Workflow Editor Actions

To create a workflow corresponding to the processing steps that your jobs pass through, you can add steps and step chains to processing phases in the order that you want RICOH ProcessDirector to do them. Change the order or drag the steps to a new position. Delete any steps that you do not need. Set default values for some job properties as part of the workflow.
    Note:
  • When they are added to a workflow, step chains are treated like steps. In all of the actions below, references to steps apply to step chains as well.

Workflow editor actions

Action Description Shortcut keys
Add step To add a step, click Step Templates in the top right corner of the window to open the list of available step templates. Click a step template and drag it into the workflow editor. Place the step where you want it.
Show or hide the Step Templates
[Ctrl] + [E]
Add step chain To add a step chain, click Step Chains in the top right corner of the window to open the list of available step chains. Click a step chain and drag it into the workflow editor. Place the step chain where you want it.  
Add connector To add a connector between steps:
  1. Hover over the edge of the step. Click and hold a highlighted section (Image of connector handle) to make the connector appear.
  2. Drag the connector onto the step chain that you want the step chain to connect to. Wait until a section of the step chain is highlighted or your mouse is over the center of the circle, and release the mouse button. You can attach the connector to the top, bottom, or either side of the step.
  
Properties To change any other properties for a step, or connector, right-click it and select Properties.  
Associate a rule with a connector If the step has more than one outbound connector, you must specify the conditions that determine which branch a job should follow. You must also determine the order to use when evaluating the branches. The evaluation is done with rules set on each connector. To associate a rule with a connector:
  1. Right-click the connector and select Properties.
  2. Specify a conditional processing rule for the connector.
  3. Specify the Order of execution property value so that the conditions for the rule are tested in the correct order. For example, if a step is connected to three different steps, RICOH ProcessDirector first attempts to send each job through the connector with an Order of execution value of 1. If a job does not meet the conditions for that connector, RICOH ProcessDirector attempts to send the job through the connector with an Order of execution value of 2. If a job does not meet those conditions either, RICOH ProcessDirector attempts to send the job through the final connector. The order is shown in a dot next to the rule name on the connector label. If the job doesn’t meet the criteria for the last connector, job sits in a No matching connector state.

Step chains must have one entry point, a single step at the beginning of the step chain that all jobs process through. They can, however, have multiple endpoints, or steps with no outbound connector. When a step chain is placed in a workflow, it might be connected to one or more steps for jobs both entering and exiting the step chain. If the step chain has multiple endpoints, all of the end points continue processing following the outbound connector. If there are multiple outbound connectors, each endpoint is evaluated against the connectors following the order of execution and the job proceeds down the correct path.

  
Adding step on a connector If you need to add a step between two steps that are already connected, you can drop a step directly on the connector.

Adding a step on a single connector, splits the connector in two, one on each side of added step. When the connector is divided to insert the step, any rules that are set on the connector move to the incoming connector.

If a step has multiple outbound connectors, you can drop another step on one, some, or all of them. If you drop a step on a location where the connectors are merged to look like one line, you must select the branches that should include the step. A single connector becomes the inbound connector into the new step and a new outbound connector is created from the new step to each destination.

  • If the step is added only to the one branch, the rule logic moves to the incoming connector of the new step.
  • If the step is added to multiple branches, existing rules move to the output connectors of the new step.

Similarly, if a step has multiple inbound connectors and you drop the step on a location where the connectors are merged into one line, you must select the branches that should include the step. An inbound connector is created from each of the source steps to the new step and a new outbound connector line is created from the new step to the destination step. When the branch is divided to insert the step, existing rules are moved to the input connectors of the new step.

    Note:
  • The execution order of the connectors from the original source are preserved on the new connectors.
  
Replace one step with another To a replace a step, drag and drop the new step onto the one you want to replace. You see a confirmation message. Click OK.
    Note:
  • You can also replace a step with a step chain or replace a step chain with a step.
  • You can replace a step with a new step or step chain from Step Template or Step Chain window or with a disconnected step or step chain that is already in the Workflow Editor.
  • Rules associated with connectors are preserved, but the replaced step or step chain and associated properties are removed from the workflow.
  
Search To search the Workflow Editor for a specific step, click theSearch icon in the top right corner and enter the step name in the search field that appears.
    Note:
  • When you search in a workflow for a step, steps inside step chains are not shown. You can open a step chain and search for a step inside it.
  
