AX1615

Plan file process definition properties

This topic is a reference for all properties that can be configured for plan file process definitions.

Process Properties tab

This tab defines the basic properties of the plan file process definition.

Item	Description
Process Name	The name of the process. This name defines: The name of the process definition file. The process name displayed in process dialogs and web pages, if no separate display name is defined.
Display Name	Optional. The display name of the process. By default, the process name is used as the display name. If a display name is defined, then the process displays in process dialogs and web pages using the display name instead of the process name. The process definition file continues to use the process name. You can use file group variables such as `{FileGroupYear}` in the display name. You must manually type any variable that you want to use, enclosed in curly brackets—there is no helper tool available to insert these variables for you.
Description	Optional. The description of the process definition. This description displays in the Process Status dialog.
Process Owner	The owner of the process. By default, this is set to the user who created the process definition, but it can be changed to another user. The process owner receives all administrative notifications for the process and can perform all administrative actions for the process (such as starting and stopping the process, overriding task ownership to mark steps as complete, and so on).

Configuration Properties

The following configuration properties can be set for the process:

Item	Description
Allow step owners to see all steps in the process task pane	Specifies whether the assigned step owners can see all steps in the process when they interact with tasks in the Process task pane. By default, this option is disabled, which means that step owners only have access to the Task View in the Process task pane, which shows the currently active task. If this option is enabled, then step owners gain access to the Process View, which shows all steps in the process. Users can toggle between each view. This setting is only applicable to non-admin step owners. Administrators and process owners can always see all steps of any process.
Default Process Assignment	The user to be used as the default step owner if no specific user assignment is made for a particular step. The default assignment only applies to steps where the Assignment Type is set to User.
Default Rejection Behavior	Specifies the default rejection behavior for Approval and Multiple Approvals steps. Select one of the following: Return to the previous step (default): When a plan file is rejected, it is returned to the previous step (regardless of what type of step it is). Return to the previous Edit step: When a plan file is rejected, it is returned to the previous Edit Plan File step. If there are any approval steps in-between the rejected step and the previous edit step, they are bypassed. Return to a step the user selects: When a plan file is rejected, the step owner chooses the return step. The plan file can be returned to any eligible previous step in the process. Previous steps are eligible for user-selected rejection behavior if the following step-level option is enabled: Show step as rejection choice for user selects rejection behavior. The default rejection behavior applies to all approval steps unless it is overridden at the step level. For more information, see Configuring rejection behavior for a plan file process.

Item

Description

Allow step owners to see all steps in the process task pane

Specifies whether the assigned step owners can see all steps in the process when they interact with tasks in the Process task pane.

By default, this option is disabled, which means that step owners only have access to the Task View in the Process task pane, which shows the currently active task. If this option is enabled, then step owners gain access to the Process View, which shows all steps in the process. Users can toggle between each view.

This setting is only applicable to non-admin step owners. Administrators and process owners can always see all steps of any process.

Default Process Assignment

The user to be used as the default step owner if no specific user assignment is made for a particular step. The default assignment only applies to steps where the Assignment Type is set to User.

Default Rejection Behavior

Specifies the default rejection behavior for Approval and Multiple Approvals steps. Select one of the following:

Return to the previous step (default): When a plan file is rejected, it is returned to the previous step (regardless of what type of step it is).
Return to the previous Edit step: When a plan file is rejected, it is returned to the previous Edit Plan File step. If there are any approval steps in-between the rejected step and the previous edit step, they are bypassed.
Return to a step the user selects: When a plan file is rejected, the step owner chooses the return step. The plan file can be returned to any eligible previous step in the process. Previous steps are eligible for user-selected rejection behavior if the following step-level option is enabled: Show step as rejection choice for user selects rejection behavior.

The default rejection behavior applies to all approval steps unless it is overridden at the step level. For more information, see Configuring rejection behavior for a plan file process.

On Demand Properties

If the plan file process definition is for an on-demand file group, the following additional options are available on this tab:

Item	Description
Enable aborting plan file processes by assigned users at specified approval steps	Specifies whether the process allows approval step owners to abort the plan file in the process. By default, this is disabled, which means that approval steps only allow the standard options of approve / reject. If enabled, then approval step owners can optionally abort the plan file in the process instead of approving or rejecting. This is intended as a way to "deny" a request by stopping it in the process. For more information, see Enabling the "deny request" option for a plan file process.
Abort process command text	Optional. If Enable aborting plan file processes by assigned users at specified approval steps is enabled, then you can optionally customize the command text that displays on the abort option. By default, the command is named Deny request.
Process Initiator Column	Optional. Specifies a column that defines the process initiator for plan files when the plan files are started in the process. You can select any column in the plan code table. For more information, see Setting the process initiator for plan files.

