Rules Designer

Use the Rules Designer to create custom business logic to direct the flow of the workflow. You can also use rules to create custom logic to choose recipients for a task.

You configure rules at the step level. This means if you need to configure the Recipients Rule, you need to do so on the Task step. Same applies to the Merge Rule on the Merge step. For more information on the different rule types, see the Rule Types section in this topic.

Navigate the Rules Designer

The table below describes the options available within the Rules Designer:

Area Description
Rule Header

Displays the type of rule being built. In this example, the displayed rule is the Recipient Rule which forms part of the Task step.

Expand / Collapse toggle

Use this button to expand or collapse the Context Browser.

Rule

The rule itself. This is an example of a rule containing blocks, conditions and outcomes on the Design Canvas.

Condition Block

Rule conditions are added to the condition block.

Condition

Use conditions to refine the rule criteria. You can add and group different types of conditions together in a condition block. Types of conditions include:

  • Task Condition - The color for this type is teal
  • Condition - The color for this type is light gray
  • Responses - The color for this type is teal
  • Response Count- The color for this type is teal
Outcomes

Outcomes allow you to select and specify outcomes for the rule, and are orange. Types of outcomes include:

  • Recipient Group
  • Outcome
  • Wait
  • Merge
Design Canvas

Use the design canvas to design the rule.

Rules Toolbar

Use the Rules Toolbar to drag conditions, outcomes, IF/THEN statements onto the canvas to build the rule.

Quick Insert Toolbar (QIT)

The Quick Insert Toolbar consists of corresponding outcomes and condition blocks. Click an item to instantly add the block to the rule you are working on (you don't drag-and-drop actions from the QIT).

Trash bin

Use the Trash bin to delete any unwanted conditions dragged onto the canvas.

You build rules using blocks to connect actions and conditions to outcomes. There are two block types and you use each type build logic using the rules designer. The block types are:

Rule types

The Rules Designer contains the following rule types. Click the rule links to see more information:

Rule Type Description Access it from
Recipient Rule Customize this rule to define conditions to determine which recipients receive the task. This enables you to choose which path is followed. The rule is located in the Task step on the Recipients tab.
Results / Voting Rule Customize this rule to define conditions to determine which outcome is used. This enables you to choose which voting rule is followed. The rule is located in the Task step on the Task Result Rule tab.
Decision Rule Customize this rule to define conditions to determine which decision path is followed. This rule is set by default as soon as the Decision step is linked to the Task step. The rule is located in the Decision step on the Decision tab.
Split Rule Customize this rule to define conditions to determine which paths are followed when the split is evaluated. The rule is located in the Split step on the Split tab.
Merge Rule

Customize this rule to define conditions to determine whether the workflow should continue based on which steps have been started or have completed.

The rule is located in the Merge step on the Merge tab.
Smartfield Composer Use the Smartfield Composer to configure nested inline functions and SmartObjects methods, to change values used in SmartField-enabled controls (shown with the Type / Drop watermark). For more information see the SmartField Composer topic.