Taskflow properties define the name and location of the taskflow, the fields that the taskflow uses, and other information required to invoke and run the taskflow.
To set taskflow properties, create a taskflow, click the Start step and access the Properties section. Optionally, click the empty area of the canvas to access the Properties section.
Define the general properties, taskflow binding and access details, input fields, output fields, temporary fields, advanced properties, and notes for a taskflow.
General properties
You can specify the following general properties for a taskflow:
Property
Description
Name
Required. A descriptive name to identify the taskflow.
Taskflows saved in different folders can have the same name.
The name can be up to 255 characters and can't contain the keyword schema as a prefix.
To change the name of a published taskflow, you must first unpublish the taskflow. Then, change the taskflow name and republish the taskflow.
Override API Name
Optional. Overrides the API name that is auto generated when you publish the taskflow with a name that you specify. When you select this option, the API Name field becomes available.
API Name
Required if you select the Override API Name option.
A unique API name to override the auto-generated API name for the taskflow. The API name that you specify in this field is used in the generated service URLs.
The API name can contain only alphanumeric characters, underscores (_), and hyphens (-), and must not exceed 80 characters.
To change the API name of a published taskflow, you must first unpublish the taskflow. Then, change the API name and republish the taskflow.
If you override the API name and import the taskflow, the imported taskflow uses the API name that you specified. However, if there is an existing taskflow with the same API name that you specified, Data Integration uses an auto-generated API name for the copied or imported taskflow to avoid duplication. Data Integration also disables the Override API Name field. Similarly, if you copy the taskflow, Data Integration uses an auto-generated API name for the copied taskflow to avoid duplication and also disables the Override API Name field.
If you override the API name and move the taskflow to a different location, Data Integration retains the API name that you specified.
Location
The project and folder in which you want to save the taskflow. Click Select to navigate to a folder.
You must create a project and folder before you create a taskflow. You cannot create a project or folder from the taskflow creation page.
If the Explore page is currently active and a project or folder is selected, the default location for the asset is the selected project or folder. Otherwise, the default location is the location of the most recently saved asset.
Description
A description of the taskflow.
Start properties
Use the Start tab to define the binding type and access details for a taskflow.
Taskflow binding
The Binding property defines how a taskflow is invoked and run. You can select one of the following values:
REST/SOAP
If you select the REST/SOAP binding type, you can run the taskflow by using a REST or SOAP endpoint. You can use the Allowed Groups and the Allowed Users fields to define the user groups and users who can run a published taskflow as an API.
The following image shows the binding set to REST/SOAP, the Allowed Groups and Allowed Users, and the Parameter Set fields:
Event
If you select the Event binding type, the taskflow is invoked when the specified event occurs. For example, a taskflow can be invoked upon an event such as arrival of a file in a file system. The Event Source Name field is available with a Select button. Click Select to browse and select from a list of file listeners.
For more information about file listeners, see Components.
The following image shows the binding set to Event, the Event Source Name, and the Parameter Set fields:
After you publish a taskflow, you cannot edit the binding details. You must unpublish the taskflow to edit the binding details.
Taskflow access
If the taskflow uses the REST/SOAP binding type, you can define the user groups and users who can run a published taskflow as an API in the Allowed Groups and the Allowed Users fields. If a user falls into either of these categories, the user will have access to the taskflow service URL at run time.
If you do not configure both the Allowed Groups and the Allowed Users fields, Data Integration does not generate the taskflow service URL. You can run and schedule the taskflow. However, you cannot run the taskflow as an API.
Note: The Allowed Groups and the Allowed Users fields define the access details for running a taskflow as an API. To configure permissions for running a taskflow from the taskflow designer or invoking a taskflow through a file listener, you must create a role in Administrator and assign the required permissions.
Configure the following properties:
Allowed Groups
Defines the groups that have access to the taskflow service URL at run time.
Use the Allowed Groups option when you want a group of users to have access to a taskflow service URL. For example, you have a group called 'Order Approvers'. If you enter Order Approvers in the Allowed Groups field, all users within the group will have access to the taskflow service URL.
The following image shows the Order Approvers group added to the Allowed Groups field:
You can specify more than one group in the Allowed Groups field.
If a taskflow uses the Allowed Groups or the Allowed Users fields, you can use one of the following ways to invoke the taskflow through a REST client such as Postman:
- Use basic authentication, and enter the user name and password.
- Use session ID in the HTTP header to invoke the taskflow without providing the user name and password.
For example, to invoke a taskflow service URL using Postman, authenticate the GET request in one of the following ways:
- Use basic authorization and specify the Informatica Intelligent Cloud Services user name and password.
To get the SESSION-ID, use the Platform REST API version 3 login resource. For more information about the login resource, see REST API Reference.
Allowed Users
Defines the users that have access to the taskflow service URL at run time.
Use the Allowed Users field when you want a specific user to have access to the taskflow service URL. The following image shows a user jsmith in the Allowed Users field and the group Order Approvers in the Allowed Groups field:
Users in the Order Approvers group and the user jsmith will have access to the taskflow service URL.
