Specifying details for a start workflow element

Use a Start Workflow step to start another workflow. You can start any workflow except the current one. We recommend that the workflow to start contains at least one user task, especially in these situations:

You use this step in combination with a Loopback step.
You use this step in a configuration where you let several workflows start each other in a cycle.

Add a Start Workflow step to the workflow diagram at the point where another workflow must be triggered.
Select the Start Workflow element from the workflow diagram.
Specify this information in the properties pane:
Name

Specify a name for this workflow step.

Description

Specify a description for this workflow step.

Workflow to Start

Select the name of the workflow to start. Other workflows in this system are displayed with status active or inactive. If you click REFRESH WORKFLOW after a workflow is selected, then the workflow properties about the input/output parameters are refreshed. See the related tabs Input Parameters and Output Parameters.

Start type
- Synchronous: wait for the started workflow to finish
  Wait for the completion of the started workflow and use the values of its output parameters in the current workflow.
- Asynchronous: do not wait for the started workflow to finish
  Continue with the current workflow to the next step immediately after the other workflow is started.
If starting the workflow failed, then the current workflow continues with the next step. Even if you selected to start the other workflow synchronously. See the information about the Completion Properties tab for hints about how to handle in this situation.
Select the Input Parameters tab to specify the input parameters for the workflow to be started.

The list of input parameters of the workflow is displayed with their name, data type and initial value as configured in the workflow to start.

For each mapping, select one parameter of the current workflow. Select a parameter with the same data type to pass on values from the current workflow to the workflow to be started.

If an input parameter has an initial value, then you can omit specifying a mapping by leaving the default selection to Ignore value. In this case, the workflow is started using the initial value of this parameter.

Note: You cannot map workflow structures for the workflow to be started. In this case, a validation error is displayed in the workflow modeler. If you model and activate a workflow without structures, and you change this workflow and add structures later, then the workflow fails to start. This error code is displayed: NOT_STARTED_MAPPING_ISSUE
The selected start type.
- You selected the start type Synchronous: wait for the started workflow to finish and the workflow to be started has output parameters.
  Collect the output values by mapping these to parameters of the current workflow. Select the Output Parameters. The list of output parameters of the workflow to be started is displayed with their name and data type. For each mapping, select one workflow parameter of the current workflow that has the same data type. After the execution of the started workflow, this parameter contains the resulting value.
  Keep the option Ignore value selected, to ignore the output values of the workflow to start.
- You selected the start type Asynchronous: do not wait for the started workflow to finish. If this workflow has output parameters, then the output values are ignored. In this case you cannot collect the output values into the parameters of the current workflow.

Select the Completion Properties tab.

The properties on this tab are optional. With these properties you can evaluate if the workflow to be started has started or completed successfully. These options are available:

Start workflow result
If this check box is selected, then you must specify a workflow parameter of type string that must contain the result code. You can use a decision step in the current workflow to handle possible error situations after the Start Workflow step is executed.
Started workflow instance id
If this check box is selected, then you must specify a workflow parameter of type integer that is assigned with the instance id of the started workflow. If starting a workflow was not successful, then this parameter is not changed.

This table shows the available workflow result codes:


Code	Description
`STARTED`	Returned for workflows started asynchronously to inform that the sub workflow was started successfully.
`NOT_STARTED_NOT_FOUND`	The workflow to be started was not active when this step was executed.
`NOT_STARTED_MAPPING_ISSUE`	Mapping to the workflow input and output parameters was not correct. This can happen if the sub workflow was changed in the meanwhile.
`NOT_STARTED_SYSTEM_ERROR`	(Sub) Workflow could not be started due to system error.
`COMPLETED`	Returned for workflows started synchronously; it means the sub workflow completed successfully.
`CANCELED`	Returned for workflows started synchronously; it means the sub workflow is canceled.
`FAILED`	Returned for workflows started synchronously; it means the sub workflow has failed.