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Create a new PM Block, a reusable Process Modeler object that serves a specific purpose or function, which any Process Designer may place into a Process model with no prior technical skills.
Follow these steps to create a new PM Block:
Create a new Process. PM Blocks cannot be created from Process Templates.
In Process Modeler, design and/or configure the Process model using BPMN elements and connectors to meet your PM Block's functionality.
From the PM Block Name setting, enter a name for the PM Block. This name must be unique from other PM Blocks. This is a required setting.
In the Description setting, enter a description of the PM Block. This description displays below the name of the PM Block from the PM Blocks page. This is a required setting.
From the Icon setting, select a different icon from the default. By default, PM Blocks use the Cube icon. This is a required setting.
From the Author setting, enter the name of the user who created the PM Block. This is a required setting.
From the Version setting, enter the version of the PM Block.
Click Publish. The following message displays: PM Block successfully created. The PM Block displays in the PM Blocks page.
PM Blocks are edited in Process Modeler.
Editing a PM Block involves revising the functional design of Process Modeler objects in that PM Block, including its BPMN elements and/or connectors.
Follow these steps to edit a PM Block:
Edit the PM Block as necessary.
Click the Publish button to publish a new version of this PM Block that includes the revisions.
Understand what PM Blocks are in ProcessMaker Platform.
A PM Block is a reusable Process Modeler object composed of a set of other objects to serve a specific purpose or function. Process Designers may place into a Process a PM Block as its own Process Modeler object and then configure it as its own functional unit. The Process Designer developing a business solution need not have the technical skills to have composed the PM Block, but be able to quickly place it into Process models and other PM Blocks.
PM Blocks have the following attributes:
PM Blocks are pre-built, packaged Processes: PM Blocks are ready-to-use, packaged Processes with their own configuration settings designed by the PM Block author who built the PM Block. PM Blocks are no-code to place in Process Modeler.
PM Blocks are reusable: PM Blocks are reusable by any Process Designer with appropriate permissions, and then configured for each business solution. Configuration settings, such as authentication to a third-party service, are separate from the objects composing the PM Block. This allows PM Blocks be quickly configured and deployed regardless of technical expertise or the involvement of Administrators.
Use PM Blocks in Processes and other PM Blocks: Use a PM Block in a Process or to build other PM Blocks. PM Blocks become modular, manageable components within your business solution design.
Built in Process Modeler: PM Blocks are built from Process Modeler, saved as a Process, and then saved as a PM Block. Process Designers can design complex functionality that other Designers may leverage with no technical skills.
Save a Process as a PM Block: Any user with appropriate permissions may save a Process as a PM Block and/or use a PM Block in a Process model.
Built PM Blocks are accessible from Process Modeler for Process design: Within Process Modeler, PM Blocks are available in a separate tab in the left-side panel, adjacent to the ProcessMaker BPMN elements and connectors. With the appropriate permissions, a Process Modeler may place a PM Block as its own object, and then configure it with the configuration settings built for that PM Block.
Follow these steps to view PM Block Categories:
Log on to ProcessMaker Platform.
Click the Designer option from the top menu. The Designer Welcome Screen displays.
The Categories tab displays the following information in tabular format about PM Block Categories:
Name: The Name column displays the name of the PM Block Category. The PM Block Category named Uncategorized is the default Category.
Status: The Status column displays the status of the PM Block Category. Below is a description of each status:
Active: Active PM Block Categories can have PM Blocks assigned to them. The PM Block Category named Uncategorized is active by default.
Inactive: Inactive PM Block Categories cannot have PM Blocks assigned to them.
PM Blocks: The # PM Blocks column displays how many PM Blocks in your organization have been assigned to that PM Block Category.
Modified: The Modified column displays the date and time the PM Block Category was last modified. The time zone setting to display the time is according to the ProcessMaker Platform instance unless your user profile's Time zone setting is specified.
Created: The Created column displays the date and time the PM Block Category was created. The time zone setting to display the time is according to the ProcessMaker Platform instance unless your user profile's Time zone setting is specified.
Use the Search function to filter all PM Blocks from the PM Blocks page based on your entered text.
Follow these steps to search for a PM Block:
Enter in the Search setting the text to filter Screens using any of the following criteria:
Name: Filter by the PM Block name that displays in the Name column.
Description: Filter by the PM Block description that displays below the name for each PM Block.
Author: Filter by the name of the user who built the PM Block.
Version: Filter by the version of the PM Block.
Version Date: Filter by the version date of the PM Block that displays in the Version Date column.
As you enter text into the Search setting, PM Blocks display that match your entered text.
If there are no search results, the following message displays: No Results.