You can specify more than one user in the Allowed Users field.
If a taskflow uses the Allowed Groups or the Allowed Users fields, you can use one of the following ways to invoke the taskflow through a REST client such as Postman:
- Use basic authentication, and enter the user name and password.
- Use session ID in the HTTP header to invoke the taskflow without providing the user name and password.
For example, to invoke a taskflow service URL using Postman, authenticate the GET request in one of the following ways:
- Use basic authorization and specify the Informatica Intelligent Cloud Services user name and password.
To get the SESSION-ID, use the Platform REST API version 3 login resource. For more information about the login resource, see REST API Reference.
Parameter Set
Defines the parameter set to provide values for the taskflow input parameters.
The parameter set contains sections and parameters at the taskflow level and are uploaded on the Informatica managed cloud-hosted repository using the ParamSetCli utility.
For more information about parameter set, see Parameter set documentation.
Input fields
Use the Input Fields section to add fields that a taskflow uses at the beginning of a step.
You can define the input fields that you want to pass when you run a taskflow. You can create input fields of the following types:
Simple type
Create a simple type field to use common data types such as Checkbox, Date, Date Time, Time, Number, Integer, or Text.
Note: You can't use a list of simple type in taskflows.
Custom type
Create a custom type field to use an object that is added to the taskflow.
Enter the following properties for each input field that you create:
Property
Description
Name
The name of the input field.
Type
The type of the input field. For example, select Checkbox, Date, Date Time, Time, Number, Integer, or Text.
You can also add an input field of a simple type or custom type. To do this, select More types, and then in the Edit Type dialog box, select the Category as Simple Types or Custom Types.
Description
A description of the input field.
Required
Indicates whether the input field is required for the taskflow to run.
Initial Value
The value that is assigned to the input field when you start the taskflow execution. You can enter text or use a formula to set the initial value.
Input fields for taskflows invoked by file listeners
When you select the binding type for a taskflow as Event and select a file listener, Data Integration creates an input field to store details of the files that arrived, were updated, or were deleted as part of the file listener event. The input field takes the name of the file listener. You cannot edit or delete this input field. You also cannot add more input fields for taskflows that are invoked by file listeners.
After the taskflow completes, you can access the My Jobs page, click the taskflow instance, and click the Input Fields tab to view details of the files that arrived, were updated, or were deleted as part of the file listener event. The input field displays the following information for each file that arrived, was updated, or was deleted:
•Path where the file is available
•Name of the file
•Size of the file in bytes
•Last modified time in milliseconds
You can monitor the execution of the file listener and the events that occur on each run job of the file listener. File listener log entries are listed on the File Transfer Logs page in Monitor.
Note: If you had selected the binding type for a taskflow as REST/SOAP and then change it to Event, Data Integration deletes the input fields that you had previously added.
Creating an input field with a custom type
You can create an input field with a custom type using the objects available in tasks in the taskflow. To create an input field with a custom type, you must have one or more steps that contain data integration tasks added to the taskflow.
1On the Explore page, navigate to the taskflow for which you want to create an input field with a custom type.
2Add steps to the taskflow. For example, add a Data Task step and an Ingestion task step.
3Click the Start step of the taskflow.
4Click the Input Fields tab.
5Click the Add icon.
6In the Type column, select More types.
The Edit Type dialog box appears.
The following image shows the Edit Type dialog box:
7From the Category list, select Custom Types.
A list of objects available in the taskflow appears in the Types section.
8Select the object that you want to pass as an input and click OK.
Output fields
Use the Output Fields section to add output fields to a taskflow.
You can use the output fields of a subtaskflow as variables in the subsequent steps of the parent taskflow. However, if the subtaskflow fails, the output field values of the subtaskflow are not sent to the parent taskflow. When you run the parent taskflow, you can view the output fields of the Subtaskflow step on the My Jobs page in Data Integration, and the All Jobs page and Running Jobs page in Monitor.
You can create output fields of the following types:
Simple type
Create a simple type field to use common data types such as Checkbox, Date, Date Time, Time, Number, Integer, or Text.
Note: You can't use a list of simple type in taskflows.
Custom type
Create a custom type field to use an object that is added to the taskflow.
Enter the following properties for each output field that you create:
Property
Description
Name
The name of the output field.
Type
The type of the output field. For example, select Checkbox, Date, Date Time, Time, Number, Integer, or Text.
You can also add an output field of a simple type or custom type. To do this, select More types, and then in the Edit Type dialog box, select the Category as Simple Types or Custom Types.
Description
A description of the output field.
Initial Value
The initial value for the output field.
Temporary fields
Create temporary fields for use in a taskflow step. A taskflow uses temporary fields internally. Temporary fields do not appear in the input or output of a taskflow.
For example, you might define temporary fields if the taskflow has a Decision step.
Define the following properties for each temporary field:
Property
Description
Name
The name of the temporary field.
Type
The type of the temporary field. For example, select Checkbox, Date, Date Time, Time, Number, Integer, or Text.
