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Process Configuration Console
Getting started
Isolated regions
Queues
Rosters
  Create a roster
  Modify roster properties
    Manage system fields
    Manage data fields
    Manage indexes
    Set security levels
  Move rosters across servers
VWServices
Process Engines
Workflow database
Events and statistics
   

Manage data fields

You can add, change, or delete fields in the list of exposed data fields in your roster, queue, or event log definition. Exposing a field makes it available for use in a search filter or when defining an index. Adding a data field to the list of exposed fields does not create the field—the workflow author does that. In the same way, removing a field from the list of exposed fields does not delete the field—it simply makes the field unavailable for the uses listed above.

CAUTION Exposing workflow fields adds to the system overhead, both in space and performance. Additional performance impact can occur in the following cases:

  • Event logs: Exposing workflow fields affects the transmission of information to the Process Analyzer Engine, as well as the the size of the Process Analyzer database and performance of the Process Analyzer software.
  • Workflow rosters: Exposing workflow fields that change frequently can degrade performance. In addition, all fields that you expose display by default to the user. If an exposed field does not exist for a particular work item, a default value displays.

To add or change exposed data fields

  1. If the Properties dialog box is not already displayed, select the icon of the queue, roster, or event log you wish to modify and click Properties on the toolbar.
  2. Select the Data Fields tab.
  3. To add an exposed field, enter the information in the first empty row. To change an exposed field, select the information you want to change and enter the new value.
    • Enter a name in the Field Name box. The field name must meet the system naming requirements. To take advantage of exposed data fields, the name of the data field that you create in the Process Configuration Console must exactly match the name of the field in the workflow definition.

      TIP To copy existing data fields from other rosters, queues, and event logs, click Exposed Fields on the data fields toolbar. The Exposed Data Fields dialog box that appears allows you to copy the Field Name, Field Type, and Length of one or more exposed data fields. See Select field names for more information.

    • Select a Field Type from the drop-down list. See Data types for more information about data types. You cannot expose fields that have an array data type. To take advantage of exposed data fields, the type of the data field that you create in the Process Configuration Console must exactly match the type of the field in the workflow definition. The numeric data types are the exception to this rule—you can mix integer and float data types.
    • If the Field Type is String, you must enter a Length. Valid lengths depend on your database software. See Workflow database field size limitations for more information.

      When you set the field length, you set the number of characters of the field that can be used in a search filter or as part of an index. Any characters that exceed the length you set here are ignored for these purposes. However, the system continues to store the entire value of the field in the work item's unexposed fields.

      You cannot change the length of an existing event log data field.

      CAUTION  After an exposed field is used in workflow definitions, if you change the data type of that field for a queue, roster, or event log, the data type will not change in currently running work items or in any workflow definitions where this exposed field is used. In this case, the data from running work items will not match the type expected in the queue, roster, or event logs where this data field is defined, so the data will not be exposed. You might want to update the data field types in existing workflow definitions in order to use the exposed fields in subsequent workflows.

      NOTE  Use the shortest length possible that still provides enough information to meet your needs—the longer the field, the more it adds to the system overhead, both in space and performance. In addition, indexes created using the data fields must not exceed the maximum allowable size.

  4. Click OK when done.
  5. Click Commit Changes on the toolbar to apply this change to your isolated region. You can commit the changes immediately, or you can wait until you have finished all your changes.

    NOTE Following the committal, in the runtime environment (for example, in the Workplace Tasks page) the changes will be reflected only in work items that:

    • Were created after the committal, or
    • (If the changes were on a queue) entered the queue after the committal.

To delete exposed data fields

  1. If the Properties dialog box is not already displayed, select the icon of the queue, roster, or event log you wish to modify and click Properties on the toolbar.
  2. Select the Data Fields tab.
  3. Select the row of the data field you wish to delete. You can select multiple items to delete.

    NOTE You cannot delete the following:

    • A field that is currently in use in an index. You must first delete the field from the index.
    • An event log field that has already been committed.
  4. Click Delete .
  5. Click Yes or Yes to All to confirm.
  6. Click OK when done.
  7. Click Commit Changes on the toolbar to apply this change to your isolated region. You can commit the changes immediately, or you can wait until you have finished all your changes.

    NOTE Following the committal, in the runtime environment (for example, in the Workplace Tasks page) the changes will be reflected only in work items that:

    • Were created after the committal, or
    • (If the changes were on a queue) entered the queue after the committal.