Item

Description

Enable aborting plan file processes by assigned users at specified approval steps

Specifies whether the process allows approval step owners to abort the plan file in the process. By default, this is disabled, which means that approval steps only allow the standard options of approve / reject.

If enabled, then approval step owners can optionally abort the plan file in the process instead of approving or rejecting. This is intended as a way to "deny" a request by stopping it in the process. For more information, see Enabling the "deny request" option for a plan file process.

Abort process command text

Optional. If Enable aborting plan file processes by assigned users at specified approval steps is enabled, then you can optionally customize the command text that displays on the abort option. By default, the command is named Deny request.

Process Initiator Column

Optional. Specifies a column that defines the process initiator for plan files when the plan files are started in the process. You can select any column in the plan code table. For more information, see Setting the process initiator for plan files.

Process Steps tab

This tab defines the steps for the process. Steps are managed in the left-hand pane. Step properties are defined in the right-hand pane using the following sub-tabs: Step Properties, Assignments, and Step Notifications.

Step Properties

This sub-tab defines basic properties for the selected step.

Item	Description
Display Text	The display text for the step. If left blank, the display text is the step type (for example, "Approval Step" or "Generic Process Step"). It is strongly recommended to define display text that clearly identifies the specific purpose of this step.
Description	Optional. The description of the step. You can use this field to further explain the purpose of the step or to provide additional instruction to the step owner. Users can see the step description in a tooltip when mousing over the step in the Process task pane.
Show step as rejection choice for user selects rejection behavior	Specifies whether the step is eligible for selection when the user-selects rejection behavior is used. By default this option is enabled, which means that plan files can be returned to this step when the rejection behavior is Return to a step the user selects. If this option is disabled, then this step is not listed as an option when users select a step to reject to. If you are not using the user-selects rejection behavior in the process, then this option has no effect. NOTE: This option does not display on Approval Steps that are sub-steps of a Multiple Approvals Process Step. In that case, the option is configured on the parent Multiple Approvals Process Step instead.
Process Step Configuration	Some step types have additional properties that only apply to that particular step type. For more information about each step type and its unique configuration properties, see Process step types for plan file processes.

Assignments

This sub-tab defines ownership assignments and due dates for the selected step. This tab does not apply to parent Multiple Approvals steps.

Item	Description
Assignment Type	Specifies the type of ownership assignment. The following assignment types are available: User: A specific user will be assigned to the step. Role: A specific role will be assigned to the step. Assignment Column: A table column will be specified as the assignment. Specific user or role names will be looked up from the column, based on the plan file code. Workbook: A workbook file and sheet will be specified as the assignment. Specific user or role names will be looked up from the workbook, based on the plan file code. Process Initiator: The user who started the plan file in the process will be assigned to the step. Additional inputs are required, depending on the selected type. For example, if the type is User, then you must specify the assigned user. For more information, see Assigning owners to plan file process steps.
Due Date	The date when the step must be completed. This can be a specific calendar date, or the due date can be relative based on a number of days after either of the following: the date the process was started, or the date this particular step was started. The due date can also be left blank if the step does not have a specific due date. For more information, see Defining the due date for plan file process steps.
Reset relative due date when step is reopened	Specifies whether the due date is reset when the step is reopened. This option is only available if the step uses a relative due date that is based on the step start date. By default, the step due date is calculated when the step is started, and that due date persists if the step is reopened. If instead you want the due date to be reset (recalculated) based on the date the step is reopened, select this option.
Role Assignment Options	If the Assignment Type is Role, Assignment Column, or Workbook, then you can specify options to determine how role ownership assignments are handled. For more information, see Assigning owners to plan file process steps.

Step Notifications

This sub-tab defines notification properties for the selected step. The settings on this tab are only used if notifications are enabled at the process level. If notifications have been disabled for the entire process, a note displays across the top of the tab.

This tab has the following sections:

Inherited Notifications: Use this section to manage the inherited notifications for this step. Inherited notifications are notifications defined at the process level. You can optionally enable or disable the inherited notifications on a per step basis, and you can edit the recipients for this step.
Custom Notifications: Use this section to manage custom notifications for this step. You can add new notification types, or you can add custom versions of the inherited notification types.

For more information on customizing notifications for steps, see Defining notifications at the step level for a plan file process.

Notifications tab

This tab defines email notification settings for the entire process.

