Script Task

Add, copy, delete, change the color, align, and configure Script Task elements in your Process model.

Don't Know What a Script Task Element Is?

See Process Modeling Element Descriptions for a description of the Script Task element.

Add a Script Task Element to the Process Model

Add a Script Task element 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.

• Object Bar: Located at the bottom of the Process Modeler canvas, the Object Bar contains pinned Process model objects for quick access.

• Connect Two Process Model Objects with a Sequence Flow Element.

• Reconnect a Sequence Flow Element from One Process Model Object to Another.

• Place a Task-Type Element Between Two Process Model Objects Already Connected with a Sequence Flow Element.

• Move a Process Model Object.

• Customize the Appearance of a Process Model Object.

• Copy Process Model Objects into the Clipboard.

• Clone Process Model Objects Without the Clipboard.

• Delete Process Model Objects.

Replace a Script Task Element with a Different Task Type or Sub Process Element

After a Script Task element is added to a Process model, you may replace it with a different Task type or a Sub Process element:

• Form Task element

• Manual Task element

• Sub Process element

The selected Script Task element is replaced by the default settings and color of the replacing element.

Follow these steps to replace a Script Task element with a different Task type element or a Sub Process element:

1. Select the Script Task element to change to another element. Available options display above the selected element.

2. Click the Elements icon. The Elements drop-down menu displays the Task type elements and the Sub Process element.

   

3. Select the element to replace the Script Task element. The Change Type screen displays to confirm replacing the currently selected element.

   

4. Click Confirm. The new element replaces the Script Task element with its default settings and color.

Preview the Script for the Task

After a Script Task element is added to a Process model and selected the Script to run for the Task, you may preview the associated Script, which allows you to interact with and verify the Script content in the same Process Modeler.

Ensure to select a Script for each Script Task element in your Process model. If a Script is not specified and the Script Task previews, the following placeholder displays:

Follow these steps to preview the associated Script from a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element to preview the associated Script. Available options display above the selected element.

2. Click the Preview icon . A preview window displays on the right-side of the Process Modeler.

   

3. In the Preview window, you can do the following:

   • Click the icon to open the Script Editor to edit the Script.

   • Click the icon to close the preview window.

   • Click another Task or connector element to change the asset in the same preview window.

Settings

The Script Task element has the following panels that contain settings:

• Configuration panel

  • Edit the element name

  • Select the Script to run

  • Configure the Selected Script

• Loop Characteristics panel

  • Specify characteristics to perform multiple instances of the Task

• Documentation panel

  • Edit the element's description displayed in Process documentation

• Error Handling panel

  • Edit timeout and retry settings when errors occur

• Vocabularies panel

  • Assign Vocabularies that validate Request data from this element

• Advanced panel

  • Edit the node's identifier value

Configuration Panel Settings

Edit the Element Name

An element name is a human-readable reference for a process element. Process Modeler automatically assigns the name of a Process element with its element type. However, an element's name can be changed.

Follow these steps to edit the name for a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to edit its name.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. The Name setting displays. This is a required setting.

   

3. In the Name setting, edit the selected element's name and then press Enter.

Select the Script to Run

Since Script Task elements are designed to run a Script, specify which Script a selected Script Task element uses. A Script must already exist before it can be selected for use in a Script Task element.

See the following topics for more information:

• What is a Script?

• Script Editor

Ensure to select a Script for each Script Task element in your Process model. If a Script is not specified and Requests are started for that Process, a placeholder Script displays when that Script Task element triggers.

The placeholder Script allows the Request without causing it to pause indefinitely.

This functionality also allows Process Designers to place the basic Process objects into a Process model and then evaluate it during development.

Follow these steps to select a Script for a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to specify its Script.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Configuration panel if it is not presently expanded, and then locate the Script setting.  

   

4. Do one of the following:

   • From the Script drop-down menu, select which Script that Script Task element references. After a Script is selected, the Open Script link displays.

   • Click the Create a new script link. A new browser window opens to create a new Script.  After creating the Script, the Script drop-down menu automatically populates with the created Script. Otherwise, be sure to select the new Script in the Script drop-down menu.

5. Optionally, click the Open Script link to view and/or edit your Script. Note that your user account must have appropriate Script category permissions or be a Project member in which this Script is an asset.

If no Scripts exist, the Script drop-down menu contains no options. Ensure to select and configure a Script for every Script Task element in the Process model before deploying your Process.

Configure the Selected Script

After selecting the Script for the Script Task element, optionally provide a JSON object that configures variable values for the selected Script. Providing a JSON script from the Script Task is identical to providing JSON configuration script in the Script Config JSON panel in Scripts Editor for a Script.

See the following topics for more information:

• What is a Script?

• Script Editor, including the Reference a Request Variable from a Script Configuration Setting section

• Example Script Executor Use Case, specifically the Import the Process section how a JSON object is used to configure a Script for a Script Task element

If a JSON script exists in the Script Task element, that script is used for the Script. An existing JSON configuration script displays in the Script Configuration option for a selected Script Task element.

