Spawns Element

The Spawns element generates activities to complete a multi-step business scenario or to continue an automated business process. The activity's fields and activity math variables are available as source data for the fields of the generated activity. The Spawns syntax allows for the following functionality:

  • An activity can be conditionally generated.

  • Activities can be generated for same day processing or the future. The generation process will enforce correct processing order through validations that maintain a precise processing order and not allow scenarios where the generated activity recycles the generating (parent) activity.

    • When generating Policy activities:

      • For same day processing of the generated activity, the processing order of the generated activity must be greater than the processing order of the current generating (parent) activity.

        • This applies to SPAWNCODEs "03" and "09" where the value of FIELD has the same value as the current activity's effective date and it also applies to SPAWNCODE "01" which always generates activities for the current activity's effective date.

      • For future date processing of the generated activity, the value of the effective date is validated to be in the future automatically making the generated activity's processing order higher than the generating (parent) activity's processing order.

        • This applies to SPAWNCODEs "03" and "09" where the value of FIELD is greater than the current activity's effective date.

    • When generating activities across different entities, there is no processing order validation.

    • SPAWNCODEs "03" and "09" require the FIELD attribute to provide an effective date value to the generated activities.

  • Activities can be generated in the past given very specific conditions. These are:

    • Spawned activities are generated for different entity instances.

      • Policy1 can generate a backdated activity to Policy2 and cannot generate a backdated activity to itself.

      • Client1 can generate a backdated activity to Client2 and cannot generate a backdated activity to itself.

    • The spawned activities are generated for different entities.

      • Policy1 can generate a backdated Client activity.

      • Client1 can generate a backdated Policy activity.

      • GroupCustomer1 can generate a backdated Policy activity.

  • Multiple activities can be generated by the parent activity through SPAWNCODE "09". FIELD and COLLECTION attributes are required to support this spawn.

    • All transactions should have the same input signature (transaction name and set of input fields) and are restricted to Policy level activities.

    • The best practice is to use an ACTIVITYARRAY of ACTIVITY data types. This supports activities with different input signatures, activities with different transaction names and activities to different entities.

  • A Policy level activity can generate a client activity by providing a ClientGUID in the CLIENT attribute.

    • CLIENT attribute is only applicable with SPAWNCODEs "01" and "03".

    • The best practice is to use an ACTIVITYARRAY of ACTIVITY data types where ACTIVITY objects can be directed to multiple Clients, multiple Client activities and different input signatures and transaction names.

  • Existing Suspense tickets and Allocation records can be passed to the generated activities through optional elements.

The following spawn codes from AsCodeSpawn are supported:

  • 01 - Generate immediately (the system will use the current Activity Effective Date)

  • 03 - Generate on a specific date (FIELD attribute holds the spawn date)

  • 09 - Generate from a collection (FIELD attribute holds the spawn date and COLLECTION attribute holds the collection).

Spawns: Elements and Attributes
Element/Tag Parent Element Attribute Definition
Common Definitions

<Spawns>

 <Transaction>

Optional:

This element defines Activities to spawn when the current Activity processing is successful.

<Spawn>

 

<Spawns>

 

Required, Repeatable:   

This element defines the activities to generate, their data, and the conditions that allow the activity generation.
<Spawns>

IF

Optional:   

Value expresses a condition that when true initiates activity generation. When the attribute is not present, the spawn will generate under all conditions. Operators available for EXPRESSION Writing explains the operators that may be used in the condition.

Values:

  • conditional expression
Spawning through Activity Array
<Activity> <Spawn>  

Optional:

This element identifies an ActivityArray that contains ACTIVITY data type objects. Each ACTIVITY data type object represents the transaction from which the activity will be generated, data for the activity’s input fields, and the entity the activity will be associated with. These transactions can span different entity activity levels (Plan, Client, Policy, etc.). This element cannot co-exist with the <Transaction> element and the legacy elements associated with <Transaction> within the same <Spawn> structure.
Legacy spawning

<Transaction>

 <Spawn>  

Optional:

This element provides the name of the transaction from which the Activity will be generated. This element and associated legacy elements cannot co-exist with the <Activity> element within the same <Spawn> structure.

Values:

  • literal transaction name
<Transaction> SPAWNCODE

Required:

This attribute indicates how the activity’s effective date will be provided. The supported spawn codes are:

The supported spawn codes are:

  • SPAWNCODE "01" allows an activity to be generated for the same effective date as the generating activity. If the generated activity shares the same entity instance (no CLIENT attribute or CLIENT attribute value is the same as the generating activity's ClientGUID) as the generating activity, the resulting activity must have a higher or equal processing order (effective date + transaction's processing order value) than the generating activity. If the CLIENT attribute is added and its value is different than the generating activity's associated entity GUID (Policy, Client, Plan, Company, GroupCustomer), there is no restriction on the resulting processing order. FIELD and COLLECTION attributes are ignored if configured with this SpawnCode.