Item	Description
Enable Process Notifications	Specifies whether notifications will be sent for the process. These notifications are typically sent to step owners, but can also be sent to other recipients. This option is enabled by default. When this option is enabled, you can also optionally enable or disable notifications for individual steps, using the Step Notifications sub-tab for the steps. If this option is disabled, then no notifications will be sent for the process. Any step-level notification settings will be ignored. This setting does not affect administrative notifications, which are always sent to the process owner (and any other recipients designated in Admin Notification Recipients).
Default Notifications	Defines the default notifications to apply to each step in the process. Each process starts with two notification types by default: Step Activated and Step Rejected. By default, these notifications are enabled for all eligible steps. You can define additional default notification types as desired and customize the existing default notifications. For more information, see Defining default notifications for a plan file process.
Notification Delivery	Specifies the default delivery setting for all notifications in this process. Select one of the following: Notification task pane: Display the notification in the recipient's Notifications task pane. Email notification (default): Send the notification by email, using the recipient's email address as defined in Axiom Security. Both notifications: Send the notification by email and display it in the Notifications task pane. All notifications defined for the process will use the default delivery setting, unless you choose to specify a different delivery setting on a per notification basis. Administrative notifications always use the default delivery setting.
Notification Email From Address	Specifies the "from" email address for all notifications sent for the process. By default, the "from" address is the default "from" address defined for Scheduler in the system configuration settings (for example, `noreply@axiomepm.com`). If desired, you can override this default and type in a different email address to be used for the process.
Admin Notification Recipients	Specifies the recipients of administrative notifications for the process. By default, the process owner receives all administrative notifications, but you can designate other users or roles to receive these notifications as appropriate. For more information, see Designating the plan file process owner.

Web Configuration tab

This tab defines configuration options for process web pages in the Web Client. If the plan files in a plan file process are form-enabled, then these web pages provide ways for task owners to review and complete their tasks.

This tab is separated into sub-tabs. All settings are optional. For more information on configuring these options, see Configuring process web pages for plan file processes.

Tasks Page

Defines configuration settings for the Process Tasks page of the Web Client, which can be used to view and complete process tasks.

Routing Page

Defines configuration settings for the Process Routing page of the Web Client, which can be used to view the process details for a plan file.

Information Panel

Defines the contents of the plan file information panel that displays on the Process Routing page. This panel is an optional feature. If you do not want to use it, leave the Panel Contents blank and then the information panel icon will not be available.

Time in Step Page

Specifies a report that contains refresh variables to be used with the Time in Step report in the Web Client. Using variables with this report is optional. If no variable report is specified, then the Time in Step report cannot be filtered and only the total average time in step will display.

Advanced Properties tab

This tab defines advanced properties for plan file process definitions. These options are only available if the file group is a standard file group. On-demand file groups cannot use these options.

Process Grouping Options

The following options are available to enable managing a process by groups. For more information, see Managing a plan file process by groups.

Item	Description
Grouping Column	Optional. Specifies a grouping column to enable starting and managing the process based on groups. You can select any column in the plan code table.
Group Owner Column	Optional but strongly recommended. Specifies a column that contains owner names for each group. In order to use this option, the specified grouping column must be a validated column. You can then select any string column on the lookup table. The column must contain text that can be resolved to valid user or role names.

Item

Description

Grouping Column

Optional. Specifies a grouping column to enable starting and managing the process based on groups. You can select any column in the plan code table.

Group Owner Column

Optional but strongly recommended. Specifies a column that contains owner names for each group.

In order to use this option, the specified grouping column must be a validated column. You can then select any string column on the lookup table. The column must contain text that can be resolved to valid user or role names.

Process Filter Options

Item	Description
Process Filter	Optional. Specifies a filter to limit the process to a subset of plan files in the file group. When the process is started, only plan files that meet the filter are eligible to be started. For more information, see Using a process filter to limit plan files in the process.

Item

Description

Process Filter

Optional. Specifies a filter to limit the process to a subset of plan files in the file group. When the process is started, only plan files that meet the filter are eligible to be started.

For more information, see Using a process filter to limit plan files in the process.

Process Start Options

Item	Description
Treat as Copy Plan File Target Process	Optional. If enabled, the process is treated as the target of a copy plan files action in another plan file process. This means that when you start this process, the individual plan codes are not started. Instead, as plan files are copied to this file group as a result of the copy plan files action, the copied plan files are automatically started in this process. For more information, see Copying plan files when a process step is completed.

Item

Description

Treat as Copy Plan File Target Process

Optional. If enabled, the process is treated as the target of a copy plan files action in another plan file process. This means that when you start this process, the individual plan codes are not started. Instead, as plan files are copied to this file group as a result of the copy plan files action, the copied plan files are automatically started in this process.

For more information, see Copying plan files when a process step is completed.