AX1607

Using a process filter to limit plan files in the process

You can optionally define a filter for a plan file process definition, so that the process only applies to plan files that meet the filter. You may have some plan files that do not need to be part of the plan file process, in which case the filter can be used to exclude them.

This feature can also be used to support multiple active plan file processes with a file group, where each process applies to a distinct subset of the plan files in the file group. Each subset of plan files may require different steps, due dates, assignments, and so on, in which case it may be easier to manage the plan files using separate processes. However, please note that this approach has limitations. Certain features, such as the Process Directory in the Web Client, only support showing one process per file group. Additionally, on-demand file groups can only use one active plan file process.

The process filter option is only available for standard file groups. On-demand file groups must use a single active process, so that newly created plan files are automatically started in that process.

NOTE: If the file group uses a Show On List column, then any plan files set to False in this column are automatically excluded from the process when it is started, regardless of any filter defined for the process.

Specifying a filter for a plan file process definition

To limit the plan files in a process, you can define a Process Filter. This setting is located on the Advanced Properties tab of the plan file process definition.

To specify the process filter for a process:

  1. Click the pencil icon to create the filter.

  2. In the Filter Wizard dialog, make selections as needed to create the filter. You can create a filter using any of the following methods:

    • Using the Simple Filter view, you can create a filter based on selections from a hierarchy. The hierarchies shown are limited to those that apply to the plan code table.

    • Using the Advanced Filter view, you can create a filter based on columns in the plan code table or a lookup table.

    • If desired, you can manually type a filter criteria statement into the Filter box at the bottom of the dialog. The filter must use the plan code table or a lookup table.

In the example screenshot above, the filter is Dept.WorldRegion='Europe'. This means that only plan files that are assigned to the Europe world region can be started in this process. Plan files that belong to any other world region cannot be started in this process.

IMPORTANT: When using process filters and multiple active processes, each individual plan file in the file group can only be active in one process. Make sure that the filters used in each process definition do not overlap. If filters do overlap and plan files become active in multiple processes, these plan files may not behave as expected when performing process actions.

Before the process has been started, you can change or clear the process filter at any time. However, once the process has been started, the process filter cannot be changed.

Process behavior when using a process filter

When the process is started, only the plan files that meet the process filter are started in the process (minus any plan files excluded by the ShowOnList column). All other plan files are not started in the process.

Additionally, the Process Status dialog is limited to only showing the plan files that meet the process filter. This makes it easy to perform administrative actions on only the relevant plan files.

Once the process is started, if you need to move a plan file in or out of the filter, manual intervention is required to adjust the active processes. For example, imagine that a plan file that should belong to world region Asia is accidentally assigned to world region Europe. To move the plan file to the appropriate process, you must do the following:

  • Before reassigning the plan file, use the Process Status dialog to abort the plan file in the Europe process.
  • Edit the plan code table to reassign the plan file to the appropriate world region.
  • Use the Process Status dialog to start the plan file in the Asia process.

If you were to reassign the plan file first, then the plan file would no longer display in the Process Status dialog for the Europe process and would remain active even though it no longer met the filter. Although you could start the plan file in the Asia process, the plan file would then be active in two processes and may have unexpected behavior.