As you define each data field in the workflow properties, you specify
how the data in the field should be handled in the following circumstances:
When there are multiple participants for a step and all can change
the value of one or more data fields, what are the values of the fields
at the next step in the workflow.
When a split occurs in the workflow and participants at the child
steps can change the value of one or more data fields, what are the
values of the fields at the join step.
The tables below describe the behavior for the different merge types.
For simple data types
Merge Type
Description
Default
No change. The value of this field remains as it was set at the
split.
Override
The values entered in the last step to be completed before the
collector step override any previous values.
Add
Adds entries that are different from the value of the field at
the split.
For string data, the strings are concatenated.
For integer or float data, the values are added.
TIP This
field might be used in a step to accumulate values entered by each
participant. In this case, the initial value of the field should
be 0 (or 0.0) to ensure that all entries are added.
NOTE The
system compares each entry with the original value of the field
at the split. Any value that matches the original value is ignored.
See Merge examples for additional information
about merging simple data types.
For arrays
Merge Type
Description
Default
No change. The value of this field remains as it was set at the
split.
Override
The values entered in the last step to be completed before the
collector step override the complete array, even if only a single
entry has changed.
Override entry
The values entered in the last step to be completed before the
collector step override only the values that are changed.
Append
Appends entries that are different from the value of the array
element at the split to the end of the original array.
Add
Adds entries that are different from the value of the array element
at the split.
For string data, the strings are concatenated.
For integer or float data, the values are added.
AppendNoDup
Appends the modified entry at the end of the array if the entry
in not already in the array.