Understand what PM Block Categories are and how they can help organize your PM Blocks.
Use PM Block Categories to organize your PM Blocks. Organizing your PM Blocks into Categories makes it easier to search for a PM Block based on its assigned Category. Assign multiple PM Block Categories to a PM Block if necessary. For example, assign a PM Block named "Photo Capture and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP)" to the "Banking" and "Human Resources" PM Block Categories.
PM Block Categories can be in active or inactive status. Following is a description of each status:
Active: Active PM Block Categories can have PM Blocks assigned to them.
Inactive: Inactive PM Block Categories cannot have PM Blocks assigned to them.
Follow these steps to view PM Block Categories:
Log on to ProcessMaker Platform.
Click the Designer option from the top menu. The Designer Welcome Screen displays.
Click the Categories tab. The PM Blocks Categories display.
The Categories tab displays the following information in tabular format about PM Block Categories:
Name: The Name column displays the name of the PM Block Category. The PM Block Category named Uncategorized is the default Category.
Status: The Status column displays the status of the PM Block Category. Below is a description of each status:
Active: Active PM Block Categories can have PM Blocks assigned to them. The PM Block Category named Uncategorized is active by default.
Inactive: Inactive PM Block Categories cannot have PM Blocks assigned to them.
PM Blocks: The # PM Blocks column displays how many PM Blocks in your organization have been assigned to that PM Block Category.
Modified: The Modified column displays the date and time the PM Block Category was last modified. The time zone setting to display the time is according to the ProcessMaker Platform instance unless your user profile's Time zone setting is specified.
Created: The Created column displays the date and time the PM Block Category was created. The time zone setting to display the time is according to the ProcessMaker Platform instance unless your user profile's Time zone setting is specified.
If no PM Block Categories exist, the following message displays: No Results.
Use the Search setting to filter PM Block Categories by their names.
​Control how tabular information displays, including how to sort columns or how many items display per page.
Enter in the Search setting the text to filter PM Block Categories by name.
As you enter text into the Search setting, PM Block Categories display that match your entered text.
As you enter text into the Search setting, PM Block Categories display that match your entered text.
Click the +Category button. The Create Category screen displays.
In the Category Name setting, enter the name of the new PM Block Category. The PM Block Category name must be unique from all other PM Block Category names in your organization and can only use apostrophe characters ('
) and spaces. This is a required setting.
From the Status drop-down menu, select one of the following options for the PM Block Category's status:
Active: Active PM Block Categories can have PM Blocks assigned to them.
Inactive: Inactive PM Block Categories cannot have PM Blocks assigned to them.
The Active option is selected by default. This is a required setting.
Click Save.
Edit the following information about the PM Block Category as necessary:
In the Category Name setting, edit the name of the PM Block Category if necessary. The PM Block Category name must be unique from all other PM Block Category names in your organization. This is a required setting.
From the Status drop-down menu, change the status of the PM Block Category, if necessary, from the following options:
Active: Active PM Block Categories can have PM Blocks assigned to them.
Inactive: Inactive PM Block Categories cannot have PM Blocks assigned to them.
This is a required setting.
Click Save.
Deleting a PM Block Category cannot be undone.
Click Confirm. The following message displays: The category was deleted.
Build the configuration settings that Process Designers use to implement how each instance of a PM Block functions.
Configuring a PM Block involves building the configuration settings that Process Designers use to implement how each instance of that PM Block functions. The configuration settings are built in Process Modeler are separate from the PM Block's functional design.
Configuring a PM Block involves the following:
Follow these steps to configure general settings for a PM Block:
Edit the following information about the PM Block as necessary:
In the Name setting, edit the name for the PM Block. This name must be unique from other PM Blocks. This is a required setting.
In the Description setting, edit the description of the PM Block. This description displays below the name of the PM Block from the PM Blocks page. This is a required setting.
From the Icon setting, select a different icon from the default. By default, PM Blocks use the Cube icon. This is a required setting.
From the Author setting, edit the name of the user who created the PM Block. This is a required setting.
From the Version setting, enter the version of the PM Block. This is a required setting.
From the Status drop-down menu, select the status for this PM Block:
Active: Select the Active status to make this PM Block available for Process Designers to use in their Process models. This PM Block becomes available from the PM Blocks tab in Process Modeler's left-side panel.
Inactive: Select the Inactive status to make this PM Block unavailable for Process Designers to use in their Process models. The Inactive status does not affect Processes that already implement this PM Block.
Do one of the following:
Click Save.
As part of configuring a PM Block, build its settings. Process Designers will enter values into these settings when configuring each instance of this PM Block in their Process models designed in Process Modeler. These PM Block settings display in Process Modeler's Configuration panel.
