Create a flow rule

Create a new flow rule just as you create business process maps, except that, for a business rule you define the inputs and outputs. A business rule can only contain automatic activities.

1. Navigate to Workflow > Business rules.
   The Business rules page appears.
2. Select New > Flow rule.

   A new business rule opens in a new browser tab.

3. Add activities, decisions, and end nodes to the Start node.
4. Configure the properties for the business rule. See Properties of a business rule.
5. Create variables for the business rule and set the variables as rule inputs and outputs.
   1. On the modeling bar of business rule, select Variables and then select New.

      The New variable dialog box is displayed.

   2. Enter a Name for the variable.
      By default, the name of the variable becomes the ID of the variable; however, you can change the ID if needed.
   3. Select the variable Type, such as Date. (Default: String)
   4. To set the variable as input, select Input and provide a value.
      A business rule supports dynamic complex variables as input. These input variables can hold the data from a table field within a document for validation, such as in creating a running total for a column.
   5. To set the variable as output, select Output and provide a value.

      If you select a String variable, you can use error codes within the business rule so that the output can be translated. For this, select Error code or Error code message (Default: Static) for Value. Error message is only populated when the business rule is called from the parent map.

   6. Select Add another to add as many variables as needed without navigating away from the New variable dialog box or select Add and close to add one variable and close the dialog box.

      The Variables page appears.

   7. Similarly, create other variables.
      By default, all the variables are sorted on Name and displayed in ascending order. However, you can sort (ascending or descending) on the following columns: Name, ID, Type, Value, Input, and Output.
   8. To view the variables of a specific type, on the Type filter, select the variable type, such as Folder. (Default: All)
      The variables of the selected type are displayed.

      The Type filter only contains the variable types that exist in the list for the current business rule.
6. To set the order in which TotalAgility should process the input and output variables, perform the following steps:
   1. Select the Input/Output order link on the Variables page. The Input/Output variables dialog box is displayed.
   2. Select the Input or Output tab and use  or .
   3. Select OK.
7. Add activities, decision nodes, and an end node.

   A business rule only supports automatic activities (except Export and Transfer); it does not support manual activities.

8. Release the rule.