Flow properties

The flow properties information about the flow.

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.

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 () 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.