Workflow Objects

A workflow object is an event, task, or gateway. You add objects as you develop a worklow in the editor. Workflow objects are non-reusable. The Developer tool stores the objects within the workflow only.

Events

Events define the start and the end of the activity that the workflow specifies for the data. Each workflow has a Start event and an End event. Optionally, a workflow can include one or more Terminate events.

The Developer tool gives each event a default name of Start_Event, End_Event, or Terminate_Event. You can rename and add a description to an event in the event properties.

Event	Description
Start	Defines the beginning of the workflow. The Start event represents the start the sequence of possible actions that the workflow specifies for the data. A workflow contains a single Start event.
End	Defines the end of the workflow. The End event represents the completion of the sequence of possible actions that the workflow specifies for the data. A workflow contains a single End event.
Terminate	Defines a point before the End event at which the workflow can end. A workflow terminates if you connect the task to a Terminate event and the task output satisfies a condition on the sequence flow. The Terminate event aborts the workflow before any further task in the workflow can run. A workflow can have one or more Terminate events.

Note: A Human task also contains a Start event and an End event. The events create a sequence flow for one or more steps in the Human task. A Human task cannot contain a Terminate event.

Tasks

A task in an activity that runs a single unit of work in the workflow, such as running a mapping, sending an email, or running a shell command. A task represents something that is performed during the workflow. The editor displays tasks as squares.

Task	Description
Assignment	Assigns a value to a user-defined workflow variable.
Command	Runs a single shell command or starts an external executable program.
Human	Defines actions that one or more users perform on the workflow data. Create a Human task when you want Analyst tool users to analyze the output of a mapping that runs in a Mapping task.
Mapping	Runs a mapping.
Notification	Sends an email notification to specified recipients.
Voting	Not active. Analyst tool users run approval workflows to approve or reject the assets in a business glossary. Analyst tool users do not interact with the workflow features of the Developer tool to configure or run approval workflows.

The Developer tool gives each task a default name of <task type>_Task, for example Command_Task. When you add another task of the same type to the same workflow, the Developer tool appends an integer to the default name, for example Command_Task1. You can rename and add a description to a task in the task general properties.

Gateways

A gateway splits a sequence flow into multiple branches or merges multiple branches into a sequence flow. Gateways operate in pairs. One gateway defines the branches that the workflow data can follow. Another gateway restores the branches to a single sequence flow. You can add a condition to the sequence flow that starts each branch. The Data Integration Service uses the condition values to identify the branches that the workflow data follows.

Exclusive Gateways and Inclusive Gateways

You can add Exclusive gateways and Inclusive gateways to a workflow. You add gateways to a workflow in pairs. Add Exclusive gateways when the workflow data must follow a single branch between the gateways. Add Inclusive gateways when the workflow data might follow multiple branches between the gateways. When you add Inclusive gateways, the Data Integration Service runs the objects on each branch in parallel.

The Developer tool gives a gateway the default name of Exclusive_Gateway or Inclusive_Gateway. When you add another gateway to the same workflow, the Developer tool appends an integer to the default name, for example Exclusive_Gateway1. You can rename and add a description to a gateway in the gateway properties