Create and manage workflow diagrams

Workflow diagrams allow you to create a visual representation of a business process that consists of steps and paths. Complete the steps in the sections below to create and manage workflow diagrams.

Create workflow diagrams

To create workflow diagrams, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. In the Workflow Diagrams panel, click Create New.

   The Step Library and Diagram panels appear with a new diagram in the workflow canvas.

5. On the Settings tab, provide a name for the diagram in the Diagram Name text box.

   If Diagram Settings isn't available, click a blank area of the workflow canvas.

6. Provide a description for the workflow diagram in the Diagram Description text box.
7. Optionally, configure workflow diagram options in the Options section.
8. On the Data References tab, add data references or manage existing data references as necessary.
9. Add a step template to the workflow diagram by doing any of the following:

   • Drag a step template from the Step Library panel to a step's connection arrow on the workflow canvas.

     

     The step appears in the direction of the connection arrow and is automatically connected to the existing step.

   • Click a step and click one of its connection arrows to add a manual step.

     

     The manual step appears in the direction of the arrow and is automatically connected to the existing step.

   • Drag a step template from the Step Library panel to an empty area of the workflow canvas.

     

     The step appears on the workflow canvas without a path and must be manually connected to other steps in the workflow diagram.

     Learn more about configuring paths

10. To replace an existing step in the diagram with a different step type, drag a step template from the Step Library panel or drag a step from the canvas onto the middle of the step you want to change and click Yes when the Overwrite Step dialog box appears.

    When a step is replaced, it retains its original name, path settings, path assignments, and customization.

    

11. Configure step settings as necessary.
12. Add more steps and add paths to the workflow diagram as necessary.
13. Optionally, double-click a blank area of the workflow canvas next to a step or a path to add text labels to the workflow diagram.
14. Click Save to save a draft of the workflow diagram.

    A confirmation message appears, and the name of the diagram is appended with the word Draft.

15. Optionally, click Print Diagram and click Print All to print the workflow diagram, or click Print Visible to print what's visible on the workflow canvas.
16. When the workflow diagram is ready for use, click Activate to make it available for use in job templates.

    When a diagram is activated for the first time, a message appears asking if you want to create a job template from the workflow diagram.

17. Click Yes to configure the workflow diagram with a job template or click No to return to the Design page.

Duplicate workflow diagrams

Duplicating a workflow diagram creates a draft copy of a diagram that can be used as a starting point for a new diagram with similar steps.

To duplicate a workflow diagram, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. Click the workflow diagram you want to duplicate in the Workflow Diagrams panel.
5. Click More Actions and click Duplicate Diagram.

   The duplicated diagram appears in the Workflow Diagrams panel with - Copy appended to the workflow diagram name.

The workflow diagram can now be edited and activated for use in job templates.

Edit workflow diagrams

To edit workflow diagrams, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. Hover over the workflow diagram that you want to edit in the Workflow Diagrams panel and click Edit.

   The Step Library and Diagram panels appear and the workflow diagram appears in the workflow canvas.

   Tip:

   Provide a keyword in the Search Diagrams text box to filter the list to workflow diagrams that contain the keyword.

5. Update the workflow diagram as necessary.

   Tip:

   You can use the Active/Draft toggle button to compare changes between the active and draft diagram.

6. Click Save to save a draft of the workflow diagram.

   A confirmation message appears, and the name of the diagram is appended with the word Draft.

7. Optionally, click Print Diagram and click Print All to print the workflow diagram, or click Print Visible to print what's visible on the workflow canvas.
8. When the workflow diagram is ready for use, click Activate to make it available for use in job templates.

   Note:

   Once the workflow diagram is activated, it is used for all new jobs. Existing jobs that have not been upgraded continue to use the previous workflow diagram.

   Learn more about upgrading jobs

9. Click Back to return to the Design page.

Discard workflow diagram drafts

To discard workflow diagram drafts, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. Click the workflow diagram that contains the draft you want to discard in the Workflow Diagrams panel.

   Tip:

   You can use the Active/Draft toggle button to compare changes between the active and draft diagram.

5. Click More Actions and click Discard Draft.

   The Discard Draft dialog box appears.

   Caution:

   Discarded drafts can't be recovered.

6. Click Yes to discard the draft diagram or click No to cancel.

Delete workflow diagrams

To delete workflow diagrams, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. Click the workflow diagram you want to delete in the Workflow Diagrams panel.
5. Click More Actions and click Delete Diagram.

   The Delete Workflow Diagram dialog box appears.

   Caution:

   Deleted workflow diagrams can't be recovered.

6. Click Yes to delete the workflow diagram or click No to cancel.

Upgrade workflow diagrams

When a workflow diagram upgrade is available, a notification banner appears in the workflow canvas. Diagram upgrades convert data sources and step data to data references and stores them on the Data References tab.

After upgrading, the following step templates update to the data reference format:

• Advanced Assignment
• Cleanup
• Define Location
• Open Pro Project Items
• Run GP Service
• Run Pro GP Tool
• Survey 123

To upgrade a workflow diagram, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Workflow Manager web app.
2. Click the Design tab.

   The Design page appears.

   Note:

   If you don't have sufficient privileges, the Design tab is not available.

3. Click Diagrams .

   The Workflow Diagrams panel and workflow canvas appear.

4. Choose the workflow diagram that you want to upgrade from the Workflow Diagrams panel.
5. If a diagram upgrade is available, click Edit diagram in the notification banner.

   The Upgrade Diagram and Diagram panels appear with the workflow diagram in the workflow canvas.

   Tip:

   You can also click Edit and click the Upgrade Diagram tab to access the Upgrade Diagram panel.

6. Click Preview upgrades in draft to preview upgraded data sources and step data.

   A list of data types that can be upgraded appear in the Upgrade Diagram panel and the Data References tab.

7. If necessary, click on a step or data source to manually add the data reference.

   Tip:

   You can access a step's Step Details panel by clicking on a step from the Steps drop-down menu.

8. Click Activate to apply the upgraded changes to the workflow diagram or click Discard upgrade to cancel.

   If you don't want to activate data references in your workflow diagram, click Save to save upgraded changes as a draft.

9. Optionally, upgrade existing jobs to use the upgraded diagram.

The workflow diagram is upgraded to the data references format.