4 Working on Process Instances in Process Workspace

This chapter contains these topics:

• Section 4.1, "Initiating Process Instances in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.2, "Searching for Process Instances in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.3, "Viewing the Details of a Process Instance in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.4, "Associating Comments and Attachments with a Process Instance in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.5, "Performing a Bulk Operation in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.6, "Canceling a Process Instance in Process Workspace"

• Section 4.7, "Customizing the Presentation of Process Instances in Process Workspace"

4.1 Initiating Process Instances in Process Workspace

To initiate a process instance, you begin with the Applications panel. Figure 4-1 shows the Process Tracking page with the Applications panel highlighted.

Figure 4-1 Process Workspace Applications Panel

Description of "Figure 4-1 Process Workspace Applications Panel"

To initiate a process:

1. In the Process Tracking page, in the Applications panel, click the process you want to initiate. The dialog box for that process instance appears.

2. Create any comments or add any attachments.

   To add a comment:

   1. In the Comments section, click Create. The Create Comment dialog box appears.

   2. Enter your comment and click OK.

   To add an attachment:

   1. In the Attachments section, click Add. The Add Attachment dialog box appears.

   2. Select the attachment type. If you select Desktop File, a dialog box enables you to enter the path name of the file or browse to find it. If you select URL, you are prompted for the name of the file and the URL.

   3. After you have specified the attachment, click OK.

4.2 Searching for Process Instances in Process Workspace

You can perform either a basic search or an advanced search for process instances.

4.2.1 How to Perform a Basic Search for Process Instances

For a basic search, you enter all or part of the name of a process instance in the Search field.

To perform a basic search for a process instance:

Select the Process Tracking page and, in the Search field, enter all or part of the name of the instance for which you are searching. Note that the search results are based on the Description column of the Process Tracking page.

To retrieve a list of all instances, enter %.

Search results are displayed as shown in the example in Figure 4-2.

Figure 4-2 Search Results

Description of "Figure 4-2 Search Results"

The Details section displays the priority, process name, when the instance is due to complete, status, creation time, and the assignee.

If the process instance has any gateways resulting in multiple threads (paths) that are still running, the Open Activities section display the status of each thread.

The Audit Trail section displays audit information—in either tabular form or graphically depending on your selection.

4.2.2 How to Perform an Advanced Search for Process Instances

You can perform a search based on one or more conditions you specify.

To perform an advanced search for a process instance:

1. In the Process Tracking page, click Advanced. The Advanced Search dialog box appears.

2. From the Processes list, select each of the processes you want to include in the view.

3. From the Assigned list, select one of the following: Anyone, at Any Role; Me, or Unassigned in my Role(s); Me.

4. From the Status list, select one or more the following:

   Table 4-1 Add View Status List

   Status	Description
   In Process	The work item is active; it has not reached the end of the process.
   Completed	The work item reached the end of the process.
   Aborted	The work item is no longer active, and did not reach the end of the process.

   
   

5. Click OK.

4.3 Viewing the Details of a Process Instance in Process Workspace

To view the details of a process instance:

In the Process Tracking page, from the process instance list, select the instance whose details you want to view. The Work Item Detail panel opens in the lower right section of the page as shown in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3 Work Item Details Panel

Description of "Figure 4-3 Work Item Details Panel"

The Details section displays the priority, process name, when the instance is due to complete, status, creation time, and the assignee if any.

If the process instance has any gateways resulting in multiple threads (paths) that are still running, the Open Activities section display the status of each thread.

The Audit Trail section displays audit information—in either tabular form or graphically depending on your selection. Figure 4-4 shows a Work Items Details panel in which audit information is displayed graphically.

Figure 4-4 Work Item Details Panel with Graphical Audit Trail

Description of "Figure 4-4 Work Item Details Panel with Graphical Audit Trail"

For more information about the Task Details page, see Section 2.3.2.2, "The Process Workspace Process Audit Details Panel"

You can also use this panel to create comments and add attachments as described in Section 4.4, "Associating Comments and Attachments with a Process Instance in Process Workspace"

4.4 Associating Comments and Attachments with a Process Instance in Process Workspace

To associate a comment with a process instance:

1. From the worklist, select the process instance with which you want to associate a comment.

2. In the details panel, in the Comments section, click New.

3. Enter your comment and click OK.

To associate an attachment with a process instance:

1. From the worklist, select the process instance with which you want to associate an attachment.

2. In the details panel, in the Attachments section, click New. The Add Attachment dialog box appears.

3. In the Description field, optionally enter a description for the attachment.

4. In the Filename field, enter the path to the file, or click Browse to navigate to it.

5. Click OK.

4.5 Performing a Bulk Operation in Process Workspace

In this release, the only available bulk operation you can perform is Cancel.

To perform a bulk operation:

1. In the Process Tracking page, from the process instance list, select several instances. In the Instance Details panel, a message indicates how many instances are currently selected to be processed. Also, the Actions list is updated with the options that can be performed over the group of instances that were selected.

2. Select the operation in the Actions list. The selected operation is performed on the instances you specified.

4.6 Canceling a Process Instance in Process Workspace

Only process owners can cancel a process instance.

To cancel a process instance:

• From the Actions list at the end of the row for the instance you want to cancel, select Cancel.

• Select the instance and, from the Actions list on the toolbar of the Process Tracking page, select Cancel

4.7 Customizing the Presentation of Process Instances in Process Workspace

A presentation is a column arrangement to use when viewing instances in the Work Items panel. When looking at a view, you can use an existing presentation or create a new one to be associated with that view.

You can choose the columns that are presented in any view displayed in the Work Items panel.

To customize the presentation of a process instance:

1. From the Views panel, select the view whose presentation you want to customize. The view is displayed in the Work Items panel.

2. From the Work Items toolbar, click Edit Presentation. This displays the Presentation dialog box in which you can select and sort the columns in your presentation.

3. From the Available Columns list, select the columns you want to include in your view and move them to the Presentation Columns list by clicking the right arrow.

4. To sort the columns:

   1. Select an individual item in the Presentation Columns list.

   2. Move it into place by using the vertical arrows to the right of the list.

   3. Repeat for each column you want to sort.

5. Click OK.