Application Configuration

In Application Configuration, you can change settings and activate functions that can be necessary for your application to work as intended. 

For example:  

• You can enable the External Start function

• Set up Redaction of completed instances

• And turn on features like enable form to PDF conversion 

You must have Full Control of a process application in order to see the settings shown in this article. Read more permissions in the article Process permissions.

Locate Application configuration

Under the main menu, select Process applications. 

Once in the Process applications list, select the application you would like to configure. Only Deployed processes are shown here. If you do not see the process you are looking for, make sure it has been deployed.

Select Application configuration.

This is the Application configuration window,

here you can configure the following information and settings. These settings do not automatically save, so remember to use the save button in the top left corner to save any changes you want to keep. 

Name

This is where you can edit the name of the application.

Description

Here you can edit the description that is displayed in the Application overview.

Application timezone

This setting affects the deadlines of tasks. If you have a task with a deadline set to days or weeks, the application will set the deadline based on that timezone. 

Application Language

This setting controls the languages of the instances in the application. 

The Forms tab

All forms that are associated with the application will be accessible here for editing. For example, if you want to update your application and create a new form with the same name as the old form, it is best practice to rename the old form so it is easy to distinguish it from the new one. 

The Permission tab

Application permissions have moved from this tab, to change permissions, go to Process Studio. 

External User tab

This will let you set up and configure External start events and the External instance overview page. 

External Start events

Allow users without a Process Automation account to start process instances. With an External Start your stakeholders can fill in a form from any website or via an easily generated link.

This is very helpful in many cases, for example:

• Error reporting forms
• Registration forms
• Booking forms
• and more...

Background

Every start event in a process application is a starting point for the application. Start events that you are allowed to trigger show up under Start new instance in Process Automation. If you, as the logged-in user, are an assigned performer to the process participant set to a certain start event you will see the starting point in the list.

Using the external start feature, all start events can be made triggerable for users that are not assigned to perform the start. Even non-users can start instances this way.

How to activate External Start

To activate external start in an application, follow these steps:

1. Model your process and deploy it.

2. Double-click on your application under Build > Process Applications.

Choose Application configuration under Manage Process Application.

3. Click on the External users tab.  All start events from the process are displayed, represented by checkboxes.

4. Select the checkbox next to the one that you wish to make available outside of Process Automation.

A URL is shown right after you select the checkbox, copy the link and use it on websites, e-mail it to clients or distribute it however you like to allow your contacts to trigger the start event.

5. Click Save.

If you have added a form to the start event, this is what your contacts will see when they use the external link. If not, a standard form made up of just two fields will be displayed.

Embed Forms as iFrames

You have the option to change the default external start that uses the InRule branding and customize it to match your needs. For more information, read the article How to Embed Forms as iFrames.

Edit external start confirmation message

After an external user triggers a start event or intermediate event using an external web link, they see the standard message “Action performed successfully”. This message can be edited to meet your organization's needs. Click on Edit Start message to edit the message.

Format your message in the Edit Message message window that opens. You can use process variables to present information from the process instance or form.

External Instance Overview page

The External Instance Overview Page is a feature that can be activated for a process application. 

This will activate a URL for a web page that can display information regarding a specific instance. The URL can be e-mailed and shared with external users to allow them to follow the status of their process instance.

This can be compared to the Pack Track features that postal services offer with capabilities to design the information that is shown and to allow the external user to see detailed information about their process instance.

Activate the External Instance Overview Page

To activate the External Instance Overview Page you need to:

1. Go to the Application Configuration settings for the specific process application
2. Click on the tab External Users
3. Click on the check box External Instance Overview Page
4. A URL link will automatically show up under the check box.

Edit the Content Page

To edit the page content, click on Edit Overview Page. This will open the editor where you can create and edit the content of the page and design the layout of the information to create a custom, user-friendly, and adapted status for your process.

Edit the content of the page in the same way you would edit a document. Use the top menu to design and layout the page using the common layout buttons.

For even more control, click on Show HTML to toggle to an HTML editing mode where you have even more layout capabilities.

HTML editing is an advanced feature that requires that you are knowledgeable about how HTML works and are experienced in using HTML.

Variables

It is possible to present information from the instance by using Variables. Read the article, Variables for more information. 

Fields from Data Form

These variables vary between process applications. Here you can see all the form fields that exist in the process application. Depending on the name of the form and fields this list will look different. Use these variables to present information that is filled in when the instance is started or that have been filled in by a participant in the process as the tasks in the process are being completed.

Fields from Process variables

These are variables that exist for all instances. The variables in this list are the same regardless of your process application settings. Use these variables to present information about the instance.

Some of these variables will not present any information unless specifically configured in the process model or process application.

How to share the URL to external users

When you click on the check box Activate external Instance Overview Page, a unique URL will show up automatically.

https://live.bariumlive.se/Link/InstanceOverview/$instance.id$

This link will not work since the $instance.id$ part of the URL must be replaced with the unique Instance ID.

The External Instance Overview page can only be accessed once an instance has been created. By writing the Instance ID at the end of the URL you will receive information for that specific instance on the page. However, the Instance ID is a 40-character ID which is impossible for users to remember. Therefore there are other, better ways to share the URL which can be automated.

