This page is for data modellers, application designers and system administrators. It explains how to create a task and the different types of task. It also explains strategies for tasks that affect tables.

Overview

When working with data, applications and IT systems, there are routine processes that you need to run. A task is a specific job, often linked to a table. You do not run tasks directly. You must add them to a task plan; see Task Plans.

The task properties tab is not available from the repository. It opens from the task plan properties tab.

For information about how tasks and task plans work together, and about types of task, see Using Tasks and Task Plans 

See Also

• Training 14 Creating Tasks and Task Plans

Creating a Task

1. In a task plan properties → Tasks section, click  Create New. 
2. Select one of the task types from the menu; see Types of Task.
3. PhixFlow opens a new task properties tab.
4. Enter a name in Basic Settings → Name.
5. Specify the order in which the task must be run. This is important if a table depends on the data in other tables.
6.  Save.
7. Optionally set other properties and add tables.

Task Properties

For information about the properties toolbar, and about the sections Parent Details, Analysis Models, Description and Audit Summary, see Common Properties.  We recommend you always add a Description that explains the purpose of the item you are creating. 

For a full list of all the PhixFlow property tabs and windows, see Properties, Windows, Menus and Toolbars.

Basic Settings

Tables

This section is available when Task Type is Analysis Task or Table Data Delete Task.

Use this section to specify the tables that the task affects. This section has:

• a toolbar with standard buttons
• a grid that shows the list of tables assigned to the task.

There are different ways to add tables to the list.

• In the section toolbar, click  Show Table. PhixFlow shows all the tables in the repository. Drag a table into the grid.
• From a model, hover your mouse pointer over the table to display the popup toolbar. Click  Drag Object and drag it into the grid.
• From a model, double-click on a table to open its properties. From the table properties, drag the table icon from the top left of the properties tab into the grid.

If you add multiple tables to the task, PhixFlow will process the tables in any order when the task runs. Only use this method you are sure there are no dependencies between the tables.

Additional Sections for Configuration Export Tasks

The following sections are only available when Task Type is Configuration Export Task. 

Items to Export

This section has:

• the Export Full Configuration check box
• a toolbar with standard buttons
• a grid that shows the list of items to export.

All the specified items will be saved into a single zip file. Specify the file name and description in the File Settings section.

User Groups

This section has a toolbar with standard buttons and  User Groups.

The grid contains a list of user groups whose members can either run the task or access the generated files in the download area. To add a user group to the list:

1. Click  User Groups to list all the user groups in the repository.
2. Drag user groups into this list to add them to the task. 

To remove a user group from the role, use the  Delete in the toolbar.

File Settings

Mandatory Tasks

The tasks are run in the order they are listed in the the task plan.

You can specify that a task is Mandatory. If a mandatory task fails, PhixFlow will not run the following task in the task plan. You must resolve the issue preventing the task from running and then restart the task.