Creating component manual tasks

A component manual task interrupts a component process until manual intervention is done. To create a component manual task, add a manual step to a component process, and select a notification template.

About this task

A process that is interrupted by a manual task remains suspended until the targeted user or users respond. During new process testing, use manual tasks to test the results of steps. After testing, use manual tasks for tasks that are too complicated to automate. Remove manual tasks after testing or when processes are automated.

Similar to approvals, triggered tasks notify targeted users. Affected users can accept or reject the task by using the Work Items pane (see Responding to approval requests). Unlike approvals, component manual tasks are incorporated within a component process. Do not use a component manual task in place of an approval process. To obtain approval for an entire component, create an approval process instead of a component manual task (see Creating an approval process).

Procedure

  1. Open a component process in the process editor.
  2. From the Utility Steps folder, add a Manual Task step to the process.
  3. In the Edit Properties window, specify the following properties for the step:
    Table 1. Component manual task properties
    Field Description
    Name The name for the manual task.
    Notification Template Specify a notification template.

    The individual tasks map to the notification scheme used by the application (see Creating Notifications in a Notification Scheme). If you do not want notifications created for the task, select None.
    Approver requirements
    Any user
    Any user can approve the task.
    Only the deploying user
    Restricts approval to the user who started the deployment.
    Role members by environment
    Specify an environment role that can approve the task.
    Role members by application
    Specify an application role that can approve the task.
    Role members by component
    Specify a component role that can approve the task.
    Add Property Add one or more properties to the task. You can use these properties later in the process just like output properties from other steps.
  4. Click Save to save the properties for the step.
  5. Add another step such as Shell and add the output properties of manual task to the step to print the approver and approval time information in the output log.
    See Manual task output properties.
  6. Save the process.

Results

When you run the process, it pauses at this step, sends a notification, and waits for approval before the process continues. To approve the task and resume the process, click the Respond link for the step in the process log, click Approve, and then click Submit. You can also resume the process from the Work Items tab.