Process Starter Guide


A Guide for Process Starter

This guide is intended for the user with the process starter role. The information given in this guide includes process starts as well as templates.


Start a new process instance

A new process instance can directly be started in the system or via a web form. To start a process outside of the system is particularly useful if not all participants have access to the system. The following describes the start of new process instances within the system. If there are web forms available for specific processes, please ask the contact person.

To start a new process instance in the system, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the menu item 'Start processes'. All available process definitions are displayed in the content area.

    If a process definition is not available in this list, the specific user does not have the right to start an instance for the given process definition. Please ask the contact person.
    Alternatively, a new process instance can be started based on an existing one. Therefore, select an existing process instance from the process instance list in the menu item 'My process instances'. Open the tab 'Properties' and click on the button 'Use as template'. In this context, please forward it with step 3.

  2. Click on the corresponding process name for starting a new instance.

  3. The view is divided into two areas. On the left side, the currently selected process definition is highlighted in grey. The Smartform tab opens automatically. Fill in all relevant data or select a template from the Template tab for prefilling. An instance can be started by clicking on the button 'Start process' in the tab 'Properties' or 'Smartform'.

     

  4. Optional, the process instance can be enriched with individual properties. Therefore switch to the tab properties, where a user-defined name for the instance and description can be inserted. Process relevant documents can be managed in the corresponding tab (see section 'Documents' for more information).
    An instance can be started by clicking on the button 'Start process' in the tab 'Properties' or 'Smartform'.

     

  5. After the successful start of a new process instance, the user is automatically redirected into the view 'Started process instances'.


Manage process instance templates

For process instances with recurring content, users can create templates with pre-filled data. The templates are user-related and can only be seen and used by the user who created the template.

There are two different ways to create a template. On the one hand at the start of a process instance and on the other hand from existing process instances. Both procedures are explained below. 

Create a template at process instance start

To create a template for a process instance, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the option 'Start processes'. All available process definitions are displayed in the content area.

    If a process definition is not available in this list, the specific user does not have the right to start an instance for the given process definition. Please ask the contact person.

  2. Select the corresponding process instance name for creating a new template.

  3. The view is divided into two areas. On the left side, the currently selected process definition is highlighted in grey. The Smartform tab opens automatically. Fill in all relevant data or use a template from the Template tab for prefilling. 

     

  4. Optional, in the tab Properties, the template name, which is also the user-defined name for the instance can be set. Additional a description can be inserted here. Process relevant documents can also be attached in the corresponding tab (see section Documents for more information). After prefilling all relevant data, create a new process instance template by clicking on the button 'Create template'.

     

  5. The template is now available in the Template tab. 

Create a template from an existing process instance

To create a template for a process instance from an existing one, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the option 'My process instances'.

  2. Select an already existing process instance, open the tab 'Properties' and click on the button 'Use as template'.

     

  3. The area 'Start processes' will be opened and all the template of the corresponding process is available on the right side. As described in chapter 'Create a template at process instance start' the template can be enriched with various data. For creating the template, click on the button 'Create template'.

     

  4. The template is now available in the Template tab. 


Update a template

Templates can only be modified in the Template tab. The Tab is only available if a startable process definition is selected.

To update a template, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the option 'Start processes'.

  2. Select the corresponding process definition.

  3. Open the tab Template. 

  4. Select the template, which should be updated.

     

  5. The Smartform tab is displayed. Enter the required adjustments. 

  6. Save the changes in the template by clicking the button 'Update template'. A short message informs about the successful storage.


Delete a template

If a template is not needed anymore, it can be deleted from the template list in the tab Template. The Tab is only available if a startable process definition is selected.

To delete a template, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the option 'Start processes'.

  2. Select the corresponding process definition.

  3. Open the tab Template. 

  4. Select the template, which should be deleted.

  5. Click on the button 'Delete'.

     

  6. For deleting, please confirm the dialog via the checkmark.

 


View my started process instances

Here, all process instances that have been initiated by the current user can be viewed. 

To open the list of all process instances started by the current user, do the following:

  1. Click on the button 'Automate' in the Side-menu and select the option 'My process instances'.

  2. Click on the menu item 'Started process instances'.  All started process instances that have been started by the current user are listed. The process instances appear in the list descending on their start date. For more information about how to filter and sort process instance, please regard chapter https://tim-doc.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/eng/pages/228492556.