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Defining a Workflow Policy Action

This task is a step in Process of Defining a Workflow Policy.

You must define the workflow policy action before you define the workflow policy that uses the action.

To define a workflow policy action

1. In the Siebel client, navigate to the Administration-Business Process screen, and then the Actions view.
2. In the Actions list, click New Record from the applet level menu, and then define fields using values from the following table.

   Field	Description	Value
   Name	Define the name of the workflow policy action. Siebel CRM displays this name in the Actions Applet of the Workflow Policies view.	Enter a descriptive name that is consistent with your overall naming strategy and meaningful to the policy maker.
   Program	Define the workflow policy program that is associated with the action.	You choose this program from a drop-down list. For more information, see Types of Predefined Workflow Policy Programs.
   Workflow Object	Define the workflow policy object with which this action is associated. If you define a workflow policy object, then Siebel CRM displays this action only in the Actions Applet of the Workflow Policies view for workflow policies that are associated with this workflow policy object.	Chosen from a drop-down list of workflow policy objects.
   Comments	Define comments that describe the purpose or use of this workflow policy action.	Enter comments text.

3. In the Arguments list, define each argument, as necessary.

   The Arguments list changes depending on the Program you choose in the Actions list in Step 2. For more information, see Using the Arguments List.

4. If you choose a program in the Actions list in step 2, then define a recipient in the Recipients list using values from the following table. You only use the Recipients list if you choose certain programs in the Actions list in Step 2. For more information, see Using the Recipients List.

   Field	Description
   Type	The following choices are available: Send to Employee. Allows you to pick an employee. Send to Position. Allows you to pick a position, thereby sending to the primary employee of this position without having to know the name of the person. The employee must be ACTIVE. Send to Contact. Allows you to pick a contact. Send to Relative. For more information, see Using the Send to Relative Recipient Type. Send to Address. Allows you to manually enter an email address. This option supports a program that sends an email.
   Name	Define the Name of the recipient depending on the value you pick for the Type field. Siebel CRM sends the message according to the position. If you choose an employee as the recipient, and if the same position is assigned to multiple employees, then Siebel CRM sends the message to every employee who is assigned to this position even though you only choose one employee as the recipient.

5. Optional. Repeat Step 2 to add additional recipients, as necessary.

Restrictions with Defining a Workflow Policy Action

This topic describes restrictions with defining a workflow policy action.

Calling a DLL or External Function

You cannot call a DLL or external function through a workflow policy action. You can use a workflow process to call a DLL or external function. You cannot call a business service from a workflow policy action.

Using an Insert Operation with a Workflow Policy Action

Starting with Siebel version 7.x, an insert operation in a workflow policy action cannot update the Primary Owner. For example, you cannot modify a Workflow Policy Program, such as Create SR Activity, to update Primary Activity Owner (OWNER_PER_ID) because Siebel CRM must also update the S_ACT_EMP intersection table. One Workflow Policy Program cannot update two tables in one database operation. To update OWNER_PER_ID, you must use a workflow process. Earlier versions, such as Siebel CRM version 6, can use an insert operation in a workflow policy action to update the Primary Owner because Siebel CRM can assign an Activity to only one employee in the earlier version.

Using the Arguments List

The Arguments list is context sensitive. Siebel CRM displays a different applet depending on the Program you choose in the Actions list. For example:

• If you choose Send Message Broadcast in the Program field of the Actions list, then it displays the Send Message Broadcast Arguments list.
• If you choose Send Email in the Program field of the Actions list, then it displays the Send Message Arguments form.

If you use the Arguments form, then note the following:

• A program argument is case-sensitive. You must use the correct case. It is recommended that you use the drop-down lists in the Arguments form when possible instead of entering the arguments manually.
• Before you configure Siebel CRM to use email or paging, you must do the setup procedures described in Administering Workflow Policies.
• If the workflow policy program is Send Email, Send Page, or Send Broadcast Message, then you must use the Recipient List to enter the recipients of the action.

For a description of each workflow policy program type, workflow policy program arguments, and valid values, see Types of Predefined Workflow Policy Programs.

How Siebel CRM Refreshes the Applets You Use

The applets that Siebel CRM displays in the Workflow Policies view change automatically depending on the program type you choose for the workflow policy action. This behavior is different from most views that you use in the Siebel client. For example, if you navigate to the Administration-Business Process screen, and then the Policies view, then Siebel CRM displays the following applets:

• Policies List
• Conditions
• Actions
• Arguments

If you choose Send Page to Opportunity Sales Rep in the Action field of the Actions list, then it replaces the Arguments list with the Send Page Arguments form.

Using the Recipients List

You use the Recipients list only if you choose Send Email, Send Page, or Send Message Broadcast in the Program field of the Actions list.

Using the Send to Relative Recipient Type

The Send to Relative recipient type sends an email or page to an individual or to the user who is assigned to the position that is associated with the current record, such as Primary Sales Rep or Primary Sales Rep Manager. The choices that are available are context sensitive. They depend on the Workflow Object you choose in the Actions list.

If you define a custom Send to recipient, then you can use one of the following recipient types in the Type field of the Recipients list:

• Send to Employee
• Send to Position
• Send to Contact
• Send to Relative

Email Manager does not send an email to the same recipient twice for the same action. If it detects that it already sent an email to a specific email address, then it does not send another message. If the Send to Relative type returns more than one recipient, then it sends an email to each recipient only if each email address is unique.

Sending an Email to Multiple Relative Recipients

You can define a workflow policy that sends the same email to multiple recipients.

To send an email to multiple relative recipients

1. Define an action for the policy program.
2. In the Recipients list, add a new record, set the Type field to Send to Relative, and then pick the name of the first recipient in the Name field.
3. Repeat Step 2 for each additional recipient, updating the Name field for each recipient.
4. Associate the action with the workflow policy.