What is a variable?

In a simplifier workflow, a variable is a symbol or placeholder representing a data value like material quantity, organization name, vendor address or delivery date. It can be assigned a value, typically a number or text, which can be used in conditions, for gathering input in user tasks or transfer it from or to an external system via automated tasks.

Variables are global, which means they persist during the complete workflow session and can be modified by user or automated task.

What is an autofield?

An autofield is a prefilled variable that is filled automatically from the simplifier workflow engine and cannot be modified by user or automated tasks like current date & time, task link to the inbox or workflow instance id. Autofields are useful for sending notification emails or input mapping for automated tasks.

What is an outcome?

In a simplifier workflow, an outcome refers to the result of a particular user or automated task. It represents the end state or output of the process, which can be used as input to other activities or processes in the workflow.

Examples of an outcome are

• Invoice approved
• Invoice declined
• Invoice uploaded
• Invoice booked

What is the difference between a variable and an outcome?

Variables represent the business data that affect the behavior of activities or processes in a simplifier workflow, while outcomes represent the results or outputs of activities or processes that are used as input for subsequent activities.

To illustrate the difference between variables and outcomes, consider an invoice approval process. In this process, the invoice amount could be a variable that is passed from the previous activity or calculated within the process. The purchase order number could also be a variable that is given by an accountant with a user task.

Once the purchase order number has been validated by an automated task reading it from ERP System, the outcome of the purchase order check activity could be an approval or rejection decision. This outcome would then be used as input for subsequent activities such as invoice booking into an ERP system or rejection notification.

Create a variable

To create a variable, open the variable view

You will see predefined variables also named autofields that are static and prefilled by workflow engine like current date and time. You can also add a new variable by clicking on the plus icon

In the dialog above it is possible to configure the following parameters:

Using Autofields

Autofields are prefilled variables from the workflow environment and cannot be modified from user or automated task.

Auofields are useful for sending messages like push notifications or emails with dynamic text like the link to a user task or submitting the actual date and time to an external backend system via automated task.

The following autofields are available:

Add outcome

To define a new outcome (status) open the outcome view on the right side

You will see a default list of system outcomes like Started, Finished and Failed that will be set automatically by Simplifier workflow Engine.  To add custom outcomes click on the plus button

For better documentation and visualization, you can define the color of the outcome e.g. green for positive decisions, and red for negative. This color is used to highlight the outcome in the User Task.

Adapt the order of outcomes simply per drag&drop as required.

When hovering over an outcome, you have three actions available: