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How to Create a Workflow

Key Concepts

  • Workflows consist of steps linked by gateways.
  • Each workflow must have exactly one Start Event.
  • Each step can only be executed once per instance.
  • Fork Gateways create multiple execution paths.
  • Workflows are structured in adherence to the BPMN standard and are mainly comprised of Tasks and Branching logic.
  • There are no notes or comments boxes in Versaa's workflow designer — self-documenting behaviour is not possible within the tool. Use version comments and external documentation instead.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open the Versaa Workflow Designer in Management Studio.
  2. Select Create New Workflow.
  3. Drag and drop a Start Event node onto the canvas.
  4. Add Step nodes — each represents an action in the workflow.
  5. Connect: Start Event → first Step → subsequent Steps using sequence flow arrows.
  6. Add Fork Gateways if needed for branching paths.
  7. For each Step node, configure parameters:
  8. Constant
  9. Variable
  10. XPath
  11. JSONPath
  12. Versaa Task Path
  13. Complex
  14. Add an End Event node. Connect the last Step to it.
  15. Review — all nodes connected, no backward connections, flow runs Start → End.
  16. Save the workflow.
  17. Test by triggering a form submission and checking Search Instances.

Workflow Triggers and Message Events

A PCA form fires [FormName].PCACompletion on completion. This typically triggers two workflows: 1. A form-specific workflow (configured by you) 2. The Generic Task Completion Workflow (handles document generation and email — fires for all PCA forms via the wildcard *.PCACompletion)

To look up which workflows are triggered by which messages, see sql/cheat-sheet.md.

Multiple Message Event Triggers

A workflow can have multiple Message Event Triggers (MessageStart nodes), each acting as an independent listener: - One trigger for invocation by other workflows - One for a specific form completion event - One for a specific button press on a form

All MessageStart nodes on a workflow route into the same step chain — the workflow behaves identically regardless of which trigger fires it.

Workflow Variables

A workflow variable is a named text value stored in the Management Studio repository, reusable across multiple workflows.

  • Variables save you repeating the same string (SQL, connection string, config value) in every workflow that needs it.
  • Reference a variable in a workflow step using the $VariableName$ syntax.
  • Always use a workflow variable for anything that might change — connection strings, environment-specific values, SQL queries. Nobody thinks their environment variables will change, and then a migration happens.
  • Even variables that seem static should be pointed at a variable if there's any chance they could change in future.
  • Variables are managed under Management Studio → Workflow Variables.

See also: workflows/how-to-edit-a-workflow.md

Quick Tips

  • Always start with one Start Event.
  • Use Fork Gateways for complex workflows with multiple paths.
  • Save regularly.
  • After creating, test immediately — don't leave unchecked workflow instances.