Create a Workflow

A workflow is a group of tasks that automates complex and repetitive IT jobs. Typically, each workflow is a set of connector-specific tasks, script-based actions, and delay timers. As an administrator, you can select the connectors and can specify the operation that each connector should perform. You can specify one or more connectors depending on the task that you want to automate.

The following diagram describes the process to create a workflow:

To create a workflow, perform the following tasks:

1. Review the prerequisites.
2. Decide and perform one of the following operations:
   
   • Create a workflow.
   • Use a template.
3. Specify the basic properties.
4. Specify the tasks in the design studio.
5. Configure input and output parameters.
6. Publish a workflow.

Review the Prerequisites

• You have set up the credentials for the connectors. For more information about setting up the credentials, see Connector Credentials.                                          
• You have installed the on-premise connectivity server as required.                                  

Create a Workflow

You can create your own workflow using the connectors and script-based actions, and delay timer task. Specify your own input and output parameters to suit your business need. For example, you can create a workflow to provision a new EC2 instance, and then create an asset record for the instance and communicate the details to the requester.
To create a workflow, configure the following steps:

• Specify the basic properties
• Specify the tasks in Design Studio
• Map the data with the parameters/connectors
• Publish the workflow

Specify the Basic Properties

The Basic Properties tab lets you provide the basic information about the workflow such as name of the workflow and a brief description about the workflow. These details help you identify the workflow in Workflow Library.

Follow these steps:

1. Log in to the application.
2. Navigate to WORKSPACES> Automation Center.
3. Click the Workflow Library tab, New Workflow, and Basic Properties.
4. Enter the properties like the Name, Description, and Workflow Solution.
5. Select a Workflow Status.
   Available – Indicates that the workflow is complete and published.
   Incomplete – Indicates that the workflow is incomplete and you cannot publish the workflow.
6. (Optional) To add new Workflow Solutions, click the + icon, fill the required fields, and click Save.
7. Click Next or click the Design Studio tab.
   Note: Next is disabled if you have unsaved changes. Save the changes and proceed.

The basic properties are specified.

Specify the Tasks in Design Studio

The Design Studio tab lets you select tasks and design the workflow. The task can be either selecting connectors, or actions, or both. You can view the overall steps of the workflow in the Preview pane.

Follow these steps:

1. Select a step that you want to add to the steps grid.
2. Select a connector - Select one or more connectors from the drop-down list and add them to the steps grid. For information about the connectors, see Predefined Content.
3. Select an Action - Select either Script or Delay Timer to the steps grid. For more information about Scripts and Delay Timers.
4. Click the + icon and configure the parameters that are required for the step and click Apply.
   Task Name – Specify the task name. The default task name is the name of the connector.
   Operation – Specify the name of the operation that the connector performs.
   Credentials – Provide the credentials to validate the connector.
   Note: Each step must have the status as Complete before you save the workflow.
5. To save the workflow, click Save.
6. Click Next or click the Data Mapping tab.
   Note: The steps that are selected in Design Studio determine the parameters that are populated in the Data Mapping tab.

The tasks are specified.

Configure Input and Output Parameters

Data mapping lets you map the input and output parameters with each operation.

Follow these steps:

1. Click the + icon for each operation in the Steps grid.
2. Complete the following parameters and click Apply.
   Mandatory Configuration (Required to execute the workflow successfully).
   Additional Configuration (Optional)
   Note: For detailed information about each input parameter for each connector, see predefined content. 
   Each configuration can accept the following inputs:
   Provide it Later - Value from a user or the value from an external system while running the workflow. 
   Assign Value Now - A predefined constant value.
   Output from the Previous Step – The input parameter is the output of the previous step. If there are multiple outputs, then select the relevant output from the displayed list.
   Assign From Workflow variable – Workflow variables can be used across different steps in a workflow.
   Note: Save the workflow before you define the workflow variables that are used in the Groovy script task. Workflow variables that are defined before you save a workflow are not accessible in the Data Mapping stage.
3. Click Save.
   The workflow is validated and a popup appears: "Workflow is validated and complete. Would you want to make it available in Workflow Library?"
4. Click Yes to validate the workflow and make it available in Workflow Library.
5. Click Next or click the Publish tab.

The input and output parameters are configured.

Publish a Workflow

Publish is a process of integrating an automation workflow into the service desk. A user can benefit from automation workflows when they are published as request catalog items. Once a workflow is validated and made available, you can publish a workflow to the request catalog. You can map the input parameters of the workflow that you create, to the request catalog. A published workflow can automatically be triggered by raising a ticket from the Request catalog template.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to WORKSPACES> Automation Center.
2. Select a workflow, click Edit Workflow, Publish.
3. Enter the following properties:

   1. Service Catalog Name – Specify the service catalog item that is associated with the workflow. 

   2. Attach To -  Select a Service Catalog Item that is associated with a process flow. The process flow is triggered when a Service Catalog item is submitted.

   3. Execute After- Identifies the step after which a workflow is invoked. This step does not require user inputs.

   4. Description - Provide a description.

   5. D o you want to map any fields in service request as input to workflow? - Specify the fields as an input parameter for the workflow.

4. Specify the Service Catalog Fields and define the mapping between the catalog fields and workflow inputs.
   Note: The ticket details that are generated on ticket creation are mapped to the Workflow Input parameters.

5. Click Publish.

The workflow is published and displayed as a Service Catalog item. You can access the published catalog items that are attached to an automation workflow from the Service Catalog workspace.

Unpublish

You can unpublish a workflow, if you do not have any active tickets, or do not need the workflow anymore.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to WORKSPACES> Automation> Automation Center.
2. Select a workflow, click Edit Workflow, Publish.
3. Click  Unpublish.
   The workflow is unpublished.

Use a Template

A template is a predefined workflow setup. You do not have to configure any steps or actions. You can copy a template from the list of existing templates and can use it as it is to solve your business need.
Note: You cannot delete a template workflow.

Follow these steps:

1. Log in to the application.
2. Navigate to WORKSPACES> Automation Center.
3. Click the Workflow Library tab, Template.
4. Select a template from the displayed list.
5. Click the drop-down icon and select Copy Workflow.
   The Copy Workflow dialog opens.
6. Enter a name for the workflow and click Save.
   You have successfully created a workflow.
7. (Optional) Update the Basic Properties, Design Studio, Data Mapping, and the Publish tab before using the workflow.

You have successfully created a workflow using a template.

Script Task

The workflow designer can use script task to perform a nonstandard operation as part of the workflow. The script is written using the Groovy programming language. Example use cases of nonstandard operations are:

• • Formatting email body with data from previous steps.
  • Processing XML response of a SOAP API call to extract required data that is used in the subsequent steps.
  • Formatting output parameters before being used as inputs in subsequent steps, and so on.

The data elements that are used as input and or output of scripts are known as workflow variables. When the workflow starts, the variables are optionally initialized with specific values defined during the creation of the workflow variable. Workflow variables can receive their values from  the output of previous step or steps or a constant. Workflow variables can feed a value to the input parameters of subsequent step or steps. Workflow variables can also be declared as part of the data mapping process. All workflow inputs are also accessible in the scripts.

To read data in groovy script:

           def  var_value = execution.getVariable(“variable_name”)

To make the data that groovy script processes available in subsequent workflow steps:

           execution.setVariable(“variable_name”, some_value) \

Delay Timer Task

The workflow designer can set the timer to provide a delay between two steps. The timer can be set in minutes.