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    Home Paris Now Platform Capabilities Now Platform capabilities Process Automation Designer Getting started with processes

    Getting started with processes

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    Getting started with processes

    Learn the basics of designing an automated process for your organization. Get an overview of how processes work on the Now Platform®.

    Processes

    Processes are Now Platform representations of your manual cross-enterprise workflows. By creating a process record on the platform, you're digitizing these workflows. A process has two dimensions: the process definition and the associated process executions.

    Process definitions
    A process definition is where a process owner configures and organizes multiple instances of Flow Designer content into a coherent business process. A process definition consists of a trigger, a sequence of lanes, and a sequence of activities.
    Process executions
    A process execution is a single, runtime instance of a process definition.

    Designing a process

    When you design your business process in Process Automation Designer, you're creating a process definition.

    Each process definition consists of a trigger as well as lanes and activities. Triggers define the conditions that, when met, start running your process. Lanes and activities represent stages and individual steps in your overall business process. In the Process Automation Designer design environment, you can organize these lanes and processes into a sequence that reflects how your business process runs.

    When you're done creating your process definition, activate it so that it runs when triggered.

    Use Process Automation Designer to create a digitized representation of your business process, known as a process definition.

    What happens when a process runs

    When your activated process definition is triggered, the system creates a process execution, which represents a single, running instance of your process definition.

    After you create the process execution, the system evaluates each activity within your process. The system iterates through each activity in your process until the final activity finishes running, which means that the process execution is completed. As each activity runs, automated record operations occur on the Now Platform.

    If a Workspace administrator has set up a playbook experience for your process, then your process execution renders as a playbook. A playbook is a visual representation of your process, which is associated with a record in a Workspace.

    In summary, your process runs when:
    1. The system creates a process execution.
    2. Any configured Workspace playbook for your process renders for agents.
    3. Automated operations on records that are associated with your process execution occur on the Now Platform.
    When your activated process definition is triggered, the system creates a process execution, a playbook can render, and automated record operations on the Now Platform occur.

    Learn more about processes

    If you're ready to start digitizing your business process with Process Automation Designer, try checking out these resources:
    • Design your first automated process
    • Create a process definition
    • Design an automated process

      Transform an example manual business process into a well-designed, automated process that runs on the Now Platform®.

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    Choose your release version

      Getting started with processes

      • 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

      Getting started with processes

      Learn the basics of designing an automated process for your organization. Get an overview of how processes work on the Now Platform®.

      Processes

      Processes are Now Platform representations of your manual cross-enterprise workflows. By creating a process record on the platform, you're digitizing these workflows. A process has two dimensions: the process definition and the associated process executions.

      Process definitions
      A process definition is where a process owner configures and organizes multiple instances of Flow Designer content into a coherent business process. A process definition consists of a trigger, a sequence of lanes, and a sequence of activities.
      Process executions
      A process execution is a single, runtime instance of a process definition.

      Designing a process

      When you design your business process in Process Automation Designer, you're creating a process definition.

      Each process definition consists of a trigger as well as lanes and activities. Triggers define the conditions that, when met, start running your process. Lanes and activities represent stages and individual steps in your overall business process. In the Process Automation Designer design environment, you can organize these lanes and processes into a sequence that reflects how your business process runs.

      When you're done creating your process definition, activate it so that it runs when triggered.

      Use Process Automation Designer to create a digitized representation of your business process, known as a process definition.

      What happens when a process runs

      When your activated process definition is triggered, the system creates a process execution, which represents a single, running instance of your process definition.

      After you create the process execution, the system evaluates each activity within your process. The system iterates through each activity in your process until the final activity finishes running, which means that the process execution is completed. As each activity runs, automated record operations occur on the Now Platform.

      If a Workspace administrator has set up a playbook experience for your process, then your process execution renders as a playbook. A playbook is a visual representation of your process, which is associated with a record in a Workspace.

      In summary, your process runs when:
      1. The system creates a process execution.
      2. Any configured Workspace playbook for your process renders for agents.
      3. Automated operations on records that are associated with your process execution occur on the Now Platform.
      When your activated process definition is triggered, the system creates a process execution, a playbook can render, and automated record operations on the Now Platform occur.

      Learn more about processes

      If you're ready to start digitizing your business process with Process Automation Designer, try checking out these resources:
      • Design your first automated process
      • Create a process definition
      • Design an automated process

        Transform an example manual business process into a well-designed, automated process that runs on the Now Platform®.

      Tags:

      Feedback

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