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Serial Number

Article • 02.08.2022 • 4 minute(s) to read

SerialNumber

SerialNumber creates a new Serial Number and stores it in an Attribute of type SerialNumber of an exiting Variable or in a new Context Variable. SerialNumber can write in an empty Attribute or overwrite an existing entry, even with a different Serial Number definition. Once the Serial Number is generated, it is marked as consumed and it will not be reissued, regardless if it is deleted or not.

Attributes of type SerialNumber are automatically filled in many cases, thus eliminating the need for using a SerialNumber Activity in these cases:
Set Activities automatically generate Serial Numbers, even though the Attribute is not explicitly configured. Set Activities will not automatically overwrite Serial Numbers, but can if the overwrite is configured explicitly and does follow the Serial Number definition. Create Activities automatically generates Serial Numbers if the Serial Number Attribute is part of the Set entity attribute values configuration. In this case, only the Name of the Attribute has to be specified and the Value has to be left empty. However, the value of the Serial Number can also be specified explicitly but it still has to follow the Serial Number definition. Form Activities automatically generates Serial Numbers if they are left by Save, Sign and Sign and Save Actions.

This Activity can have an arbitrary amount of Outcomes, but all Outcomes must have the same name. The script of each Outcome is evaluated once the Activity has completed. Each Outcome with a script evaluating to true is followed. If more than one Outcome script evaluates to true, the Instance is paralleled. If no Outcome script evaluates to true, the Instance is ended by entering the closed-state.

Activity config

General
  • Name - Name of the Activity.
  • Version - Version of this Activity used in the Process. If a new version of this Activity is available and you want to use it, you have to manually update the version here. When a new Activity is added to the Process, automatically the latest version is placed.
  • Timeout in second - Once this time is elapsed, the Activity is closed and the Instance changes into the faulted-state. The default Timeout is two minutes. The timeout can be shortened and extended by entering a custom duration. If the Activity is left after a timeout, the first Outcome is followed. If multiple Outcomes have the same name as the first Outcome, all of them are followed. However, a continuation after a timeout does not effect the Outcome Scripts, meaning only Outcomes with Outcome Scripts evaluating to true are followed.
  • Hide in process graph - Controls if the Activity is hidden (Yes) or shown (No) in the Process Graph on the Execution Screen.
  • Continue on error - If this is set to Yes, the execution of the Instance continues even if the Activity failed. If set to No, the Instance fails when the Activity fails by entering the faulted-state. In the case of a continuation after an error, the first Outcome is followed. If multiple Outcomes have the same name as the first Outcome, all of them are followed. However, a continuation after an error does not effect the Outcome Scripts, meaning only Outcomes with Outcome Scripts evaluating to true are followed.
SerialNumber

SerialNumber Activity specific configurations

GENERAL

General interaction configuration, shared with most other Activities

  • Disable activity - Disables (Yes) or enables (No) the Activity. When disabled, the Activity is not executed and passed like a Connection by following the first Outcome. If multiple Outcomes have the same name as the first Outcome, all of them are followed. Disabling the Activity does not effect the Outcome Scripts, i.e., still only Outcomes with Outcome Scripts evaluating to true are followed.
  • Retry on error - If set to Yes, an automatic retry is executed up to ten times. If set to No, no retries are done. Retries are issued when the Activity failed so that the Instance would enter the faulted-state if the retry is disabled.
  • Additional text for task list - Description of this Activity shown to the Users in their task list. You can enter this text directly or use Process Context Expressions to compile it.
SETTINGS

SerialNumber configuration

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