PM Block configuration settings may be composed of any of the following control types:
These control types are designed similarly to those in Screen Builder. Validation rules can apply to each of these control types to verify that the entered value for a PM Block configuration is valid to use.
As a Process Designer using a PM Block in your Process, follow these guidelines to reference the setting value of a PM Block during Requests of your Process:
Locate the PM Block setting in the Configuration panel from which to get its value during Requests.
Note its Variable Name setting value.
From a Script called from a Script Task element, reference that setting's value by using the _parent
JSON key within mustache syntax, where VariableName
is the name of the PM Block setting to get its value:
{{ _parent.config.VariableName }}
The _parent
JSON key references Request data outside of that PM Block.
Follow these steps to build the Configuration panel settings for a PM Block:
Click the Labels tab. The Panel Configuration page displays.
The left pane displays control types from which to drag onto the canvas on the right side of that pane.
Place into the canvas the controls with which to configure your PM Block. Use the controls similarly to Screen Builder by dragging and placing a control into the order to display the settings in the Configuration panel within Process Modeler. Provide helper text for each control to instruct the Process Designer how to configure each setting in your PM Block for use in a Process model. See the settings for the following control types:
Do one of the following:
Click Save.
As part of configuring a PM Block, specify custom settings for this PM Block that store both globally available data that may contain personal or authentication information. These variables, called Block Environment Variables, are similar to Environment Variables but may only be used for that PM Block. For every instance that this PM Block triggers during a Request, these Block Environment Variables generate and become part of that Request's data.
See the following sections:
As a Process Designer using a PM Block in your Process, use a Script called from a Script Task element to get the value from a Block Environment Variable. Similar to other Environment Variables, a Block Environment Variable's value may only be acquired from a Script because these variables often contain personal or authentication information that cannot be viewed.
See Environment Variable and Magic Variable Syntax, Usage, SDK, and Script Examples for examples how to call Environment Variables using supported programming languages.
Follow these steps to specify Block Environment Variables for a PM Block:
Click the Environment Variables tab. The Block Environment Variables page displays.
The PM Block Global Settings page displays all global settings configured for this PM Block in tabular format:
Setting: The Setting column displays the Block Environment Variable name that is the custom setting.
Configuration: The Configuration column displays how the Block Environment Variable is configured.
Do one of the following:
Follow these steps to specify a Block Environment Variable for a PM Block:
Click the Edit Fields button, and then click the Add Field button. The Add Field screen displays.
In the Field Label setting, enter the label that displays for this Block Environment Variable. The Field Label setting displays in the Setting column. This is a required setting.
In the Helper Text setting, enter text that provides information about this setting. The Helper Text setting displays below the Field Label value in the Settings column. This is a required setting.
From the Select if this value holds sensitive data checkbox, select to mask the data for this Block Environment Variable to prevent it from being displayed or copied. Use this setting when this Block Environment Variable may contain personal information, authentication information, or other data to keep private.
Click Add. The new Block Environment Variable displays in the Block Environment Variables page.
The PM Block has the following naming structure: PMB_EnvironmentVariableName_PMBlockName_uniqueID, where
PMB: "PMB" is an acronym for PM Block.
EnvironmentVariableName: This is the name of the Block Environment Variable.
PMBlockName: This is the name of the PM Block.
UniqueID: This is a unique ID automatically assigned to the Block Environment Variable.
Furthermore, the Block Environment Variable also displays in the Environment Variables page.
Click the Done button from the Block Environment Variables page when all Block Environment Variables are configured properly.
Do one of the following:
Click Save.
Add PM Blocks to your Process model that provide pre-built, focused functionality, including but not limited to connecting to custom third-party services.
Add a PM Block from one of the following locations in Process Modeler:
Object Panel: Located to the left of the Process Modeler canvas, the Object Panel contains various process model objects.
The PM Block has the following panels that contain settings:
Configuration panel
Loop Characteristics panel
Follow these steps to edit a PM Block's name:
Select the PM Block from the Process model in which to configure its settings.
In the Name setting, edit the selected PM Block's name and then press Enter.
Use the Loop Characteristics panel settings to specify how to perform multiple instances of this element. The following loop modes are available for this element:
No Loop Mode: Select the No Loop Mode option to perform this element's Task only once.
Loop: Select the Loop option to sequentially repeat this element's Task multiple times until an exit condition is True
. This is useful when a Task should be performed multiple times with the same set of data, such as, processing a credit card payment. This loop mode has the following characteristics:
The element's Task is repeated until the exit condition is True
or the maximum iterations limit is reached.
