AX1335

Starting and stopping plan file processes

Once plan file process definitions have been created for a file group, administrators and process owners can perform tasks such as starting or stopping a process.

Starting a plan file process

Once you have created a plan file process definition for a file group and you are ready to begin the process, you can start it.

• If the process is for a standard file group, then starting the process will generate a task for each assigned plan file owner for step 1, and notifications will be sent (if applicable). You should make sure that plan files are ready to be worked on and that all assignments are finalized before starting the process.
• If the process is for an on-demand file group, then you must also designate the process as the Plan File Process for that file group (in the file group properties). In order for newly created plan files to be automatically started in the process, the process must be active and it must be designated as the Plan File Process.

When a process is started, all existing codes in the plan code table are started, except for those hidden using a ShowOnList column. The following additional exceptions may apply:

• If the process is for a standard file group, and a Process Filter has been specified on the process definition, then only plan files that meet the filter will be started. All other plan files in the file group are not started in the process and do not display in the Process Status dialog. For more information, see Using a process filter to limit plan files in the process.

• If the process is for a standard file group, and a Grouping Column has been specified for the process definition, then you can optionally specify one or more groups of plan files to be started when the process is started. If a group is not started at this time, it can be started in the process later. For more information, see Managing a plan file process by groups.

NOTE: To start a process, you must have security access to all plan files that are eligible to be started in the process. Otherwise, the process is not started and you are informed of the issue. To determine the eligible plan files, the process considers the current ShowOnList status, the process filter (if applicable), and the selected groups to start (if applicable).

A process cannot be started if it contains any missing or invalid settings. If applicable, these validation errors display at the bottom of the dialog. You can click the link at the bottom of the dialog to be taken to the tab or step that contains the error. Once all errors are resolved, you can start the process.

To start a plan file process:

1. In the Explorer task pane, expand the file group and then expand the Process Definitions item. Double-click the plan file process definition to open it.

   TIP: If the file group is present on the Axiom ribbon tab, you can also open the process definition using the file group menu.

2. In the Edit Plan File Process dialog, click Start Process in the top right-hand corner of the dialog.

3. At the confirmation prompt, click OK to start the process.

For more information on how the process responds to changes in the plan code table after the process is started, see Updating plan file processes for changes to the plan code table.

You can also start processes from the Process Manager dialog. On the Axiom tab, in the Administration group, click Manage > Process Management > Current Processes. In the Process Manager dialog, select Show inactive processes. Select the process that you want to start, then click Start.

NOTE: In systems with installed products, this feature may be located on the Admin tab. In the Workflow group, click Process Management > Current Processes.

Stopping a plan file process

When you stop a process, all current tasks are deleted and the process status changes from Active to Aborted. If the process definition is started again later, a new process instance will be created and the process will start over from the first step. There is no way to restart a particular process instance at the step it was on when it was stopped.

Generally speaking, you should not stop a plan file process except during testing or if the process has a configuration error that cannot be resolved in the active process (and therefore the process needs to be stopped, edited, and started over). For standard file groups, the process should be allowed to fully complete, at which point it will automatically stop. For on-demand file groups, the process should remain active to account for any new plan files added to the file group (unless the file group itself is no longer active and no new plan files will be created for it).

To stop a process:

1. On the Axiom tab, in the Administration group, go to Manage > Process Management > Current Processes.

NOTE: In systems with installed products, this feature may be located on the Admin tab. In the Workflow group, click Process Management > Current Processes.

2. In the Process Manager dialog, select the process that you want to stop, and then click Stop.

3. At the confirmation prompt, click OK.

You can also stop processes using the Process Status dialog. From the Process task pane (or a custom task pane configured to show the process control), click View status. In the Process Status dialog, click Stop process.

Completing a plan file process

As each plan file completes all of the steps in the process, the plan file will move to Completed status and will no longer be active in the process.

If the process is for a standard file group, then the process will be automatically completed once all plan files have completed the process. No action is necessary to mark the process as complete.

However, if the process is the designated Plan File Process for an on-demand file group, then the process will never automatically complete. It will stay active so that it is available when users create new on-demand plan files for the file group. If the process is no longer needed because the file group is no longer active, or because you no longer want new plan files to progress through the process, then you can stop the process as described in the previous section.

Axiom saves the process details for each activated instance of a process. Administrators and process owners can always go back and view the available history. For more information on viewing process history, see Viewing process history.