Creating a Process

Overview

This guide walks you through creating a new business process in the Process App, including adding steps, configuring connections, setting up approval gates, and publishing the process for execution.

Time Required: 10-20 minutes Skill Level: Beginner

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Access to the Process App
• Permissions to create processes in your workspace
• A clear understanding of the process you want to document
• Knowledge of who approves what (if using approval steps)

Steps

Step 1: Navigate to the Processes Page

Open the Process App and navigate to the Processes view:

1. Click Processes in the navigation
2. You'll see the process list sidebar on the left
3. The main canvas area shows the selected process (or is empty if none selected)

Step 2: Create a New Process

Start a new process definition:

1. Click the New Process button in the sidebar (or use the FAB if available)
2. In the create dialog, enter:
   • Title: A descriptive name for your process (e.g., "Employee Onboarding")
   • Description: Brief overview of what the process accomplishes
3. Click Create to create the process

Tips for good process titles:

• Use action-oriented names: "Approve Purchase Request" not "Purchasing"
• Be specific: "New Hire IT Setup Process" not "Onboarding"
• Include context: "Q1 Budget Approval Workflow" for seasonal processes

Step 3: Enter Edit Mode

The new process opens in view mode with an empty canvas. Enter edit mode to start designing:

1. Click the Edit Mode toggle in the toolbar
2. The step palette appears on the left side
3. The toolbar shows editing controls (undo, redo, delete, save)

Step 4: Add the Start Step

Every process needs exactly one Start step:

1. In the step palette, find Flow Control category
2. Click and drag the Start step onto the canvas
3. Release to place the step
4. The step appears as a green circle

Step 5: Add Action Steps

Add the main steps that make up your process:

1. Drag step types from the palette onto the canvas
2. For a basic approval process, add:
   • Human Task - For manual work items
   • Approval - For authorization gates
   • Notification - For alerts and communications

Example process structure:

Start -> Human Task (Submit Request) -> Approval (Manager Review) -> Notification (Send Confirmation) -> End

Step 6: Add the End Step

Every process needs at least one End step:

1. Drag the End step from the Flow Control category
2. Place it at the end of your process flow
3. The step appears as a red circle

For processes with multiple outcomes, you can have multiple End steps (e.g., "Approved" and "Rejected" paths).

Step 7: Connect the Steps

Create the flow by connecting steps:

1. Hover over a step to see its connection handles
2. Click and drag from the output handle (right side)
3. Drag the connection line to the input handle of the next step
4. Release to create the connection

Repeat for all steps to create a complete flow from Start to End.

Connection tips:

• Output handles are on the right side of steps
• Input handles are on the left side (or top for some step types)
• Handles highlight when you hover over them
• Invalid connections won't snap

Step 8: Configure Step Properties

Each step needs configuration. Click a step to select it, then configure in the property panel:

For Human Task steps:

For Approval steps:

Step 9: Add Decision Branches (Optional)

For processes with conditional paths:

1. Add a Decision step where branching occurs
2. Connect the Decision step to multiple target steps
3. Configure conditions for each outgoing path
4. Each branch leads to its own sequence of steps

                    +-> [Approve] -> [Notify Approved] -> End
[Submit] -> [Review] |
                    +-> [Reject] -> [Notify Rejected] -> End

Step 10: Arrange the Layout

Organize your flowchart for readability:

1. Drag steps to reposition them on the canvas
2. Aim for a top-to-bottom or left-to-right flow
3. Keep related steps grouped together
4. Leave space between steps for connection lines

Alternatively, use auto-layout (if available) to automatically arrange steps.

Step 11: Save Your Work

Save the process:

1. The toolbar shows save status (saved, saving, unsaved)
2. Auto-save triggers after changes
3. Press Ctrl/Cmd+S to force an immediate save
4. Wait for "Saved" indicator before navigating away

Step 12: Validate and Publish

When ready to make the process available for execution:

1. Click the Publish button in the toolbar
2. The validation dialog appears showing:
   • Process summary (title, description)
   • Step count and connection count
   • Validation status (pass/fail)
3. If validation passes, click Confirm to publish
4. Process status changes from Draft to Active

Validation requirements:

• Exactly one Start step
• At least one End step
• All steps must be connected (no orphan steps)
• Required step properties must be filled

Expected Results

After completing this workflow, you should have:

• A new process visible in the Processes list
• Status showing as Active (published) or Draft (saved but not published)
• A complete flowchart from Start to End
• All steps configured with appropriate properties

Your process structure should look similar to:

+-------+     +----------------+     +------------------+     +-------------+     +-----+
| Start | --> | Submit Request | --> | Manager Approval | --> | Send Notice | --> | End |
+-------+     +----------------+     +------------------+     +-------------+     +-----+
                                            |
                                            | (if rejected)
                                            v
                                     +-------------+     +-----+
                                     | Send Reject | --> | End |
                                     +-------------+     +-----+

Advanced Configuration

Adding Subprocess Steps

For complex processes, break them into subprocesses:

1. Add a Subprocess step to your process
2. In the properties, select the linked process
3. During execution, the subprocess runs as part of the parent
4. Double-click subprocess steps to navigate into them

Configuring API Call Steps

For integration with external systems:

1. Add an API Call step
2. Configure the HTTP request:
   • Method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
   • URL endpoint
   • Headers
   • Request body
3. Map response data to process variables

Setting Up Script Steps

For custom logic:

1. Add a Script step
2. Write JavaScript code in the script editor
3. Access process context variables
4. Return values for use in subsequent steps

Troubleshooting

Issue: Can't find the New Process button

Solution: Ensure you have process creation permissions in your workspace. Contact your administrator if the option is not available.

Issue: Publish button is disabled

Solution: Check the validation requirements:

• Verify you have exactly one Start step
• Verify you have at least one End step
• Ensure all steps are connected
• Fill in required properties for each step

Issue: Steps won't connect

Solution: Make sure you're dragging from output handle to input handle. Some step types have specific connection rules:

• Start steps only have output handles
• End steps only have input handles
• Decision steps need multiple outgoing connections

Issue: Auto-save not working

Solution: Check browser connectivity. Save manually with Ctrl/Cmd+S. If issues persist, copy your work and refresh the page.

Related Workflows

• Configuring Approval Steps - Set up multi-approver approval gates
• Using the Schema Editor - Define data structures for process steps
• Reviewing Process Statistics - Monitor process performance