the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide for more information.

 

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Execute Command

Use the Execute command to perform a task.

The Execute command is the most common operation in the worklist. It is equivalent to double-clicking a task in the list. The Execute command sends a message to the WebLogic Process Integrator server to perform the actions defined in the task's executed event.

The actual behavior of the Execute command depends on the definition of the task as defined by the workflow designer at workflow definition time. It commonly results in an application or program being called. Sometimes, the result of the Execute command is the completion of the task, although this also depends on the definition of the task at workflow design time.

Tasks can usually be executed only if they are pending and have been assigned to a user or a role to which the user belongs.

 

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Mark as Done Command

Use the Mark as Done command to change the status of a task to done.

This command sends a message to the WebLogic Process Integrator server to set the task completion date to the current date and then perform the actions defined for the marked done event of the task. Like the Execute command, the behavior of the Mark as Done command is determined by the definition of the task at workflow design time. Tasks can only be marked done if their properties allow it. Refer to Properties Command for more information.

 

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Unmark Done Command

Use the Unmark Done command to reset task status from done to pending.

This command sends a message to the WebLogic Process Integrator server to clear the task completed date. It does not affect a task that is not complete. Tasks can only be unmarked done if their properties allow it. Refer to Properties Command for more information.

 

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Take Command

Use the Take command to take a task assigned to a role to which you belong and place the task in your personal task list for execution.

When you execute the Take command, a message is sent to the WebLogic Process Integrator server to change the task assignment. The task is removed from the role worklist and placed in your personal (User ID tab) worklist. you can only take a task if its properties allow for task reassignment and if the task is not already done. Refer to Properties Command for more information.

 

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Reassign Command

Use the Reassign command to reassign a task to another user, to a user in a role, or to a role. When you choose this command, the Reassign Task dialog box is displayed.

Figure 2-2 Reassign Task

You can reassign a task if the following are true:

• The task to be reassigned is currently assigned to you individually, to you as a user in a role, or to a role to which you belong.

• The task permissions allow the task to be reassigned, and the task properties assigned to the task include Reassign at Execution. Refer to Properties Command in this document and to "Using Tasks" in Chapter 4, "Working with Workflow Components," in the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide for more information.

You can reassign a task as follows:

• To another user—In the Reassign Task dialog box, select User. In the Assignee drop-down list, select another user in the same organization associated with the workflow containing the task.

• To a user in a role—This reassignment option is available only if the Assign Task to User task action has been defined to include the Assign to Role member option. (See "Assign Task to User" in Chapter 5, "Using Actions," in the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide.) In the Reassign Task dialog box, select User in a role. In the Assignee drop-down list, select a role. At execution time, the system performs workload balancing by automatically assigning the task to the user in that role who is assigned the least number of current tasks.

• To a role—In the Reassign Task list box, select Role. In the Assignee drop-down list, select any role that is in the organization associated with the workflow containing the task.

 

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Properties Command

Use the Properties command to display and change properties of the selected task. Choose Properties to display the Task Properties dialog box.

Figure 2-3 Task Properties

A worklist user can only set task properties if the relevant permissions are set for the task in the Permissions tab of the Task Properties dialog box in the WebLogic Studio application. These permissions directly correspond to the commands that can be performed for a particular task from the worklist Task menu. For more information, refer to "Using Tasks" in Chapter 4, "Working with Workflow Components" of the WebLogic Process Integrator Studio User Guide.

The Task Properties dialog box contains the following:

• Task Name—Shown for informational purposes only and cannot be modified.

• Priority—Task priority: High, Medium, or Low.

• Task permissions—Determine what a user can do with a task from the worklist. Available permissions include:

  • Modify at execution—If selected, the task permissions can be changed. If not selected, none of the task permissions can be altered from the Properties command.

  • Mark done without executing—If selected, the Mark As Done command can be performed on the task. The task's completed date can be set manually by the user.

  • Re-execute if marked done—If selected, the Execute command can be performed on the task even if the task has already been completed.

  • Unmark if marked done—If selected, the Unmark Done command can be performed on the task.

  • Reassign at execution—If selected, the Take and Reassign commands can be performed on the task.

 

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Other Commands

The Task menu also contains the following commands:

• Logon—Logs you on to the WebLogic Process Integrator server after you have previously executed the Logoff command.

• Logoff—Logs you off of the WebLogic Process Integrator server but leaves the worklist application running.

• Exit—Logs you off of the WebLogic Process Integrator server and shuts down the worklist application.