At any given time, only one instance of the Task is active. The subsequent instance does not begin until the current instance completes.
The same exit condition evaluates at the end of each instance; however, value(s) of the Request variable(s) used in the exit condition can change during an instance resulting in the exit condition to eventually evaluate as True
.
If any one instance of that Task does not complete, workflow pauses.
All active instances are terminated if an interrupting boundary-type event element triggers.
Multi-instance (Parallel): Select the Multi-instance (Parallel) option to perform this element's Task multiple times in parallel a fixed number of times. This is useful when performing any action in bulk, such as sending an email to several people. This loop mode has the following characteristics:
Instances of the Task are governed by the size of an array-type Request variable where a new instance is created for each item in this variable. For example, an array with 10 items will create 10 parallel instances of this Task that each contains data from its respective array index.
All instances begin simultaneously when this element triggers; however, they perform their Task independently of each other.
The Task as a whole completes when all instances are complete.
The output from each instance can either be saved in the source Request variable or a new array-type Request variable.
All active instances terminate if an interrupting boundary-type event element triggers.
Multi-instance (Sequential): Select the Multi-instance (Sequential) option to perform this element's Task multiple times sequentially a fixed number of times or until an exit condition is True
. This is useful when sequentially repeating a Task multiple times but with a different set of data each time. This loop mode has the following characteristics:
Instances of the Task are governed by the size an array-type Request variable where a new instance is created for each item in this variable. For example, an array with 10 items will create 10 parallel instances of this Task that each contains data from its respect array index.
At any given time, only one instance of the Task is active. The subsequent instance does not begin until the current instance completes.
At the end of each instance an exit condition evaluates and the loop activity halts if the exit condition is True
.
The Task as a whole completes when all instances are complete.
The output from each instance can either be saved in the source Request variable or a new array-type Request variable.
All active instances terminate if an interrupting boundary-type event element triggers.
‌Follow these steps to specify characteristics to perform multiple instances of the Task:‌
Select the element from the Process model in which to specify multiple instance characteristics.
Expand the Loop Characteristics panel. The Loop Characteristics setting displays. By default, Loop Activity is set to No Loop Mode and the Task is performed only once.
From the Loop Mode setting, select one of the following options to perform this element's Task more than once.
Loop: Select the Loop option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Follow these steps:
In the Maximum Iterations setting, enter an integer value representing the maximum number of times this Task should be performed.
In the Exit Condition setting, enter a condition in FEEL syntax. When this condition is True the loop activity is halted.
Multi-instance (Parallel): Select the Multi-instance (Parallel) option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Follow these steps:
In the Request Variable Array setting, enter the name of an array-type Request Variable. The size of this array will determine how many times this loop iterates.
In the Output Data Variable setting, enter the name of an array-type Request variable in which to store the results of all instances. Each instance of the loop saves to a separate JSON object within the array of the specified Request variable. If the Output Data Variable setting is not configured, then the output data replaces the source data in the Request Variable Array.
Multi-instance (Sequential): Select the Multi-instance (Sequential) option. The settings for this loop mode display:
Each JSON object contains a key name that references the JSON object, and the value for that key. If the JSON object already exists in a Request's JSON data model, then the PM Block overwrites the existing JSON object value with that from the data source. If the JSON object(s) to map the data source data does not exist, then the PM Block adds the JSON data object(s) to that Request's JSON data model.
Follow these steps to specify the Request JSON data object(s) to which to map the data source's data:
Select the PM Block from the Process model to map the data source's data to the Request JSON object(s).
In the Set to Request Variable setting, enter the Request variable as configured in the PM Block's response mapping in which to store the data source's response. Optionally, specify the source name as a Request variable using mustache syntax. After doing so, the Source setting displays the source's name configured for that response mapping.
Click Save.
Repeat Steps 4 through 6 for each Request variable to store the data source's response.
Click the menu, and then select the Save As PM Block option. The Publish PM Block screen displays.
Click the menu, and then select the Edit PM Block option for the PM Block to edit. The PM Block opens in Process Modeler.
Click the PM Blocks icon from the left sidebar. The PM Blocks tab displays all PM Blocks in the PM Blocks page.
Click the PM Blocks icon from the left sidebar. The PM Blocks tab displays all PM Blocks in the PM Blocks page.
Click the menu, and then select the Edit Category option for the PM Block Category to edit. The Edit Category page displays.
Click the menu, and then select the Delete Category option for the PM Block Category to delete. A message displays to confirm deletion of the PM Block Category.
Click the menu, and then select the Configure PM Block option for the PM Block to configure. The Configuration tab displays.
Click the menu, and then select the Configure PM Block option for the PM Block to configure. The Configuration tab displays.
