--- title: "Start a Case" slug: "start-a-case" updated: 2025-01-24T13:49:40Z published: 2025-01-24T13:49:40Z canonical: "docs.processmaker.com/start-a-case" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.processmaker.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Start a Case A [Case](/v1/docs/requests-and-cases) is one occurrence of a Process and can be started in one of the following ways: - From the **Start New Case** section in the [Participant Welcome Screen.](/v1/docs/participant-welcome-screen) - Using the **Start This Process** button from the [Process Launchpad](/v1/docs/start-a-process-from-the-launchpad). - Triggering a [Start Timer Event](/v1/docs/start-timer-event) or [Conditional Start Event](/v1/docs/conditional-start-event) element. - Accessing the process via a [Web Entry link](/v1/docs/start-a-case#start-a-case-using-web-entry). - Using the [ProcessMaker API](/v1/docs/start-a-case#start-a-case-via-the-processmaker-api) to start a case. - Clicking the **+Case** button ![Start a Case](https://cdn.document360.io/2d311614-fcb7-4424-8b4c-d4d3091eebeb/Images/Documentation/Start%20a%20Case.png) in the top-right corner of the platform (described below). . Follow these steps to start a Case from anywhere in ProcessMaker Platform: 1. Ensure that you are [logged on](/v1/docs/participant-basics#log-on-to-processmaker-platform) to ProcessMaker Platform. 2. Click the **+Case** button fbutton ![Start a Case](https://cdn.document360.io/2d311614-fcb7-4424-8b4c-d4d3091eebeb/Images/Documentation/Start%20a%20Case.png) in the top-right corner of the platform. The **New Case** screen will appear, displaying processes for which you are authorized to start a new case. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/2d311614-fcb7-4424-8b4c-d4d3091eebeb/Images/Documentation/c566196f-5782-4546-97be-7ad34933adba.png) The process list is organized into categories within your organization to facilitate easy navigation for users. 3. Do one of the following to start a case: - Click the **Start** button to start a Case for the selected Process. - From the **Search** field, enter text to filter the list of Processes, and then click the **Start** button to start a Case for the selected Process. 4. After the Case starts, that Case displays in the [**My Cases page**](/v1/docs/view-cases-1). > [!NOTE] > The **New Case** screen displays active Processes only. Processes that are either disabled or archived are not shown. If a Process is not visible, ensure the following: > > - The logged on user has start permissions through a [Start Event](/v1/docs/decision-tables#view-all-decision-tables) element in that Process. > - Ensure that the **Status** setting in the [Process configuration](/v1/docs/create-a-process) is set to **Active**. > - Ensure that a [**Process Manager**](/v1/docs/process-management) has been selected in the process configuration. --- ## Start a Case using Web Entry Web Entry provides a seamless and straightforward method to start or participate in processes, catering to both anonymous and authenticated users. This feature allows external users to work on cases through a URL without the need to access the ProcessMaker Platform dashboard. For information on configuring Web Entry for a task, refer to [Web Entry in Start Events](/v1/docs/start-event#web-entry-panel-settings) and [Web Entry in Form Tasks](/v1/docs/form-task#web-entry-panel-settings#web-entry-panel-settings). After Web Entry has been configured, there are two ways to start a process: ### Authenticated Web Entry Follow these steps to start a process using an authenticated Web Entry link: 1. Go to the provided URL. 2. If you are already logged into ProcessMaker, the form for the task will appear. 3. If you are not logged in, the login screen will appear. Enter your credentials to log in and access the form for the task. ### Anonymous Web Entry Follow these steps to start a process using an anonymous Web Entry link: 1. Go to the provided URL. 2. If the URL is not password protected, the form for the task will appear. 3. If the URL is password protected, enter the provided password to access the form. ***Note****: This password may be different from your ProcessMaker Platform password.* > [!NOTE] > Anonymous Web Entry for Logged in users > > If you try to access an anonymous Web Entry link while logged into ProcessMaker, you will see the following message. > > ![Anon web entry for logged in users](https://cdn.document360.io/2d311614-fcb7-4424-8b4c-d4d3091eebeb/Images/Documentation/Anon%20web%20entry%20for%20logged%20in%20users.png) > > Since the Web Entry link only allows anonymous access, click the **Logout from Active Session** button to end your current session and access the task. > > ***Note****: Logging out will completely end your session in ProcessMaker, including any open sessions in other browser tabs.* **Web Entry Examples** - See an [example for password protection in Web Entries](/v1/docs/example-password-protection-in-web-entries). - See an [example for exclude data setting for Web Entry in form tasks](/v1/docs/example-exclude-data-setting-for-web-entry-in-form-tasks). --- ## Start a Case Via the ProcessMaker API The following video demonstrates how to start a Case using the [RESTful API](https://developers.processmaker.com/). [Embedded content](https://cdn.iframe.ly/6XKTR63)