Job processes incorrectly in a conditional workflow

When jobs in a workflow with conditional processing do not process properly, the connectors that specify the conditions might not be set up correctly or job values might not be assigned correctly. RICOH ProcessDirector does not validate the conditional processing when it saves a workflow.
To fix a conditional workflow with jobs that process incorrectly:
  1. Inspect all the connectors from a step to other steps. If a step has a connector that processes all jobs that are not sent through the other connectors, that connector must have the highest value for its Order of execution property of all of the connectors exiting the step.
      Note:
    • If you enter a value for the Rule name property of a connector, the Order of execution value is displayed on the label of the connector before the value of the Rule name.
    For example, a step has two connectors:
    • A connector named else has a rule with no conditions.
    • A connector named < 20 has a rule with one condition: Total pages < 20.
    RICOH ProcessDirector tries to send jobs through a step’s connectors according to the values specified in the Order of execution property of each connector. If the else connector has its Order of execution value set to 1, RICOH ProcessDirector sends all jobs through the else connector. No jobs would use the < 20 connector. However, if the < 20 connector has its Order of execution value set to 1, RICOH ProcessDirector tries to send all jobs through the < 20 connector first. The rule set for the < 20 connector prevents jobs with 20 pages or more from going through the connector. RICOH ProcessDirector then sends all remaining jobs through the else connector. If all jobs in your workflow are sent through an else connector, make sure the Order of execution value of that connector has the highest value of all the connectors exiting the step.
      Important:
    • If you create a conditional workflow by modifying an existing workflow, such as a RICOH ProcessDirector sample workflow, the Order of execution of the connectors on the workflow are carried over from the original workflow. If you make an existing connector part of a conditional process and add another conditional connector, RICOH ProcessDirector first tries to send all jobs through the existing connector. If a job does not meet the conditions in the rule set on the connector, RICOH ProcessDirector tries to send the job through the newly added connector. When you add conditional processing to a step, we recommend that you examine the values for the Order of execution property on each connector exiting the step to check that the tests reflect the order in which you want them to be evaluated. If you have an else connector, make sure it has the highest Order of execution value of all the connectors exiting the step.
  2. Inspect how job values are set and passed to the steps and connectors in a branch of a workflow.
    For example, a conditional workflow has two branches, one with steps that request stapling and another with steps that do not request stapling. The connector that sends jobs to the branch with steps that request stapling has a rule with one condition: Staple = Top left. Jobs for customer A should be stapled, but the jobs are sent to the branch with steps that do not request stapling because jobs for customer A do not have a stapling job value. One way to assign job values is with a step based on the AssignJobValues step template. Jobs for customer A might be sent through an AssignJobValues step that sets the value of the Staple property to Top left.
  3. To fix problems, disable the workflow and edit it.
    If jobs are in the workflow, make a copy of the workflow and edit the copy.
  4. Enable the workflow and test it.
    A conditional workflow might have multiple problems.
      Note:
    • To find problems in a complex workflow, consider adding a step based on the ManualStepWithAutoStart step template after each connector with a conditional processing rule. Check jobs at each ManualStepWithAutoStart step to make sure they are moving through the correct branches of the conditional workflow.