Understanding Step Execution

The options available for executing steps enable the Onboarding (Transitions) administrators to account for their organization's specific process requirements, depending on whether certain steps are mandatory or optional and if subsequent steps should be repeated.

Once included in a process, each step has an Execute Step property that administrators can configure to specify when the process can advance to the step.

The following scenarios should be considered and used as best practice models when implementing a process.

Scenario 1: All steps are required: Select the option When all previous steps have been completed when there are multiple prior parallel steps that each have a transition into a specific step and this specific step should execute only after all prior steps are completed. This means that the specific step cannot begin until each prior individual step is complete. Also note that a step having this option will not start if one of the incoming transitions has a condition preventing its execution.

Scenario 2: One mutually exclusive step is required: Select the option When one, and only one, of the previous steps has been completed when there are multiple prior parallel steps that each have a transition into a specific step, but these prior steps are mutually exclusive based on conditions and only one of these prior steps will ever be completed.

Scenario 3: One or more dependent steps may be completed: Select the option When one of the previous steps has been completed when there are multiple prior parallel steps that each have a transition into the same specific step, and one or more of these prior steps may eventually be completed, and the specific step must be executed each time one of the prior steps gets completed. This can be useful in an instance where someone wanted to receive an email each time one of a group of prior tasks assignees completed their work. Or when a loop is introduced (a set of steps and transition that forms a cycle) and would make a step to be executed more than once.

Scenario 4: One or more steps may be completed: Select the option When one, and only one, of the previous steps has been completed when there are multiple prior parallel steps that each have a transition into the same specific step and one or more of these prior steps may eventually be completed, but you only want the specific step to be executed once and then allow the process to progress further. This means that as soon as the first of the preceding parallel steps get completed, the specific step will execute. Subsequently, if another prior step is completed it does not initiate a repeat execution of the specific step.

Be sure to view step execution options in isolation. While repeating a step may not impact the relationship between it and the previous step that triggered it, it could have unwanted downstream implications for repeating other tasks.

The default value of a second property, After step execution, should be left as is (Execute all subsequent steps). Selecting Execute one of the subsequent steps can produce unexpected results and is therefore not recommended.

More predictable control can be obtained by using conditions on the transitions that lead to subsequent steps. As a candidate or new hire advances through the process, steps whose conditions are met will be assigned while steps whose conditions are not met will not be assigned. This method of control always be used rather than the After step execution value: Execute one of the subsequent steps.