Add the URL to the Confirmation message page

Custom External Start Confirmation Messages can be configured for process applications that are triggered externally, by external users. The best practice is to add the link https://live.bariumlive.se/Link/InstanceOverview/$instance.id$ to the External Instance Overview Page to the custom message so that the external user can click on the link to access the page.

Add the URL to custom e-mail confirmation message

Another best practice is to use a message event to generate a custom message that also contains the link https://live.bariumlive.se/Link/InstanceOverview/$instance.id$ as part of the e-mail message so that the external customer can click on the link at any time to see the status of his/her instance.

A good idea is to send more e-mail messages to the external user as tasks are being completed with information that the process has been passed forward and that they can see information and updates by visiting the External Instance Overview Page.

Redaction tab

This allows you to set the redaction function, which will let you automatically remove instances or data from forms on a regular basis.     

Sometimes instances contain classified data that needs to be removed after the instance is completed. Often companies and organizations have rules and regulations that govern that personal information that can be used to identify individuals must be removed after a specific amount of time. To automate this deletion of instances or instance data, the data reduction feature can be used.

How to enable data redaction

Before you enable the function make sure you are 100% sure about the settings. This is irreversible! 

1. Go to the application configuration for your specific application.
2. Select the Redaction tab.
   

   

3. Enable the checkbox Enable redaction of instances

4. Choose a redaction type.
   Remove instance
   The whole instance will be deleted after the specified number of days and no information whatsoever is saved about the instance.
   Remove all instance data
   All instance data will be deleted after the specified number of days, but statistics about the instance can still be found in the Process Performance Dashboard making it possible to analyse the application with all its instances outcomes.
   Remove selected fields
   All data in selected fields will be deleted after the specified number of days, and all other data will still be saved and the instance will be found in the instance list.

5. If you have chosen to Remove selected fields, you have to specify which fields you want to redact data in.
   Click on Add data field to redaction and select your desired fields. (Use Ctrl/Cmd for multi-select, or open the add data field to redaction again to add more than one field)

   

6. Set the number of days for when the instance/data should be deleted after the instance is completed.

   A notification will appear below the number of days settings calculating how many instances that will be affected by the setting. Make sure you are 100% sure about the setting before saving. This is irreversible!

   

7. Click Save.
   
   If you cannot see the tab Redaction, please contact our support team and they will help you enable it.

The Advanced tab

Under this tab, you can enable different advanced functions in the application. 

Configure the Complete task button in the task view 

This feature allows you to change what the Complete task button says. Type what you want to appear on the button in the Set custom name box. 

Disable confirmation dialog when completing a task

This setting is always on by default. If this box is not checked, users will have to confirm twice that they want to complete a task. 

Enable form to PDF conversion 

Check this box if you want users to be able to download forms as pdfs from the task view. 

This will make it possible to download forms within the application as PDFs.

Out of office

Check this box to enable users within this application to use the Out of office feature. 

Out of office is an extra feature. To use it, it must first be enabled on your contract. Contact our sales team if you are interested in using the Out of Office feature.

How to Enable Out of office

The Out of office function is enabled per application due to the fact that all applications may not be official.

1. Go to Application configuration and the advanced tab and tick the checkbox Allow out of office.  

When to use Out of office

Out of office can be used when you want your users to be able to delegate their tasks to a substitute performer due to out of office reasons. In order for users to use the feature and configure their out of office settings, Allow out of office must be selected on the process application and activated in the contract.

The original performer must have a list connected to the application, otherwise, the tasks will not be available to the substitute performer.

Always notify participants of new comments 

Selecting this option means all users who have participated in the comment thread will receive a notification when a new comment is posted.

Error message

Here you have the option to enter an email address where all error messages will be sent. The email provided should be a functional inbox as this feature is a bit sensitive. That way, a user can monitor error messages that are actually important and filter out warnings that are not error messages as there may not be a legitimate problem with every error message generated. You should have a user responsible for making sure relevant errors are checked and fixed. 

Create a reference number for sub instances

This option allows you to create a reference number for sub instances. This means they will not inherit their reference number from the main instance. 

Reference number

This option allows you to create a reference number for the instances. 

Groups 

Choosing the box here will allow users to choose a group as a performer or a user, if you do not check the box, only a user can be assigned as a performer. We recommend setting up permissions in groups, so we recommend selecting this box if you have your users organized by group. 

All space users 

Selecting this setting means any user in the space could be assigned a task even if they are not in the group that is typically assigned to the task. Selecting this will also allow users to tag any user in the space in a comment.

Enable “Stay on the page…” 

If you choose to enable this feature, users who start a new instance will be given the option to select to stay on the page they are on and create a new instance. This is helpful if you want to reuse information to create multiple instances at one time. 

This is how it will appear when enabled. 

If you check the box Stay on the page and create a new one and then select Start, the information on the current page will stay the same, but a small notification will appear to confirm that a new instance was created. 

Common tasks

On the right side of the Application Configuration, you will find the common task section.  

There you can start new instances, and stop the application (Users can not start new instances). 

You will also find the Participant configuration where you can add users or groups to the roles in the application. This is where you can configure the task view in the application.