     

  • SPAWNCODE "03" allows an activity to be generated effective for the date value provided by the FIELD attribute. The FIELD attribute is required. If the generated activity shares the same entity instance (no CLIENT attribute or CLIENT attribute value is the same as the generating activity's ClientGUID) as the generating activity, the resulting activity must have a higher or equal processing order (effective date + transaction's processing order value) than the generating activity. If the CLIENT attribute is added and its value is different than the generating activity's associated entity GUID (Policy, Client, Plan, Company, GroupCustomer), there is no restriction on the resulting processing order. COLLECTION attribute is ignored if configured with this SpawnCode.

     

  • SPAWNCODE "09" allows multiple Policy level activities to be generated for the date value provided by the FIELD attribute. The FIELD and COLLECTION attributes are required. All generated activities must have the same input signature (transaction name and set of input fields) and the same field values If one of the generated activities shares the same PolicyGUID as the generating (parent) activity, the generated activity must have a higher or equal processing order (effective date + transaction's processing order value) than the generating activity. CLIENT attribute is ignored if configured with this SpawnCode.

Values:

  • code value from AsCodeSpawn

<Transaction> CLIENT

Optional:

This attribute provides the identity of the client (ClientGUID) to which the activity is generated. This is applicable for SPAWNCODE 01 and 03 and ignored for SPAWNCODE 09.

Note: Best practice is to use an Activity object data type in an ActivityArray within the <Activity> element structure to generate Client level activities from a Policy level activity or generate activities from one Client to another Client.

Values:

  • field

  • variable
<Transaction> SPAWNONREVERSAL

Optional:

Indicates that an activity will be generated upon reversal or undo of this activity.

Values:

  • No

    • default

    • The activity is generated during normal activity processing and will not generate when this activity is reversed.

  • Yes

    • The activity is generated during the reversal of this activity and will not generate during normal activity processing.
<Transaction> FIELD

Optional:

This attribute provides the generated activity with its effective date. This is required for SPAWNCODEs 03 and 09.

Values:

  • variable

  • field
<Transaction>

COLLECTION

Optional:

This attribute allows a single parent activity to generate activities to multiple policies in the same plan or across multiple plans. This is applicable to SPAWNCODE 09 only.

Note: Best practice is to use the Activity object data type in an ActivityArray within the <Activity> element structure to generate activities to multiple policies. This allows the generated activities to carry different sets of fields per transaction and to transfer different values to those activity fields.

Values:

  • collection variable

    • Key/value pair of PolicyGUID and PlanGUID.

<Allocation>

 <Spawn>

Optional:

This provides the generated activity with an allocation. The value must be an AsCodeAllocationType code value. This element cannot co-exist with the <Activity> element.

Values:

  • literal

  • variable

  • field

 

 <Allocation>

TYPE

Required:   

This attribute identifies the source of the allocation.

Values:

  • Parent

    • Duplicate the current activity's allocation to the generated activity.

    • This is applicable when the <Allocation> element value is 03.

  • Policy

    • The allocation will be copied from a Policy level allocation identified by the value of the <Allocation> element.

    • This is applicable when the <Allocation> element value is not 01, 03, 05, 51, 99, and Prog.

  • Segment

    • The allocation will be copied from a Segment level allocation identified by the value of the <Allocation> element.

    • This is applicable when the <Allocation> element value is 05.

  • Program

    • The allocation will be copied from a Program level allocation identified by the value of the <Allocation> element.

    • The ProgramGUID attribute is required in the configuration.

    • This is applicable when the <Allocation> element value is Prog.

 

 <Allocation>

ProgramGUID

Optional:

This attribute identifies the specific Program (ProgramGUID) that is the source of the allocation to pass to the generated activity. This attribute is required when the TYPE attribute is valued with "Program".

Values:

  • field

  • variable

<Suspense>

 <Spawn>

Optional:

This element identifies the specific Suspense item that will be used in the Suspense processing of the generated activity. The element value can be either a SuspenseGUID or a Suspense number.

This element cannot co-exist with the <Activity> element.

Values:

  • field

  • variable

 

 <Suspense>

TYPE

Required:

Defines whether the Suspense item is identified by its Suspense Number or SuspenseGUID.

Values:

  • Number

    • A SuspenseNumber is provided by this element.

  • GUID

    • A SuspenseGUID is provided by this element.
<MultiSuspense> <Spawn>  

Optional:

This element identifies multiple Suspense tickets that will be used in the Suspense processing of the generated activity. The collection is built as a key of Suspense Numbers or Suspense GUIDs paired with values of unattached Suspense amounts. This element cannot
co-exist with the <Activity> element.

Values:

  • collection variable

    • Key/value pair of either a SuspenseNumber or a SuspenseGUID and an unattached Suspense amount.
  <MultiSuspense> TYPE

Required:

This element defines whether the key in the collection is the Suspense Number or the SuspenseGUID.

Values:

  • Number

    • The key to the <MultiSuspense> element is a SuspenseNumber.