The JSON script in the Script Task element overrides any JSON script entered in the Script Config JSON panel in Scripts Editor for the associated Script.

Follow these steps to enter or edit a JSON configuration script for a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to specify its Script.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Configuration panel if it is not presently expanded, and then locate the Script Configuration option.  

   

4. Select the Script this Script Task element runs.

5. Click the iconbeside the Script Configuration option. The Script Config Editor displays.  

   

6. Enter your JSON configuration script. Use the scroll panel to the right of the Script to scroll to different sections of the Script if necessary. This is useful especially when you are editing a long Script.

7. Click Close or the Close icon.

You can enter your JSON configuration script directly into the Script Configuration option instead of using the Script Config Editor.

Loop Characteristics Panel Setting

‌Specify Characteristics to Perform Multiple Instances of the Task

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.

  • An element configured in this mode shows the Loop icon in Process Modeler.

• 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.

  • An element configured in this mode shows the Multi-instance (Parallel) icon in Process Modeler.

• 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.

  • An element configured in this mode shows the Multi-instance (Sequential) iconin Process Modeler.

‌Follow these steps to specify characteristics to perform multiple instances of the Task:‌

1. Select the element from the Process model in which to specify multiple instance characteristics.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. 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.

   

4. 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:

     1. In the Maximum Iterations setting, enter an integer value representing the maximum number of times this Task should be performed.

     2. 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:

     1. 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.

     2. 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:

     

     Follow these steps:

     1. 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.

     2. In the Exit Condition setting, enter a condition in FEEL syntax. When this condition is True the loop activity is halted.

     3. 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.

Documentation Panel Settings

Edit the Element's Description Displayed in Process Documentation

Describe the element's purpose and how it functions in the Process. This description does not affect Requests for the Process, but may be useful for Process model maintenance such as how the element is configured. Edit information by using the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) rich text editor.

A Process's entered documentation displays by selecting the View Documentation icon for that Process.

Follow these steps to edit the description for an element:

1. Select the element from the Process model in which to edit its description.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Documentation panel if it is not presently expanded. The Description setting displays.

4. In the Description setting, edit the information to display when viewing documentation for this element and then press Enter. Alternatively, use the What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) rich text editor to stylize your text by clicking the More icon.

   

   Follow these guidelines to use the WYSIWYG rich text editor to stylize your text:

   • Undo changes: Click on theicon to undo the last action.

   • Redo changes: Click on theicon to redo the last undone action.

   • Insert/Edit Link: Click on theicon to convert the selected text into a hyperlink. Follow these steps to create a hyperlink:

     1. Select the required text from the Rich Text control.

     2. Click on theicon. The Insert/Edit Link screen displays.  

     3. In the URL setting, enter the destination URL.

     4. In the Text to display setting, edit or enter the text displayed in the Rich Text control.

     5. In the Title setting, enter the text to display when a user hovers over the displayed text.

     6. From Open link in… drop-down menu, select one of these options:

        • New window: Select this option to open the destination page in a new browser window.

        • Current window: Select this option to open the destination page in the current browser window.

   • Insert/Edit Image: Click on the Insert/Edit Image iconto insert an image. Follow these guidelines:

     1. Click on the Insert/Edit Image icon.

     2. The Insert/Edit Image screen displays:  

     3. In the Source setting, enter a URL for the image.

     4. In the Alternative Description setting, enter the text to display if the source URL of the image is not accessible.

     5. In the Width setting, enter the maximum width for the image.

     6. In the Height setting, enter the maximum height for the image.

     7. Toggle the Constrain Proportions iconto maintain the width-height ratio of the image to its original proportion.

     8. Click Save.

   • Insert Page Break for PDF: Click on the Insert Page Break for PDF iconto insert a page break when a PDF document is created for this documentation if your browser supports this feature.

   • Format text: Follow these guidelines to format text:

     • Headings: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Headings and then select a heading size.

     • Bold: Do one of the following:

       • From the editor toolbar, select theicon.

       • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Bold.

     • Italics: Do one of the following:

       • From the editor toolbar, select theicon.

       • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Italic.

     • Underline: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Underline.

     • Strikethrough: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Strikethrough.

     • Superscript: From the Paragraph/ Formats menu, select Inline and then Superscript.

     • Subscript: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Subscript.

     • Code: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Inline and then Code.

     • Paragraph: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Paragraph.

     • Blockquote: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Blockquote.

     • Division: From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Div.

     • Preformatted:  From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Blocks and then Pre.

     • Change text color: Use the Text Color drop-down to change text color. Click on theicon. The color palette displays. Do one of the following:

       • Select one of the color swatches from the color palette. The selected text changes to that color.

         • Click theicon to select a custom color from the Color Picker.

         • Click theicon to reset the text to its default color.

     • Align text: Follow these guidelines to align text:

       • Left align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to left-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Left.

       • Center align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to center-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Center.

       • Right align: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to right-align text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Right.

       • Justify: Do one of the following:

         • From the editor toolbar, use theicon to justify text.

