Overview

Items, such as screens, can be dragged from the Workflow Toolbar directly onto the canvas to create new workflow content. Clicking on a toolbar option lists all existing items of that type in the repository, these can then be dragged onto the canvas.

We refer to the items on a workflow as nodes, each node on a workflow represents a part of the application that either exists or is a placeholder for the future. Nodes are representations of the item they are linked to or will be linked to, therefore they can be given different names to the actual items. This gives greater flexibility and clarity when creating a workflow. Clicking on a node on a workflow opens its properties.

Adding a Screen Node

Screens represent user interactions within a workflow.

New

1. Drag the Screen Icon from the Toolbar onto the workflow.
2. A new screen node is created.
3. Double-click the screen icon to start the screen creation wizard. See Designing Screens.
4. Note in the screen's properties, any actions which exit this node will appear in the list under:
   1. Action Tab → Unreachable Actions. Drag this action into a button to link it or onto a screen to create a new button backed by this action.

Existing

1. Click the Screen Toolbar icon and a list of the existing screens will be displayed in the repository pane.
2. Drag the required screen onto the workflow and a node will be created that is linked to the screen.
   1. Note the node does not need to have the same name as the screen, instead, you can label it with the process name. For example, a screen called "Companies", might be labelled "View New Companies".

Adding an Actionflow Node

New

1. Drag the Actionflow Icon from the Toolbar onto the workflow.
2. A new actionflow is created.
   
   1. Note removing the actionflow from the workflow will not delete it from the repository. This has to be undertaken separately.
3. Double-click the icon to open the actionflow. See Wiring Inputs Into an Actionflow.
4. Note this actionflow will be available on any screen it exits, Open the screen's properties → Action Tab → Unreachable Actions. 

Existing

1. There are two options for adding existing actionflows
   1. Click the Actionflow Toolbar icon and a list of existing actionflows will be displayed in the repository pane.
   2. Right-click on a Screen node and select Show Actionflows.
2. Drag the required actionflow onto the workflow and a node will be created.
   1. Note the node does not need to have the same name as the actionflow.

 Adding a Workflow (embedded workflow) Node

New

1. Drag the Workflow Icon from the Toolbar onto the workflow.
2. A new embedded workflow node is created.
3. Double-click the icon to open the workflow.

Existing

1. Click the Workflow Toolbar icon and a list of existing workflows' will be displayed in the repository pane.
2. Drag the required workflow onto the workflow and a node will be created.

 Adding an Analysis Model Node

New

1. Drag the Analysis Model Icon from the Toolbar onto the workflow.
2. A new Analysis Model node is created.
3. Double-click the icon to open the Analysis Model.

Existing

1. Click the Analysis Model Toolbar icon and a list of existing Analysis Models will be displayed in the repository pane.
2. Drag the required Analysis Model onto the workflow and a node will be created.

 Adding an External Task Node

External tasks represent processes in the workflow which occur outside of PhixFlow. 

Adding Descriptions

It is advised to add descriptions to the node to provide information about each node's role in a business process.

1. Click on any node to open its properties.
2. Enter a description that outlines the role of this node in the business process.
3. Click  Save.
4. The description will appear on your workflow when you mouse over a node.

Connecting Nodes 

1. Hover over any node on the workflow and the connector symbol will appear.
2. Click on the symbol and drag the arrow to the node you wish to connect to.
3. This is illustrated below:

Labelling Connectors 

1. Click on a connecting line to open its properties.
2. Enter the required value in the label.
3. Click  Save.
4. The label will appear on your workflow.

Connections Types 

1. Open the connecting line properties.
2. The Type field defines the connection type:
   1. Sequence Flow, represented by a solid line, shows the order activities are performed.
   2. Message Flow, represented by a dashed line, defines the flow of communication between two nodes.
   3. Associations, represented by a dotted line, define relationships between nodes.
3. Select the required Type and click  Save.

Removing Connections

1. Right-click on the connecting line you wish to remove. 
2. Click Remove Connector.