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    Home New York Now Platform Capabilities Now Platform capabilities Flow Designer Flows

    Flows

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    Flows

    Automate processes with a sequence of reusable actions such as manage records, ask for approvals, create tasks, and send notifications. Define trigger conditions to start a flow and variables to pass information between actions.

    All flows consist of properties, a trigger, a sequence of actions, and the data collected or created.

    Flow properties

    The flow properties information about the flow.

    Property Description
    Name Enter a unique name for the flow
    Protection Choose whether the flow is read only by choosing from None or Read-only
    Application Select an application for the flow. This property is set when creating the flow and cannot be changed afterwards.
    Description Enter a description of the flow.
    Run As Choose whether the flow runs as System User or the user who initiates the session.

    Triggers

    The trigger specifies the conditions that start the flow. When the trigger condition is true, the system starts the flow.

    Flow Designer supports record-based, schedule-based, and application-based trigger types. For detailed descriptions of trigger types, see Flow trigger types.

    Actions

    Within Actions, flow designers can add actions, flow logic, subflows, or other flows.

    Each action is a set of reusable business logic that produces a specific outcome when provided with its input values. Flow designers configure actions by specifying where they go in a flow sequence and by selecting the data they use as input values. As a flow runs, actions earlier in the sequence generate outcomes or output values that become available as data to actions later in the flow.

    By default, the system provides a collection of core actions that can be added to any flow. Core actions cannot be viewed or edited from the Action Designer interface. Some applications include spokes which add application-specific flows and actions. Spoke actions are typically read-only but can be copied and customized. Developers may also create their custom actions from the Action Designer interface.

    Flow data

    Flows store any data gathered or generated as variables in the Data pane. Each variable has its own pill that Flow designers can use to drag the variable value to an action input or output. Flow Designer generates the pill name based on the contents and its data type. The system specifies the variable data type next to the pill.

    Figure 1. Example flow data
    Example flow data in the data panel.

    Flow logic

    Flows may contain flow logic to specify conditional or repeated actions. The system provides these flow logic options.

    For detailed descriptions of flow logic types, see Flow logic.

    Testing flows

    After adding a trigger and one or more actions, flow designers can test a flow. Testing a flow sets the trigger conditions to true and runs all actions. For flows that have record-based triggers, flow designers may specify an existing test record to use as input. Flow designers should always test flows on non-production instances containing relevant demonstration data since testing a flow creates or changes records on the instance.

    Flow execution details

    The system generates flow execution records, log messages, and reports for each flow run. The flow context is a related record containing the current state and runtime values of the flow. The system generates a context record each time a flow is run.

    Roles

    To access Flows, a user must have the flow_designer or admin roles.

    Design considerations

    Create a subflow when you only want a flow to run from a script
    A flow runs whenever its trigger conditions are met. If you want a flow to run only when it is called from a script, create a subflow instead. Since a subflow has no trigger conditions, it will only run when called by another flow or a script call.
    Use flow logic or a schedule-based trigger to control flow timing
    To pause a flow for a specific duration, use Wait for a duration flow logic. To run a flow at a specific time, use a schedule-based trigger. Avoid using the gs.sleep() method to wait within a flow.

    More Actions

    Click the More Actions (More Actions icon) button to access additional options for the flow.

    Stages
    Access the stages for a flow.
    Manage flow catalog variables
    Manage the catalog variables available to Service Catalog-triggered-flows.
    Copy flow
    Create a copy of the open flow in an application you specify.
    Configurations
    Enable or disable the Show draft actions, Show triggered flows, and Show store spokes options.
    Code Snippet
    Generate a code snippet to call a specific flow, subflow, or action.
    Manage security
    Enable or disable the Callable by Client API option.
    • Flow trigger types

      The trigger specifies the conditions that start the flow. When the trigger condition is true, the system starts the flow.

    • Create a flow

      Automate a process to run one or more actions when a trigger condition occurs.

    • Allow flow designers to dynamically set field values

      Enable flow designers to dynamically set field values when adding the subflow or action to a flow. For example, allow flow designers to set the priority and short description of a Create Task action.

    • View activated flows for a table

      View flows with record-based triggers that run on a specific table.

    • Actions

      Actions can be added to any flow, enabling process analysts to automate Now Platform features without having to write code.

    • Flow Designer stages

      Communicate the current stage of a request or flow with an end user.

    • Flow execution details

      View runtime information about an action or flow directly from the design environment such as the current state, actions or steps run, and values produced. Open related records from embedded Now Platform editors or in a new tab.

    • Flow logic

      Enable flows and subflows to specify conditional or repeated actions. Combine the elements of flow logic to create workflows in a graphical interface with little or no scripting.

    • Subflows

      Define a sequence of reusable actions that can be started from a flow, subflow, or script. Define inputs and outputs to pass data to and from the subflow.

    • Complex data

      Use a graphical interface to work with collections of complex structured data. Help design users understand the organization of structured data, and add, remove, or configure its individual elements.

    • Inline scripts

      Enable users with coding experience to write inline scripts that set and modify input values during the configuration of an action or flow. Use inline scripts to modify input values that require small format conversions, data transformations, or math operations.