         • From the Paragraph/Formats menu, select Align and then Justify.

     • Insert a bullet list: Use theicon to format text as a bulleted list.

     • Insert a numbered list:  Use theicon to format text as a numbered list.

     • Indent text: Click on theicon to increase text indenting.

     • Outdent text: Click on theicon to decrease text indenting.

Error Handling Panel Settings

Edit Timeout and Retry Settings When Errors Occur

Follow these guidelines to set how to handle Script Task runtime errors:

• Set how many seconds to wait when an unexpected error occurs during runtime before displaying the error in that Script Task, thereby causing that Request to be in Error status.

• Set how many consecutive attempts to run the Script Task before displaying a runtime error.

Requests are going to wait the configured number of seconds and consecutive runtime attempts for an unresponsive Script Task before displaying the error.

Optionally, notify the Process Manager of the Script Task runtime error via an in-platform or email notification.

Follow these steps to edit the Error Handling settings:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to edit the Error Handling.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Error Handling panel if it is not presently expanded. The Timeout setting displays.

4. In the Timeout setting, configure how many seconds to wait for an unresponsive Script Task before declaring a time-out as follows:

   • Enter the number of seconds. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease seconds.

   • Set 0 for no timeout.

   • Leave empty to use the Script Task default setting.

5. In the Retry Attempts setting, configure how many times to re-run the Script Task if the Script Task returns a runtime error as follows:

   • Enter a number. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease the number.

   • Set 0 for no retry attempts.

   • Leave empty to use the Script Task default setting.

6. In the Retry Wait Time setting, configure how many seconds to wait before attempting a retry as follows:

   • Enter the number of seconds. Use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease seconds.

   • Set 0 for no timeout.

   • Leave empty to use the Script Task default setting.

7. Enable the In-app Notification toggle to notify through the user interface to the Process Manager that there is a Script Task runtime error.

8. Enable the Email Notification toggle to notify through an email to the Process Manager that there is a Script Task runtime error.

Vocabularies Panel Settings

Assign Vocabularies That Validate Request Data from This Element

Assign Vocabularies that validate that Request data complies with a specific JSON schema. This is often mandatory for many types of business sectors including banking and healthcare. Ensure the quality and compliance of Request data. For example, during a Loan Application process, ensure that personal information has been included in the Request to that moment in that in-progress Request.

Use a Vocabulary on a Script Task element to validate that Request data complies with the Vocabulary's JSON schema after the Script Task runs its Script but prior to when the Request continues workflow. See What is a Vocabulary? for more information.

Each moment ProcessMaker evaluates workflow routing for an in-progress Request, ProcessMaker Platform also evaluates the Request data's conformity to the Vocabularies applied to the Process and/or a specific BPMN 2.0 element in the Process model. The Request's JSON data model must conform to the Vocabulary's JSON schema.

During an in-progress Request, if ProcessMaker Platform evaluates that the Request data no longer complies with all Vocabularies to that moment, the Request status changes from In Progress to Error. The error displays in the Request summary. Vocabularies are cumulative in an in-progress Request: as the Request progresses, if Request data does not conform with any Vocabulary's JSON schema to that moment in the Request, the Request errors.

If no Vocabularies are assigned, ProcessMaker Platform does not validate that Request data complies with a specific JSON schema prior to continuing workflow for that Request.

One or more Vocabularies must be created before assigning a Vocabulary. See Create a New Vocabulary. Multiple Vocabularies can be assigned to a Script Task element.

Follow these steps to assign Vocabularies that validate Request data from a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to assign Vocabularies that validate Request data prior to when this element completes.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Vocabularies panel if it is not presently expanded. The Assigned setting displays.

4. Click theicon to add a Vocabulary. The Assign Vocabulary setting displays.

5. From the Select Vocabulary drop-down menu, select a Vocabulary from which to validate Request data complies with its JSON schema.

   If no Vocabularies are configured, then the following message displays: List is empty. Create at least one Vocabulary. See Create a New Vocabulary.

6. Click Save.

7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6 as necessary for each Vocabulary required to validate Request data complies with its JSON schema.

Click the Remove iconfrom the Vocabularies setting to remove a Vocabulary from assignment to this element.

After one or more Vocabularies are assigned to a Script Task element, the Vocabulary icon displays in that element.

Script Task element with an assigned Vocabulary

Advanced Panel Settings

Edit the Node's Identifier Value

Process Modeler automatically assigns a unique value to each Process node added to a Process model. However, a node's identifier value can be changed if it is unique to all other nodes in the Process model, including the Process model's identifier value.

All identifier values for all nodes in the Process model must be unique.

Follow these steps to edit the identifier value for a Script Task element:

1. Select the Script Task element from the Process model in which to edit its identifier value.

2. Ensure that the Configuration panel displays. If not, show it. Panels to configure this element display.

3. Expand the Advanced panel if it is not presently expanded. The Node Identifier setting displays. This is a required setting.  

   

4. In the Node Identifier setting, edit the Script Task element's identifier to a unique value from all nodes in the Process model and then press Enter.