Managing the Repository

Overview

Automate Enterprise is the center of communication between connected agents and the development clients. It is also the repository of information and objects concerning the creation, modification, management, organization and execution of each and every automated process. Objects created in Server Management Console, such as tasks, processes, users, events & conditions are automatically stored in the Repository, a storage area that houses all existing workflow objects for future reuse. The Repository provides a centralized location in which to conveniently store newly created objects as well as access pre-existing ones. Complete workflow objects are also stored and can be accessed from the SMC's Workflows section.

Storing objects in the Repository does away with tedious procedures such as re-creating tasks or conditions each time a new workflow is created. With this concept, an individual task can be used in many workflows. These re-usable objects can easily be administered, modified and quickly incorporated into new or existing workflows from the Repository. Should changes need to be made to a task, process, or condition that is used by several workflows, the changes will be applied globally to all the workflows that use it. For example, a Schedule event is used to start 15 different workflows every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. If the schedule needs to be altered to Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, the change could be made to a single Schedule event in the repository. Changes will immediately reflect all workflows which use this Schedule event.

Related Topics

ClosedCreating New Objects from SMC Repository

Users may prefer the option to create standalone tasks, conditions or processes (that are initially not incorporated into any workflow) and add them to a workflow at a later time. For this reason, tasks, conditions and processes can be created and edited directly from the Repository section of the SMC rather than performing such procedures from the Workflow Designer.

To Create a New Task from the Repository:

  1. From the SMC, select the Repository tab and click the Tasks folder.

  2. Click the New button. A new task named New Task (or New Task(1) if a task named New Task already exists) will appear in the main window.

  3. Click the default task name or right-click and select Rename from the right-click menu to rename the task .

  4. Highlight the newly created task and click the Edit button or right-click and select Edit from the right-click menu to add steps to the task. This opens the Task Builder interface.

  5. After adding steps to the task from the Task Builder, click Save and Close (top/left corner of Task Builder) to save changes and close the Task Builder window.

NOTE: A new task will not be saved to the repository unless it has been renamed or edited.

To Create a New Process from the Repository:

  1. From the SMC, select the Repository tab and click the Processes folder.

  2. Click the New button. A new process named New Process will appear in the main window.

  3. Click the default process name assigned or right-click and select Rename from the right-click menu to rename the process.

  4. Highlight the newly created process and click the Edit button or right-click and select Edit from the right-click menu to add/modify the process command entry.

  5. Click Apply to save changes.

NOTE: A new process will not be saved to the repository unless it has been renamed or edited.

To Create a New Condition from the Repository:

  1. Select the Repository tab and click the Conditions folder.

  2. Click the New button. The main SMC window becomes populated with available conditions to select from.

  3. Select the desired condition and click the OK button.

  4. A new condition icon named New Condition (or New Condition(1) if a condition named New Condition already exists) will appear in the main window.

  5. Highlight the condition and click the Edit button or right-click and select Edit from the right-click menu. This opens the condition's properties dialog.  

  6. After setting the appropriate properties, click Update to save changes and close the properties dialog.

NOTE: A new condition will not be saved to the repository unless it has been renamed or its properties set.

ClosedAccessing Existing Repository Objects from SMC

The Repository is accessible from Server Management Console (SMC) by clicking Repository from the Navigation bar. The Repository appears in the main window and tasks, processes and conditions are separated into folders in the left panel. Clicking the Conditions, Processes or Tasks folder will populate the main panel with those objects as well as any existing User Folders. Sub-folders can be created as well, allowing a means to better categorize objects saved to the Repository. If sub-folders are created, they, too, will appear in the main view.

To Access an Existing Object's Properties from the Repository:

  1. In SMC, click Repository from the Navigation bar. The Repository appears categorized into three sections:

    • Tasks

    • Conditions

    • Processes

  1. Click to expand the desired folder/sub-folder, showing its contents in the main window.

  2. Select the desired task, condition or process and click the Edit button on the top panel or right-click the object and select Edit from the context menu.

NOTE: Non-licensed events and conditions will appear opaque when viewing them in the repository. Selecting an unlicensed object will generate an error.

ClosedOther SMC Repository Operations

Various operations can be performed within the Repository. For instance, a user can manually run a task or process, view or edit an existing task or process, create multiple folders to better organize stored objects, permanently delete objects and much more.

To Manually Execute a Task or Process:

  1. Select the Tasks or Processes folder to populate pre-existing tasks/processes in the main view.
  2. Highlight the desired task/process and click theRunbutton or right-click the task/process and selectRunfrom the context menu.

To View or Edit Task Steps:

  1. Select the Tasks folder to populate pre-existing tasks in the main view.

  2. Highlight the desired task and click the Edit button or right-click the task and select Edit from the context menu. This opens the Task Builder.

To View or Edit a Process Entry:

  1. Select the Processes folder to populate pre-existing processes in the main view.

  2. Highlight the desired process and click the Edit button or right-click the process and select Edit from the context menu.

To View or Edit Condition Settings:

  1. Select the Conditions folder to populate pre-existing conditions in the main view

  2. Highlight the desired condition and click the Edit button or right-click the condition and select Edit from context menu. The properties dialog of the selected condition appears.

To Create a Folder and Add Objects to It:

  1. Select the folder (Tasks, Processes or Conditions) in which to create a new sub-folders.  

  2. Click the Create Folder button or right-click inside the main view and select New > Folder from the right-click menu. This creates a new folder in the current view.

  3. To add objects to the folder, highlight the desired objects and drag them into the folder or right-click an object and select Cut then right-click the desired folder and select Paste.

To Permanently Delete an Object:

  1. Navigate to the section where the object or folder resides.

  2. Highlight the desired object/folder and click the Delete button or right-click the object and select Delete from the context menu.

To Rename a Repository Object or Folder:

  1. Select the folder where the object resides.

  2. Highlight the desired object/sub-folder and click the More button and select Rename from the drop-down menu or right-click the object/folder and select Rename from the context menu.

To View or Manage the General Properties of an Object/Folder:

  1. Navigate to the section where the object or folder resides.

  2. Highlight the desired object and click the Properties button or right-click the object and select Properties from the menu that appears. The object's properties appear. For more details on object properties, see Default Properties.

To Set Security Permissions on an Object or Folder:

  1. Navigate to the section where the object or folder resides.

  2. Highlight the desired object/folder and click the Properties button or right-click the object/folder and select Properties from the menu that appears. The object's properties appear.

  3. Double-click the Security icon. For more details regarding security permissions, see Item Permissions.

NOTE: In addition to the procedures mentioned above. clicking the More button or right-clicking an object will present other available options, such as Export, Import, Rename, Disable or Enable (to name a few).