Siebel Applications Administration Guide > State Models >

About State Models

State model functionality allows administrators to control the value of a field in a record by setting up for that field the allowed state values and the allowed transitions between those state values. For example, administrators can limit the Status field for a service request record to the following state values: Open, Closed, and Pending. Furthermore, administrators can limit the allowed transitions between those state values to the following transitions: Open to Pending, Open to Closed, and Pending to Closed.

For Siebel workflows, state models provide a data-driven method for extending control using state values for fields in records. For general information about Siebel workflows, see Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide.

The state model functionality consists of the following key elements:

• State Model. The state model is a blueprint of allowed state values and allowed transitions between those state values.
• State Machine. The state machine enforces the transitions between state values. The state value can designate the status of a record. The state value for a field in a record can also determine if the other field values in that record can be modified. For example, a record with a Status field value of Closed might be read-only, and the other field values in the record cannot be modified. The state machine reviews all criteria that administrators define for the transition of a state value before allowing that transition.
• State Transitions. State transitions define the allowed changes from one value to another value for a field in a record. For example, a record with a Status field value of Closed must be reopened. The Status field can transition from the Closed value to an Open value and from the Open value to a Pending value, but cannot transition directly from the Closed value to a Pending value.

  Administrators can set up criteria for state transitions. For example, they can specify that only certain users can initiate state transitions or that all users can initiate state transitions only if certain criteria are met.