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    Release version
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      Flows

      • Save as PDF Selected topic Topic & subtopics All topics in contents
      • Unsubscribe Log in to subscribe to topics and get notified when content changes.
      • Share this page

      Flows

      Automate processes with a sequence of reusable actions such as manage records, ask for approvals, create tasks, and send notifications. Define trigger conditions to start a flow and variables to pass information between actions.

      All flows consist of properties, a trigger, a sequence of actions, and the data collected or created.

      Flow properties

      The flow properties information about the flow.

      Property Description
      Name Enter a unique name for the flow
      Protection Choose whether the flow is read only by choosing from None or Read-only
      Application Select an application for the flow. This property is set when creating the flow and cannot be changed afterwards.
      Description Enter a description of the flow.
      Run As Choose whether the flow runs as System User or the user who initiates the session.

      Triggers

      The trigger specifies the conditions that start the flow. When the trigger condition is true, the system starts the flow.

      Flow Designer supports record-based, schedule-based, and application-based trigger types. For detailed descriptions of trigger types, see Flow trigger types.

      Actions

      Within Actions, flow designers can add actions, flow logic, subflows, or other flows.

      Each action is a set of reusable business logic that produces a specific outcome when provided with its input values. Flow designers configure actions by specifying where they go in a flow sequence and by selecting the data they use as input values. As a flow runs, actions earlier in the sequence generate outcomes or output values that become available as data to actions later in the flow.

      By default, the system provides a collection of core actions that can be added to any flow. Core actions cannot be viewed or edited from the Action Designer interface. Some applications include spokes which add application-specific flows and actions. Spoke actions are typically read-only but can be copied and customized. Developers may also create their custom actions from the Action Designer interface.

      Flow data

      Flows store any data gathered or generated as variables in the Data pane. Each variable has its own pill that Flow designers can use to drag the variable value to an action input or output. Flow Designer generates the pill name based on the contents and its data type. The system specifies the variable data type next to the pill.

      Figure 1. Example flow data
      Example flow data in the data panel.

      Flow logic

      Flows may contain flow logic to specify conditional or repeated actions. The system provides these flow logic options.

      For detailed descriptions of flow logic types, see Flow logic.

      Testing flows

      After adding a trigger and one or more actions, flow designers can test a flow. Testing a flow sets the trigger conditions to true and runs all actions. For flows that have record-based triggers, flow designers may specify an existing test record to use as input. Flow designers should always test flows on non-production instances containing relevant demonstration data since testing a flow creates or changes records on the instance.

      Flow execution details

      The system generates flow execution records, log messages, and reports for each flow run. The flow context is a related record containing the current state and runtime values of the flow. The system generates a context record each time a flow is run.

      Roles

      To access Flows, a user must have the flow_designer or admin roles.

      Design considerations

      Create a subflow when you only want a flow to run from a script
      A flow runs whenever its trigger conditions are met. If you want a flow to run only when it is called from a script, create a subflow instead. Since a subflow has no trigger conditions, it will only run when called by another flow or a script call.
      Use flow logic or a schedule-based trigger to control flow timing
      To pause a flow for a specific duration, use Wait for a duration flow logic. To run a flow at a specific time, use a schedule-based trigger. Avoid using the gs.sleep() method to wait within a flow.

      More Actions

      Click the More Actions (More Actions icon) button to access additional options for the flow.

      Stages
      Access the stages for a flow.
      Manage flow catalog variables
      Manage the catalog variables available to Service Catalog-triggered-flows.
      Copy flow
      Create a copy of the open flow in an application you specify.
      Configurations
      Enable or disable the Show draft actions, Show triggered flows, and Show store spokes options.
      Code Snippet
      Generate a code snippet to call a specific flow, subflow, or action.
      Manage security
      Enable or disable the Callable by Client API option.
      • Flow trigger types

        The trigger specifies the conditions that start the flow. When the trigger condition is true, the system starts the flow.

      • Create a flow

        Automate a process to run one or more actions when a trigger condition occurs.

      • Allow flow designers to dynamically set field values

        Enable flow designers to dynamically set field values when adding the subflow or action to a flow. For example, allow flow designers to set the priority and short description of a Create Task action.

      • View activated flows for a table

        View flows with record-based triggers that run on a specific table.

      • Actions

        Actions can be added to any flow, enabling process analysts to automate Now Platform features without having to write code.

      • Flow Designer stages

        Communicate the current stage of a request or flow with an end user.

      • Flow execution details

        View runtime information about an action or flow directly from the design environment such as the current state, actions or steps run, and values produced. Open related records from embedded Now Platform editors or in a new tab.

      • Flow logic

        Enable flows and subflows to specify conditional or repeated actions. Combine the elements of flow logic to create workflows in a graphical interface with little or no scripting.

      • Subflows

        Define a sequence of reusable actions that can be started from a flow, subflow, or script. Define inputs and outputs to pass data to and from the subflow.

      • Complex data

        Use a graphical interface to work with collections of complex structured data. Help design users understand the organization of structured data, and add, remove, or configure its individual elements.

      • Inline scripts

        Enable users with coding experience to write inline scripts that set and modify input values during the configuration of an action or flow. Use inline scripts to modify input values that require small format conversions, data transformations, or math operations.

      Tags:

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