I am new to Appian and I'm creating a form interface to save data to the database. I've gone through several of the tutorials and I created an Interface and a Process Model that will save data to the database. However, it only works when I launch it from the Process Model. How do I launch it from the Interface by clicking on the Submit button?
I want to click Submit after filling out the Interface and have it fire up the process model to save to the database.
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In your Process Model, add a Start Form node at the beginning. Configure it to use your interface. Map form outputs to process variables. Add a Write Records node after the form. Users start the process, fill the form, click Submit, and data saves. This is the simplest approach.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhP7w4g3JJk
Start Process from Interface
https://docs.appian.com/suite/help/25.4/Start_Process_Smart_Service.html#astartprocessWays to start process
https://docs.appian.com/suite/help/25.4/Ways_to_Start_a_Process_From_a_Process.html
Thanks for the reply. I watched the Youtube and tried to configure the Process Start Form section of the PM Properties but it still doesn't work. I think I'm still not understanding the process and how it all comes together.
In my Process Model, it's set up like this. <Start Node> - <User Input Task> - <Write Records> - <End Node>. So when I run 'Start Process for Debugging' from within the PM, it will flow through the nodes. It will execute the <User Input Task> node which opens up the form to fill out. Then when the user clicks Submit, it continues to the <Write Records> node which saves the data to the database.
From your comment, "Users start the process, fill the form, click Submit, and data saves", how do users start process? Shouldn't the Interface be itself start the process? Which is what I thought the youTube link teaches us to do. But this doesn't make sense the way it's set up. Won't the PM cause the user to fill out the form again since the first node is <User Input Task>?
Should the PM be revised to be just <Start Node> - <Write Records> - <End Node>? and the <Start Node> gets triggered by the Submit button of the interface? Also, is there any code that needs to be added to the Submit button of the interface so that it triggers the PM to start?
You have User Input Task which creates a task after process starts. This makes users fill form twice.Replace your PM setup:Wrong: <Start> - <User Input Task> - <Write Records> - <End>Right: <Start Form> - <Write Records> - <End>
Steps:Delete the User Input Task nodeIn PM Properties -> Configure Start Form -> Select your interfaceMap form outputs to process variablesUsers click : "Start Process" -> fill form once -> Submit savesNo code needed in Submit button. Start Form handles it automatically.
Add the process model as an action type page to a site. This is one way how your users start that process.
Thanks for the help guys. I did not know that I had to add the process model as an action type page to a site. I was adding the Interface to the site and it wasn't triggering the PM.
Is there a way to add prompts or messages to the process model for debugging? Like after a step, it will show a message box saying "Step 2 complete", or "Step 3 complete".
One workaround is to setup an User interface node assigned to you after each node in your process that can have the message - that way after each node completion you will have a task and process wont submit until you close it. Its not a standard practice though. Can you share why you want a message after each step when using process model monitoring you can see how and when each node executes.