You can also add a temporary field of a simple type or custom type. To do this, select More types, and then in the Edit Type dialog box, select the Category as Simple Types or Custom Types.
Note: You can't use a list of simple type in taskflows.
Description
A description of the temporary field.
Initial Value
The value that is assigned to the temporary field when you start the taskflow execution. The value can change during the taskflow run. You can use text or a formula to set the initial value for a temporary field.
Some temporary fields appear without you specifically adding them. When you add a task to a taskflow, a corresponding temporary field appears. The Name of the temporary field is the name of the Data Task step. The Type of the temporary field is the name of the task you add to the Data Task step. Enter a Description and select Required, if needed.
If you included a Data Task step in a taskflow, the Data Task fields appear on the Temp Fields tab of the Start step. The Data Task fields represent the input parameters of the task.
Advanced properties
You can configure a taskflow to disable concurrent execution. You can also configure a taskflow to suspend on a fault at the taskflow level and send an email notification to specified recipients when it is suspended.
You can define the following advanced properties for a taskflow:
Property
Description
Concurrent taskflow execution
Enables or disables concurrent taskflow execution based on the option that you select from the following list:
- Allow concurrent execution (Default). When you select this option, the taskflow execution is enabled so that multiple instances of the taskflow can run at the same time. By default, concurrent execution is enabled.
- Disable concurrent execution. When you select this option, the taskflow execution is disabled. When you select this option, the taskflow does not create a new instance when another instance is still running.
Note: This option is not applicable if you use the taskflow in a Subtaskflow step.
Suspend on Fault
Suspends the taskflow on a fault that occurs at the taskflow level.
The Suspend on Fault property takes precedence over the following properties that you define in a Data Task step:
- Fail taskflow on completion - if this task fails
- Fail taskflow on completion - if this task does not run
Send Email on Suspension
Sends an email notification when the taskflow is suspended on a fault.
When you select the Send Email on Suspension option, the Email To, Email Cc, Email Subject, and Email Body fields become available. You can parameterize these fields by using the parameter set, input fields, output fields, and temporary fields.
For example, when you move assets from one Point of Deployment (POD) to another, instead of manually entering the recipient Cc email addresses, you can parameterize them to save time.
Email To
Defines the primary recipients for the email notification. Enter one or more valid recipient email addresses. You can also add fields that contain valid email addresses. Separate email addresses and fields with a comma (,) or a semicolon (;).
Required if you configure the taskflow to send an email notification on suspension.
Email Cc
Defines the recipients who need to be sent a copy of the email notification. Enter one or more valid recipient email addresses. Separate email addresses with a comma (,) or a semicolon (;).
Email Subject
Specifies a short and descriptive subject that introduces the email.
Email Body
Defines the content that you want to send in the email.
Click Edit Content to open a rich text editor and use formatting options such as bold, italics, underlines, lists, indentations, and fonts. You can also insert tables and links.
Concurrent taskflow execution scenarios
Consider the following scenarios when you configure the Allow concurrent execution (Default) option for a taskflow:
•Before you switch from the Allow concurrent execution (Default) option to the Disable concurrent execution option or vice versa, you must unpublish the taskflow and ensure that the previous taskflow instance is executed. You can then switch to another option in the Concurrent taskflow execution list and publish the taskflow.
•When a previous taskflow instance is in a suspended state, even if you run the taskflow again, Data Integration does not run the taskflow instance.
•When a taskflow instance is running, you can run a previous taskflow instance from a step that ran successfully using the Run from here option on the My Jobs page in Data Integration, and the All Jobs and Running Jobs page in Monitor.
•The parent taskflow and subtaskflow run independently. For example, you have a taskflow that contains a subtaskflow with the Allow concurrent execution (Default) option enabled for both the taskflows. When you run the parent taskflow, the child taskflow runs as a subtask. When you run a taskflow or subtaskflow independently, it runs for the first time without any issue. However, if you run the same taskflow or subtaskflow again while the previous instance is still running, an error occurs.
•When you run a taskflow using an endpoint, if the previous instance of the taskflow is still running, an error occurs. However, if you run the same taskflow several times from the taskflow designer or as an API, you see a success message. This is because when you run a taskflow, Data Integration receives a request and sends an immediate response as 200 OK. Data Integration processes the taskflow run request later. This is for a better user experience because taskflows might take time to run depending on their complexity.
• When you run a taskflow with the Run Using option and click Run All to run the taskflow using multiple inputs, you might see an inconsistent behavior.
For example, you have three taskflow inputs and you run the taskflow with all three inputs. All three requests are triggered at once. Therefore, you might see that sometimes the taskflow runs with one input and sometimes with two inputs.
This is because when you run a taskflow with multiple taskflow inputs, multiple requests are triggered at once. Data Integration checks if there is any existing instance running. Each request is considered as the first request and attempts to run a taskflow.
Notes
Use the Notes field to add information that you or other users might need.
The notes that you enter here appear on the Data Integration page. You do not see these notes when you run the taskflow.
For example, use the Notes field to add a reminder about a task that you need to complete before you run the taskflow.