Click the menu, and then select the Configure PM Block option for the PM Block to configure. The Configuration tab displays.
Optionally, click the menu, and then select the Edit Field option for the Block Environment variable to edit. The Edit Field screen displays. Edit the Block Environment Variable settings as needed, and then click Update.
Object Bar: Located at the bottom of the Process Modeler canvas, the Object Bar contains Process model objects, which are easy accessible.
Ensure that at least one PM and is not archived. Archived PM Blocks cannot be added to a Process model.
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Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, . The Name setting displays. This is a required setting.
An element configured in this mode shows the Loop icon in Process Modeler.
An element configured in this mode shows the Multi-instance (Parallel) icon in Process Modeler.
An element configured in this mode shows the Multi-instance (Sequential) iconin Process Modeler.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, . Panels to configure this element display.
Configure how data from the PM Block integrates with .
The procedure to integrate the data source's data to the Request JSON data model is called response mapping: specifying into which Request variable to store the data source's data. The PM Block may be configured with response mapping, whereby a specified source name in the body or header of the data source response's is mapped to store that value in a specified Request variable. By relying on the PM Block's response mapping, the Process Designer only needs to select the name as mapped in the PM Block's response without knowing technical details for this mapping.
Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, . Panels to configure this element display.
Expand the Response Mapping panel if it is not presently expanded. The Response Mapping setting displays.
Click theicon to add a JSON object to which to map data from the data source. The Source and Set to Request Variable settings display to add the JSON source name and its variable, respectively, for the JSON object.
In the Source setting, enter the name of the source from which to store the response. If the source is from , such as from a , the source name is data
. data
is the name of the JSON object that stores all data for each Request. However, the Source setting corresponds with how the PM Block maps the data response: by selecting a mapped Request variable from the Set to Request Variable setting below, its corresponding source name displays in the Source setting. Optionally, specify the source name as a Request variable using .
Click the Delete iconto delete a mapped response from the Response Mapping setting.
Import a PM Block that has previously been exported.
Follow these steps to import a PM Block:
Click the Import button. The Import PM Block page displays.
Click the Select file from computer link to locate the PM Block to import. PM Blocks have the .json
file extension. ProcessMaker Platform evaluates the file to import. If the PM Block was not exported from a ProcessMaker Platform Summer 2023 version or later instance, that PM Block may not be imported completely.
The Import PM Block screen displays. Only the Basic import option is available for PM Blocks and all assets within the PM Block will be imported.
Click the Import button to complete the import procedure. The PM Block appears in the PM Blocks tab.
If the PM Block was exported with the Lock PM Block toggle key enabled, then the PM Block may not be edited and/or configured. That PM Block may only be used in Processes or other PM Blocks.
The exported PM Block has the .json
file extension.
Follow these steps to export a PM Block:
Edit the existing configuration settings for the PM Block prior to exporting as necessary:
In the Author setting, edit the name of the user who created the PM Block.
In the Version setting, edit the version of the PM Block.
Click Export. The following message displays when the PM Block exports successfully: The PM Block Photo Capture and Intelligent Document Processing was exported.
Archive a PM Block that is no longer needed in your organization.
An archived PM Block has the following attributes:
Archived PM Blocks are not available from the PM Blocks panel in Process Modeler. Archived PM Blocks cannot be added to future Process models.
A PM Block currently used by Processes can be archived. Current and future Requests for Processes using PM Blocks are not affected if those PM Blocks are archived.
Do not confuse archived PM Blocks with inactive ones. The Inactive status for a PM Block also indicates that new Requests of the Process can not be started. However, Process Designers can edit the Process as needed. Archived PM Blocks cannot be edited until they are restored.
Follow these steps to view archived PM Blocks:
Click the Archived PM Blocks tab. The Archived PM Blocks page displays all archived PM Blocks in your organization.
The Archived PM Blocks page displays the following information in tabular format about archived PM Blocks:
Name: The Name column displays the PM Block name.
Category: The Category column displays to which PM Block Category the PM Block is assigned.
Author: The Author column displays which user built the PM Block.
Version: The Version column displays the version of the PM Block as specified by the PM Block author.
Version Date: The Version Date column displays the date and time the PM Block was last modified. The time zone setting to display the time is according to the ProcessMaker Platform instance unless your user profile's Time zone setting is specified.
Follow these steps to archive a PM Block:
Follow these steps to restore a PM Block:
Click the menu, and then select the Edit PM Block option for the PM Block to export. The Export PM Block page displays.
Click the menu, and then select the Archive PM Block option for the PM Block to archive. The Caution screen displays to confirm archiving the PM Block.