Advanced Topics

Getting the Tasks in Workflow

To retrieve tasks assigned to the logged-in user in a workflow, you can use the Get Tasks activity. This activity allows you to fetch tasks based on specific criteria. Here's how you can use it:

1. Drag and drop the Get Tasks activity into your workflow.

2. Configure the properties of the Get Tasks activity:

   • Set the Status property to include the task statuses you want to retrieve, such as Done and Partially Done.

   • Optionally, if you want to filter tasks from a specific task group, specify the task group name in the Task Group Name property.

3. Connect the Get Tasks activity to the subsequent activities in your workflow to process the retrieved tasks.

4. The output of the Get Tasks activity includes two properties:

   • The Tasks property contains a list of all the tasks retrieved. You can access individual tasks and their properties using this property.

   • The Task Count property indicates the total number of tasks retrieved.

By using the Get Tasks activity with the appropriate configuration, you can retrieve tasks assigned to the logged-in user, filter them based on status and task group if needed, and continue processing the tasks in your workflow. The tasks will be sorted in descending order based on their last updated date.

Retrieving Data from Tasks

To retrieve data from a task, you can use the Assign activity in your automation workflow. Assuming you have the task saved in a variable named Task, you can follow these steps:

You must be familiar with Assign activity and For Each activity.

Case 1

Get value from a field named InvoiceNumber from the only dependency of a task:

Use the following expression in the Assign activity: Task.Dependency.Data["InvoiceNumber"].Value or Task.Dependencies[0].Data["InvoiceNumber"].Value.

Case 2

Get value from a field named InvoiceDate from the second dependency of a task:

Use the following expression in the Assign activity: Task.Dependencies[1].Data["InvoiceDate"].Value.

Case 3

Get value from a column named Quantity from a table named LineItems in the only dependency of a task:

This can be achieved in two stages:

1. Assign the table named LineItems to a variable, let's say LineItems, using the following expression in an Assign activity: Task.Dependencies[0].Data["LineItems"].Value.

2. Add a Foreach Loop activity (along with the corresponding End Loop activity) after the Assign activity. Set the LineItems variable as the collection property. On each iteration, the current value of the loop will represent each row of the LineItems table.

3. Within the loop, add another Assign activity. If the current value variable is named Item, use the expression Item["Quantity"].Value to retrieve the value from the Quantity column.

By following these steps and customizing the expressions as per your task structure, you can retrieve specific data from a task in your automation workflow.

Best Practices for Designing Human Tasks

When designing human tasks, it's important to follow best practices to ensure efficiency and clarity. Here are some recommendations:

Naming Conventions

Use descriptive and meaningful names for field names, table names, and other components. Avoid spaces and use a consistent naming convention (e.g., ReportId, AccountNo). This helps improve readability and maintainability.

Task Group Name

Assign the same task group name to tasks created with the same extractor definition. This ensures that a workflow designed for a specific task group can be applied to all tasks within that group. Avoid using the same group name for tasks created using different extractor definitions.

Task Status

Set the recommended task status when saving the task to provide clear information about its progress:

• If the task is partially completed, set the status to Partially Done.

• If the task is fully completed, set the status to Done.

• If the task requires further attention or additional information, put it on On Hold.

• If the task should never have been created or is no longer needed, change the status to Cancelled.

• If the task has been processed and no longer requires any attention, change the status to Verified.

Remarks

Use clear and informative messages in remarks. Provide relevant details, updates, or instructions to effectively communicate with the team. Well-documented remarks facilitate collaboration and provide context for task completion.

By following these best practices, you can ensure that your human tasks are well-structured, properly categorized, and easily manageable within your workflow.