1. Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide
  2. Workflow Policy Program That Runs an External Program

Workflow Policy Program That Runs an External Program

The following table describes arguments and values for the Run External Workflow Policy program type. If you choose a Run External Workflow Policy program type in the Actions view, then Siebel CRM displays the External Programs Arguments list. For more information, see Configuring a Workflow Policy Action That Runs an External Program.

Argument Description

Executable Name

Specifies the path and name of the executable to run. For example, the executable starts from the Siebel Server. The executable can be a batch program.

If you do not provide a path, then Siebel assumes the executable is located in the directory where you install the Siebel Server. For example, if you install the Siebel Server in the c:\Siebel\ses\siebsrvr directory, then Siebel uses the following default path for the executable:

c:\Siebel\ses\siebsrvr\bin

The external program cannot be an interactive program that requires a user interface or that accesses the Windows desktop.

Command Line

Include the parameters that Siebel must send to the executable. To send multiple substitution parameters, you must include a space between each parameter. For example:

"[FirstName]"^"[LastName]"

where ^ (circumflex) is a space

You must use double quotes to enclose a substitution parameter that includes a space. Siebel sends these quotes as part of the parameter.

For more information, see the topic about the Workflow Policy Program object type in Siebel Object Types Reference.

Execute Type

You can use one of the following values for the Execute Type:

  • Wait. Siebel waits for the external program to finish, and then examines the code that the external program returns. If the return code is not 0, then an error occurs.

  • No Wait. Siebel runs the external program in the background and then continues processing. It does not examine the return code.

If the external program is a Visual Basic program that creates a file, then you must set the Execute Type argument to Wait. If you set Execute Type to No Wait, then Visual Basic attempts to write the file (twice), thus corrupting the data.

Available Substitutions

Specifies dynamic fields that you can use as command line parameters. If the action runs, then Siebel updates the substitution value with the value from the record that caused it to run the Workflow Policy program.