  • GUID

    • The key to the <MultiSuspense> element is a SuspenseGUID.

<SpawnFields>

 <Spawn>  

Optional:

This is a section to define the data that is passed from the parent activity (current activity) to the generated activity or activities.
This element cannot co-exist with the <Activity> element.

<SpawnField>

 <SpawnFields>  

Required, Repeatable:

Each SpawnField identifies a field in the generated activity’s transaction definition and a data source within the current activity to pass to the generated activity’s field.
<From> <SpawnField>  

Required:

This element contains a reference to a data source in the parent activity. This data value will be transferred to the generated activity’s field.

Values:

  • field

  • variable
<To> <SpawnField>  

Required:

This element provides the field name in the generated activity’s transaction definition with which the data value will be associated.

Values:

  • literal field name
<Data Type> <SpawnField>  

Required:

This element defines the data type of the generated activity’s field.

Values:

  • Check

  • Combo

  • Date

  • Decimal

  • Integer

  • Money

  • Percent

  • Radio

  • Text

  • TextArea

XML Schema

<Transaction>
...
    
    <Spawns>
        <Spawn IF="[conditional statement]">
            <Activity>[activity array]</Activity>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn IF="[conditional statement]">
            <Transaction SPAWNCODE="01" CLIENT="[variable]" SPAWNONREVERSAL="[No | Yes]">[transaction name]</Transaction>
            <Allocation TYPE="[Policy | Parent | Segment | Program]" ProgramGUID="[variable | field]">[allocation code]</Allocation>
            <Suspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[variable | field]</Suspense>
            <MultiSuspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[collection]</MultiSuspense>
            <SpawnFields>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>[variable]</From>
                    <To>[field]</To>
                    <DataType>[Check | Combo | Date | Decimal | Integer | Money | Percent | Radio | Text | TextArea]</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>...</SpawnField>
            </SpawnFields>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn IF="[conditional statement]">
            <Transaction SPAWNCODE="03" FIELD="[variable | field]" CLIENT="[variable]" SPAWNONREVERSAL="[No | Yes]">[transaction name]</Transaction>
            <Allocation TYPE="[Policy | Parent | Segment | Program]" ProgramGUID="[variable | field]">[allocation code]</Allocation>
            <Suspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[variable | field]</Suspense>
            <MultiSuspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[collection]</MultiSuspense>
            <SpawnFields>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>[variable]</From>
                    <To>[field]</To>
                    <DataType>[Check | Combo | Date | Decimal | Integer | Money | Percent | Radio | Text | TextArea]</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>...</SpawnField>
            </SpawnFields>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn IF="[conditional statement]">
            <Transaction SPAWNCODE="09" COLLECTION="[collection]" FIELD="[variable | field]" SPAWNONREVERSAL="[No | Yes]">[transaction name]</Transaction>
            <Allocation TYPE="[Policy | Parent | Segment | Program]" ProgramGUID="[variable | field]">[allocation code]</Allocation>
            <Suspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[variable | field]</Suspense>
            <MultiSuspense TYPE="[number | GUID]">[collection]</MultiSuspense>
            <SpawnFields>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>[variable]</From>
                    <To>[field]</To>
                    <DataType>[Check | Combo | Date | Decimal | Integer | Money | Percent | Radio | Text | TextArea]</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>...</SpawnField>
            </SpawnFields>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn>...</Spawn>
    </Spawns>
...

</Transaction>

Legacy Spawn Example 

<<Transaction>
...
    
    <Spawns>
        <Spawn IF="DeathPayoutSpawnIndicatorMV = 'True'">
            <Transaction SPAWNCODE="01">DeathPayout</Transaction>
            <SpawnFields>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>ConfirmationNumberMV</From>
                    <To>ConfirmationNumber</To>
                    <DataType>Identifier</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>PricingTypeMV</From>
                    <To>PricingType</To>
                    <DataType>Radio</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
            </SpawnFields>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn IF="PremiumRefundScenario">
            <Transaction SPAWNCODE="03">Disbursement</Transaction>
            <SpawnFields>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>RoleGUID</From>
                    <To>RoleGUID</To>
                    <DataType>Text</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>DiffAmount</From>
                    <To>DisbursementAmount</To>
                    <DataType>Money</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
                <SpawnField>
                    <From>DisbursementChangeReasonMV</From>
                    <To>DisbursementReason</To>
                    <DataType>Text</DataType>
                </SpawnField>
            </SpawnFields>
        </Spawn>
    </Spawns>
...

</Transaction>

Spawning an Activity Array Example 

<Transaction>
...
    
    <Spawns>
        <Spawn IF="DeleteCountMV = 1 And RequirementProofOfDeathReceivedMV = '01'">
            <Activity>RoleDeleteSpawnArray</Activity>
        </Spawn>
        <Spawn IF="AddCountMV = 1 And RequirementProofOfDeathReceivedMV = '01'">
            <Activity>RoleAddSpawnArray</Activity>
        </Spawn>
    </Spawns>
...

</Transaction>