Applying an order flow to orders
You can apply a predefined process flow to orders, by linking a standard order on which such an order flow is defined.
Order flows can be viewed on the Order details > Flow objects step.
Prerequisite
• To apply an order flow to an order, you must first define the order flow (flow objects and sequence flows) on a standard order in Supporting data .
 | For more information on configuring order flows, refer to Supporting data > Order flow. |
Procedure
1. On the Orders level, select the (main) order to which you want to apply an order flow.
| | It is not possible to copy or repeat an order with an order flow. |
2. Apply a Standard order. For more information, refer to Adding an order based on a standard order.
If an order flow is defined for the selected standard order, the message asking which suborder(s) must be taken over, is not displayed.
This is because suborders are created at the time their tasks are activated in the order flow.
If an order flow is defined for the selected standard order, the message asking which suborder(s) must be taken over, is not displayed.
This is because suborders are created at the time their tasks are activated in the order flow.
| | A task (flow object) in an order flow is equivalent to a suborder on the main order. |
3. Click OK.
◦ On saving, the order flow is copied from the standard order and the start event of the order flow is set to Completed, which automatically activates the successor in the order flow.
If the next flow object is a task, a suborder based on the standard suborder of the task is created.
If the next flow object is a task, a suborder based on the standard suborder of the task is created.
| | If you clear or change the applied standard order, then all the existing flow objects and sequence flows are deleted. Any existing suborders created from the order flow are NOT deleted. |
◦ To see the suborder on the main order, press F5 or refresh. This is needed if the Show related orders on update feature is activated.
◦ When the suborder is set to Completed, the corresponding task in the order flow is also completed and the next flow object is initiated in the sequence flow.
However, if a suborder is canceled or deleted, the flow may be disrupted and the entire order flow may get stuck. Hence, a flow issue is created and the cause of the issue is registered. The coordinator/supervisor can interfere to restore the order flow manually.
However, if a suborder is canceled or deleted, the flow may be disrupted and the entire order flow may get stuck. Hence, a flow issue is created and the cause of the issue is registered. The coordinator/supervisor can interfere to restore the order flow manually.
◦ If the next flow object is one of the gateways, the following process is applied:
◦ A Parallel gateway is activated only when all the incoming flows are completed. The gateway then activates all its outgoing flows.
◦ If an Exclusive gateway is activated, the question as defined on the gateway is evaluated. If an answer is given, then the gateway is completed and the outgoing flow that matches the answer given is activated. All the other (outgoing) sequence flows are canceled.
◦ If no single outgoing flow could be activated (e.g. because no answer was given yet), a flow issue is registered. The coordinator/supervisor can interfere to restore the order flow manually.
◦ When an Inclusive gateway is activated, the question as defined on the gateway is evaluated. If an answer is given, then the gateway is completed and all outgoing flows that match the selected answer options are activated. All the other (outgoing) sequence flows are canceled.
◦ If no outgoing flow is activated (e.g. because no answer has been given yet), a flow issue is registered. The coordinator/supervisor can interfere to restore the order flow manually.
◦ The order flow continues its flow until all the sub orders in the main order are completed and all the tasks in the flow are accomplished. The order flow is completed once the last end event is completed.
| | If an answer is changed after its gateway is completed, it will result in a flow issue as the outgoing flows corresponding with the old answer have already been activated (this applies to both inclusive and exclusive gateways). |