Start and end events

This page explains the concept of start and end events in a workflow definition.

Data-driven workflows, available in Semarchy xDM 2023.1 and later, are subject to specific licensing requirements; please confirm your eligibility to use such new functionality by consulting your license agreement or by contacting your Semarchy account representative prior to use.
All customers can still use the workflow feature available in previous versions (now known as legacy workflows). For more information, see Workflows (legacy).

Start and end events represent the starting and ending points of the workflow. All workflow definitions must have at least one start and one end event.

Depending on the use case, a data-driven workflow can have as many start and end events as necessary. For example, the same workflow can be configured to start at a different step depending on the initiator’s role, or it can be designed to start either from scratch (e.g., for a creation task) or from a selection of existing data (e.g., for an editing task). Likewise, the same workflow can be configured to complete when various end events occur (e.g., once records are submitted for publication to the hub, when an edit is rejected, or when a task is discarded).

Between the start and end events, a workflow also has some user tasks, automations, and control flows, linked together by transitions.

Add a start event

To add a start event in a workflow definition:

In the workflow editor, click the Create Step button.
The Add Step dialog appears.
From the Type drop-down list, select Start Event.
In the Name field, enter a name for the step.
Click Create.
The start step graphical element is added to the workspace:
Select the step.
The side panel sweeps in from the right.
In the side panel, set the start event properties.

Start event properties

Start event properties allow you to define how the workflow should start and progress.

General properties

The general properties allow you to set a display name for the step, define the required user roles for initiating the workflow, and set a priority for the workflow.

General properties
Property	Required	Description
Label	Optional	Label to be displayed in the diagram.
Initiator Required Role	Optional	User role that can initiate the workflow. Selecting <None> allows all user roles to initiate the workflow.
Default Priority	Required	Default priority of the workflow. Possible values are: Low Normal High Critical By default, this field is set to Normal.

Startup context properties

The Startup Context properties allow you to define how the workflow is used to author records.

Startup context properties

Property

Required

Description

Context Type

Required

Determines how the workflow is to be used to author records. Possible values are:

Start From Completed Batch: for triggering a workflow once a batch from specified root entities is completed.

Adding a Set Workflow Metadata automation step immediately after a start event with this context type enables dynamic setting of workflow properties.
Start From Empty Selection: for authoring new records from a root entity. This option is actionable through both an application action in the navigation drawer and an entity action item in the Options menu.
Start From Selected Parent: for creating new child records from a specified parent record. This option is actionable through an entity action item in the Options menu.

When using the Start From Selected Parent context type, the parent reference is concealed within all steppers, which restricts the ability to modify the parent record.

Start From Selection: only for authoring an existing record from a root entity. This option is actionable through an entity action item in the Options menu.

The cardinality of the selected root entity or entities affects the workflow’s execution behavior:

For one or multiple root entities with a single-record cardinality, each record in the batch’s dataset triggers a separate workflow instance.
For one or multiple root entities with a multi-record cardinality, a unique workflow instance encompasses all corresponding records within the batch’s dataset.
Selecting multiple root entities with mixed cardinality is not supported and prompts a validation alert.

If there are no records corresponding to the selected entity or if no records meet the configured filter criteria in the completed batch’s dataset, no workflow instances are started.

Authored Entity

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Selection or Start From Selected Parent.

Entity on which the workflow is based.

Condition on Selection

Optional

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Selection.

SemQL condition applying to the selected records for the start action to be enabled. Click the SemQL editor icon to define a condition.

For more information on all available attributes, see Workflow attributes.

Initiator

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Completed Batch.

Name of the workflow’s initiator.

Integration Job

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Completed Batch.

Integration job associated with the batch whose completion determines workflow initiation.

Select an integration job from the drop-down list.

Records to Checkout

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Completed Batch.

Specifies which entity’s records from the completed batch dataset should be checked out for further processing within the workflow.

Click the Create button and select an entity from the drop-down list.
Click Create.
The newly created record group is added under the Records to Checkout section.
(Optional) Click the Edit button to edit the group’s name.
Select the type of records from which the workflow can be triggered. Possible values are:
- Golden Data (default): consolidated and certified records (all entity types).
- Golden Data With Errors: erroneous golden records (ID- and fuzzy-matched entities only).
- Source Authoring Data With Errors: erroneous source records authored by users (all entity types).
(Optional) Click the SemQL editor icon to define a condition on the selected entity’s records.

Record Type

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Selection or Start From Selected Parent.

The type of records from which the workflow can be triggered. Possible values are:

Golden Data (default): consolidated and certified (i.e., golden) records. This option can be selected for all types of entities.
Golden Data With Errors: erroneous golden records. This option can be selected only for ID- and fuzzy-matched entities.
Source Authoring Data With Errors: erroneous source records authored by users. This option can be selected for all types of entities.

Reference To Parent

Required

Only available if Context Type is set to Start From Selected Parent.

Name of the reference to the desired parent entity.

Select a parent entity from the drop-down list.

Startup parameter properties

The Startup Parameter properties allow you to select the mandatory and optional parameters that must or can be provided when starting a workflow via the user interface or REST API calls.

Workflow startup dialog

Startup parameter properties
Property	Description
Enable Description	Allows business users to add a description for the workflow instance.
Enable Comment	Allows business users to write a comment.
Mandatory Comment	If the Enable Comment option is selected, makes entering a comment mandatory.
Enable Priority	Allows business users to select a priority for the workflow.
Enable Due Date	Allows business users to specify a due date for completing the workflow.
Mandatory Due Date	If the Enable Due Date option is selected, makes specifying a due date mandatory.
Enable Next Task Assignee Selection	Allows business users to specify the next user in the workflow.
Mandatory Next Task Assignee Selection	If the Enable Next Assignee Selection option is selected, makes specifying the next task assignee mandatory.
Enable Attachments	Allows business users to add attachments in the workflow.
Mandatory Attachment	If the Enable Attachments option is selected, makes adding attachments mandatory.
Show the Wait	Displays a dialog informing the user that the workflow is being created. This dialog is visible until the user hides it, a user task is initiated, or the workflow is complete.

Transition property

The Transition property allows you to specify the step that should immediately follow the start event.

Transition property
Property	Required	Description
Target Step	Required	Step to transition to after the start event is triggered and the startup dialog is submitted.

Add an end event

To add an end event in a workflow definition:

In the blank workspace, click the Create Step button.
The Add Step dialog appears.
From the Type drop-down list, select End Event.
In the Name field, enter a name for the step.
Click Create.
The end event graphical element is added to the workspace: