25 Modifying a Design

You can modify designs only in the Development environment.

Modifying a published business process (BP) or manager design may involve simple changes, such as updating a field on a form and redeploying the component. In other cases, it may require careful consideration, especially when changes impact workflows with trigger elements and conditional steps.

In uDesigner, you cannot edit a design with a status of Complete. To make changes:
  1. Change the component status to Draft.
  2. Make the required edits.
  3. Change the status back to Complete.
  4. Redeploy the component.

After redeployment, only new records created using the updated design will reflect the changes.

Before modifying a published design, review what changes are allowed and understand the potential impact of those changes.

Testing

Thoroughly test all changes in the Development environment before redeploying. Changes to a BP can produce unintended results. A published BP may include internal dependencies, conditions, and requisites that can be disrupted by redeployment. As a result, unexpected errors or behavior may occur.

What You Can Change

The following elements can be modified in a BP or manager design, with some limitations

  • You can change field properties, such as Editable and Required.
  • You can add fields, including auto-populated fields on a  Payment Application BP, even if the Base Commit BP has been published.

    Note:

    Changes to a Payment Application BP design while records are in progress (in-flight) can cause data issues in pending records.
  • You can change the fields on a log.
  • You can change Find fields.
  • You can change workflow schemas.

Schemas consist of both forms and workflows. Changes to a form also affect the associated schema.

  • You can change conditional routing triggers.
  • You can change the auto-created BPs on a workflow link.
  • You can change the Default setting of Line Item Statuses for BPs.

What You Cannot Change

To protect the integrity of existing records, uDesigner restricts certain changes to published designs. The following components cannot be modified in a BP or manager design:
  • You cannot change the name of a BP or other component after it has been imported into production.
  • You cannot change data definitions (DDs) that have been assigned to data elements (DEs) that are in use.

    Changing a DD alters the meaning and usage of the data type. For example, changing a DD from Currency to Integer can disrupt cost rollups throughout the system.

  • You cannot change a fund code after it has been used in the system.
  • You cannot change a status value after has been created. However, you can deactivate a status if it should no longer be available.
  • You cannot modify workflow steps or links after the workflow is published.

    After a workflow has been published, uDesigner locks the design. To make changes, create a new workflow. Specifically, you cannot:

    • Change step names
    • Add or remove steps
    • Change link names
    • Add or remove links
  • You cannot delete fields from a BP after it is active.

    Removing fields can break formulas or disrupt cost rollups, auto-population, or conditional routing. Instead of deleting a field, place it in a hidden block if it is no longer needed.

  • You cannot delete a published workflow, even if it is no longer in use.

    To make changes, create a new workflow and redeploy the BP.

  • You cannot edit trigger elements in published workflows.

    To modify triggers, create a new workflow. In-flight records are not affected if the existing workflow is inactive.

    Workflows are integral to those BPs that use them. Deleting a workflow would disable associated configurations, setups, and records.

  • You cannot delete a work package after it exists in the system.

    You can inactivate a work package if it is not linked to line items in the Cost Sheet. Approved and completed line items remain unaffected, but no new line items can be linked to the inactivated package.

  • • You cannot change the following options in a BP’s General tab after you select Apply or OK
    • ID
    • Type
    • Level
    • Behavior
    • Record Instances

    You can only edit the Name and Description fields.