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nameIntro

Action Nodes

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Action nodes are the building blocks of Actionflows and are represented as a circle with an icon

and are the building blocks of Actionflows

. They perform specific tasks, e.g. 

updating data

decision gateways, performing calculations, and API integrations, and are

wired

joined together using connectors.

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Action nodes can be dragged from the toolbar onto the canvas to create a new action, and some can be clicked to see existing objects, e.g. click

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 to list existing screens, which can then drag be dragged from the Repository onto the canvas.

Most action nodes run once per record they receive on their driving from the input connection point. However, some action nodes only trigger once run after receiving the final record or once per flow, e.g.  

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,
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 and
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 nodes.

Usually, action nodes have Image Removed Driving connections, which pass data through to the next action node. Some action nodes have a  Image Removed Lookup connection, which send out a request for data, that is then returned to the action node data. 

Nodes must be connected sequentially starting from the Image Removed Driving interface connection point. Records will then pass through each node and be manipulated accordingly.

For most action nodes, data flow is configured when attributes are mapped to the input connection points. For Insert excerpt_action_gateway_action_gatewaynopaneltrue nodes, the data flow can be controlled by mapping to the output connection points. This is because the expressions in a gateway provide the logic for which path the data flows, and different paths may require different data to pass through the gateway.

Types of Action Node

The following table summarises the purpose of each type of action node, the types of connections available on an action node and how each node runs.

  • Pass-through and Join nodes (only attributes common to all paths leading to the Join can be passed through)
IconDescriptionHow it runsAvailable Connections          Insert excerpt_action_actionflow_action_actionflownopaneltrue

See Actionflow Node

Embeds an Actionflow within the current Actionflow.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_screen_action_screennopaneltrue

See Open Screen Node

Add an action to open a specified screen.

If the specified screen contains a start phase button the node can then be connected to a start phase node. The buttons can be mapped to each output of the node to trigger different pathways depending on what the user clicks. For example, this method is used if the process requires confirmation by the user. A confirmation screen can appear with a message 'Are you sure?' with two options

  • Yes - the Actionflow continues to the yes output.
  • No - the Actionflow stops
Once per flow Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_view_action_viewnopaneltrue

See View Node

Add a node for a data view. The Actionflow uses views for additional data to use when processing records.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_request_connection_request_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_calculate_action_calculatenopaneltrue

See Calculate Node

Add an action to manipulate the data that is passed to the calculate action. In the calculate action, write an expression using one or more of the 115+ functions available in PhixFlow.

Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_gateway_action_gatewaynopaneltrue

See Gateway Node

Add a node to specify decision logic. Gateways control the route that records take as they flow through the Actionflow.

Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_request_connection_request_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_url_action_urlnopaneltrue

See Open URL Node

Add an action to open a specified URL.Once per flow Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_save_action_savenopaneltrue

See Save Node

Add a node to save the specified record(s) to its table.

Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_delete_deletenopaneltrueAdd a node to delete the specified record(s) from its table.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_bulk_delete_action_bulk_deletenopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_analysis_action_analysisnopaneltrue

See Analysis Node

Runs analysis on the specified tables.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_http_action_httpnopaneltrue

See HTTP Node

Performs an HTTP request.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_email_action_emailnopaneltrue

See Email Node

Sends an Email to specified recipients. Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_json_action_jsonnopaneltrue

See JSON Node

Handles JSON data and returns record objects as defined by the configuration. Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_for_each_action_for_eachnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_loop_action_loopnopaneltrue

See Loop Nodes

Facilitates the ability to loop within an actionflow for tasks such as polling or paging through results.Once per record Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_converge_action_convergenopaneltrue Insert excerpt_action_phase_action_phasenamestartnopaneltrue

See Phase Node

Starts the phase specified by the user on the node.

To add a phase node there must be more than one phase in the actionflow.

Once per flow Insert excerpt_driving_connection_driving_connectionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_structured_data_structured_datanopaneltrue Expand
titleUnderstanding New Terms

We have covered numerous new terms in this chapter. Let's recap on the terms we have used and what they mean.

Inbound Connection Point

Outbound Connection Point

Input Parameters

Output Attributes

Input Data

Pass-through Nodes

Join Nodes


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namemapping

Where attributes require processing by an action node, e.g. in an expression, the attributes must be mapped in as Input Parameters. These attributes are then mapped out of the action node as Output Attributes.

Connectors between the action nodes pass through every attribute*, including any not mapped**. 

*attributes not mapped are referred to as pass-through attributes.

**there can be exceptions, e.g. Converge action.

Tip

Once mappings are configured they will reused in all instances of the Actionflow. This is because the action nodes sit within the Actionflow itself and only the data coming into and out of an Actionflow changes for each instance.


For the specifics of mappings and connectors, see 1.08 Mappings and Connectors.

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