Configuring Service Actions

Service Actions define how Alloy Navigator services (Mail Connector, Alloy Discovery Connector, Active Directory Import, and Self Service Portal) create or update Alloy Navigator objects. You configure Service Actions for a particular in the Workflow and Business Logic > [Module] > [Object Class] > Workflow > Actions > Service Actions section.

NOTE: Actions for Self Service Portal (SSP) that you configure here are duplicated in the Self Service Portal > Workflow section. For details, see Specifying workflow for the Self Service Portal. Unlike other Service Actions, SSP Actions have the Form tab where you can configure how the Action requires user input.

To configure a Service Action:

1. In the list of Service Actions for an object class, click New and then select the class of Service Action to create:

• Create Action for [Service Name] - if your Service Action is for creating new objects

• Update Action for [Service Name] - if your Service Action is for updating existing objects

The [Create Action / Update Action] for [Service Name] [ID] window opens.

If you want to base the new Action on an existing one, select the source Action and click Copy Item.

2. On the General tab, specify the general properties of the Service Action:

   • Object Class (read-only) - the object class for which the Service Action is created.

   • ID (read-only) - the identification number of the Service Action that uniquely identifies it from other workflow items.

   • Name - the Service Action name.

   • For SSP Action:

     Caption - The caption that represents the Action in the Self Service Portal. By default, the caption is initialized with the value entered in the Name field.

     NOTE: Caption for a "Create Action for SSP" is displayed in the Self Service Portal within the New Incident section on the Home Page and the New Incident menu on the Incidents page. Caption for an "Update Action for SSP" is displayed on the button that opens Incidents for updating.

     NOTE: The Self Service Portal supports only a single Service Action for updating Incidents. For details, see Specifying Incident Workflow for the Self Service Portal.

   • Description - the description of the Service Action.

   • Enabled - enables the Service Action.

3. On the Condition tab, control the availability of the Action
   (available for certain Actions for SSP):

   • If you want to make the Action available only when the SSP user satisfies a certain condition, click the Condition tab and create the criteria. If the criteria are met, the Action will be available; if the criteria are not met, the Action will not be available.

   • Edit - opens the Criteria window, where you build the criteria.

4. On the Template tab, specify a Template for assigning initial values to object fields
   (available for Create Actions):

   You can select an existing Template from the list or create a custom Template for only this Action.

   • Template - the name of the Template to use or customize.

     NOTE: You manage Templates for the particular object class in the Workflow and Business Logic > [Module] > [Object Class] > Workflow > Components > Templates section. For details, see Configuring Templates.

   • Under Template Definition, view the definition of the selected Template or modify the Custom Template:

   • New - adds a new row where you can select the name of the field and enter its initial value.

   • Edit - allows you to modify the selected template field.

   • Delete - deletes the selected row.

   • Make Custom - click this button if you want to customize the selected Template.

   • Make Reusable - click this button if you want to save a named copy of the Custom Template for using it in other Actions.

5. On the Field Mapping tab, specify how source data attributes correspond to fields of Alloy Navigator objects (available for Actions for Active Directory Import, Alloy Discovery Connector, and Mail Connector):

   Each Service Action has the default mapping for the service you are creating the Action for. The default mapping is usually sufficient, but you can modify or delete the default mapping rules, create new rules, and restore the default mapping.

   • New - opens the Field Mapping window where you define the mapping rule.

   • Delete - deletes the selected mapping rule.

   • Default - restores the default mapping for this Service Action.

6. On the Form tab, define the Form that will require user input when creating or updating objects in the SSP (available for Actions for SSP):

   You can use one of existing Forms created for the object class or customize an existing Form for the Action.

   • Form - the name of the Form to use or customize.

     NOTE: You manage Action Forms for the particular object class in the Workflow and Business Logic > [Module] > [Object Class] > Workflow > Components > Forms section. For details, see Configuring Forms.

   • Under Form Definition, view the definition of the selected Action Form or modify the Custom Form:

   • Caption - the title of the dialog box or wizard displayed to the user.

   • Instruction - the introductory text displayed to the user.

   • Window Style - defines how the Custom Form appears to the user: as a pop-up dialog box or as a wizard. For details, see Window style: dialog box or wizard.

   • New > ... - opens a window where you configure a new form element: Form Field, Text,Attachment Area, or Section.

   • Edit - allows you to modify the selected element on the Custom Form.

   • Delete - deletes the selected element from the Custom Form.

   • Move Up / Move Down - moves the selected element up or down on the Custom Form.

   • Validation - opens the Validation Rules window , where you can specify the validation criteria for the Custom Form. For details, see Form validation.

   • Make Custom - click this button if you want to customize the selected Form.

   • Make Reusable - click this button if you want to save a named copy of the Custom Form for using it in other Actions.

7. On the Programming tab, specify the operations to be executed when this Service Action runs:

   Under Operations, configure the list of operations, or select an existing, previously created Function.

   • New - adds a new operation or a conditional block:

   • Update Field

   TIP: If you want Alloy Navigator to add a record to the Activity Log when the Action is completed, configure Update Field operations for Activity fields. For details, see Updating Activity fields.

   • E-mail Notification

   • Push Notification

   • Execute Function

   • Create Object

   • Act on Related Object

   • Relate To

   • External Command

   • Message Box

   • Execute SQL

   • Add Attachments

   • Abort

   • "IF" Group - inserts an IF...ELSE IF...ELSE...END IF construct. For details, see Building conditional statements.

   • "ELSE IF" Group - inserts an ELSE IF statement into IF...ELSE IF...ELSE...END IF construct. For details, see Building conditional statements.

   • "ELSE" Group - inserts an ELSE statement into an IF...ELSE IF...ELSE...END IF construct. For details, see Building conditional statements.

   NOTE: If the Action Form contains virtual fields, placeholders for their values are available in the Select Placeholder window (in the Form Fields category) when you configure operations.

   TIP: If you want to see in details a User Macro or a Workflow Parameter referenced by the placeholder, right-click the selected placeholder and choose Placeholder Definition. It opens the Macro window (Workflow Parameter window). If necessary, update details and click OK. The placeholder would be updated with new values.

   NOTE:Operations are executed in the order they appear in the list, with some exceptions:
   1. If the list of operations includes E-mail Notification operations or Functions containing E-mail Notification operations, the placeholders in those E-mail Notifications will be replaced with the values that are actual after the whole Action is executed.
   2. If the list of operations includes Execute SQL operations or Functions containing Execute SQL operations, the Action will run Execute SQL operations last, after saving all changes made by Update Field and Create Object operations.

   • Edit - allows you to modify the selected operation or a conditional block.

   • Delete - removes the selected operation or a conditional block.

   • Move Up - moves up the selected operation or a conditional block and changes the execution order.

   • Move Down - moves down the selected operation or a conditional block and changes the execution order.

   TIP: By default, all operations are added as enabled. You can temporarily disable unneeded operations by right-clicking them in the list and selecting Disable Operation and then enable them again. Also, you can use disabling and enabling operations to test and debug the Service Action.

8. On the Processes tab, you can assign the Service Action to Processes:

   • Add - opens the Select Process window, where you can select an existing Process or create a new one.

     NOTE: You view workflow items grouped by Processes and manage the list of Processes in the Workflow and Business Logic > Advanced > Processes section. For details, see Grouping Actions and Triggers into Processes.

   • Remove - removes the Service Action form the selected Process.

8. Click OK.

Related Information:

Enabling and disabling workflow items

Updating Activity fields

Changing the display order of Actions

Accessing a workflow item or component by its ID

Changing the display order of Actions