Copy To copy a single step, right-click it and select Copy.
    Note:
  • When you copy an object, it replaces any object on your clipboard until you copy text or another object or you close the Workflow Editor.
[Ctrl] + [C]
Paste To paste a copied single step, right-click on a blank piece of workflow editor and select Paste.
    Note:
  • If you select an ineligible location in the Workflow Editor to paste the step, the paste action is grayed out in the menu.
  • If you do not have an eligible RICOH ProcessDirector object on the clipboard, the paste action is grayed out in the menu.
 
Delete To delete a step, or connector, right-click it and select Delete.

To delete a set of selected steps, right-click on the highlighted area and select Delete.

    Note:
  • Deleting a step that is connected to other steps also deletes the connectors.
 [Del]
Undo To undo actions, right-click on the workflow editor and select Undo one or more times. [Ctrl] + [Z]
Redo To reverse an Undo action, right-click on the workflow editor and select Redo one or more times. [Ctrl] + [Y]
Select a set of steps To select a set of steps that are near each other, press and hold the Shift key. While holding Shift key, click on a blank space on the Workflow Editor and drag the mouse to draw a box around the steps, then release the mouse button. All the steps inside the box are selected.

To select a set of steps that are not near each other, press and hold the Ctrl key. While holding Ctrl key, click on the steps you want to select.

You can combine both selection methods to choose the desired steps.

To deselect one or more steps from your selection, press and hold the Ctrl key. While holding the Ctrl key, click on the steps you want to deselect.

    Note:
  • After the steps are selected, right-click on one of the highlighted steps to view available options.
  
Save as a step chain To save a set of steps as a step chain:
  1. Select the steps you want to save as a step chain.
  2. Right-click on the highlighted area, and select Save as Step Chain.
  3. Fill in the values and click OK.
    Note:
  • The Save as Step Chain action is not available if you included a step chain in the selection, or if the set of selected steps are not connected to make a valid step chain.
  • When the step chain is created, the set of selected steps are replaced on the Workflow Editor by the step chain.
  • If you undo this action, the steps are restored on the Workflow Editor, however the step chain object is not deleted. It is saved in the Step Chains list.
  
Change the order of steps To change the order of the steps, drag a step to a new position. The connectors reposition themselves as the step moves.  
Move a set of steps in the workflow To move a set of steps, select the group of steps. Move your mouse pointer inside the box and press the left mouse button. Drag the group to a new position and release the mouse button.  
Resize phase You can resize phases to fit more steps. Hover over the right end of the phase until the cursor changes then click and drag the phase bar until the phase is big enough for your needs.  
Repositioning the workflow in the window To reposition the workflow in the window, click the left mouse button and drag until you see the part of the workflow you want to work with or click the Map (Image of Map button) icon. In the Map window, a rectangle shows what part of the workflow is currently displayed.

Click and drag the rectangle to show different parts of the workflow. Click and drag the top of the Map window to move it to a different location on the screen. Click and drag the top right corner of the Map window to resize it.
Show or hide the Map
[Ctrl] + [M]
Zoom in or out To zoom in and out, use the mouse wheel, or the Ctrl + and Ctrl – keys. To use the Map, click and drag the circle in the lower right corner of the rectangle in the Map window. To restore the workflow to its default zoom (100%), right-click on the workflow editor and select Zoom to 100%. To restore the Map window and the workflow to its default zoom and location, click Reset in the Map window.
Zoom in
[Ctrl] + [+]
Zoom out
[Ctrl] + [-]
Zoom to 100%
[Ctrl] + [0]
Reset view
[Ctrl] + [D]
Save the workflow To save the workflow, right-click on the workflow editor and select Save workflow or Save workflow as.
    Note:
  • Saving the workflow does not check for missing required properties or connections. You can save the workflow, do other work in RICOH ProcessDirector, and return to complete your workflow later.
Save workflow
[Ctrl] + [S]
Save a workflow in image You can save a workflow in an image format to include in your internal reference material. To save the workflow as image, right-click on the workflow editor and select Save workflow as image.  
Enable When you are ready to use the workflow, enable it by clicking the Enable switch (Image of switch) to the left of the workflow name. RICOH ProcessDirector validates the workflow when you enable it. If any steps are not connected properly, RICOH ProcessDirector issues a message.  

Related information:

Workflow Editor
Parent topic: Workflow page