Conditions and process flow
Conditions define how the system evaluates data and selects paths within order processing workflows. By using conditions, you control branching logic and make sure that processing follows the correct route based on business rules and order attributes. Conditions help keep process flows flexible and predictable, while they support consistent decision‑making across different order scenarios.
Overview
Conditions are a core part of process modeling in Sterling™ Order Management System. They represent decision points within process flows and determine which path the system follows as an order moves through a pipeline. Conditions evaluate document data and system context at runtime, but they do not perform work themselves. Instead, they control whether processing continues along a particular path.
Conditions are used throughout order processing to control branching in pipelines, enable or bypass logic, and select appropriate processing behavior. Because multiple process steps and configuration elements reference conditions, conditions provide a centralized, reusable way to define business decision logic.
How conditions work in process flows
Conditions are evaluated as the pipeline runs. When the system reaches a conditional step, it evaluates the condition and branches to the next step based on the result.
A typical flow includes the following components.
- A pipeline step that references a condition.
- One or more outgoing paths that represent possible outcomes.
- Subsequent steps that are run only if the condition evaluates to true or false, depending on the configuration.
This approach separates decision logic from processing logic, which helps keep workflows easier to understand and modify.
Types of conditions
- Static conditions
- Static conditions use fixed values that are defined at configuration time. They are useful for simple comparisons and predictable rules.
- Dynamic conditions
- Dynamic conditions evaluate values that change at runtime, such as document attributes, statuses, or context data.
Both types of conditions support common comparison operations and are used for most branching scenarios in process flows.
Conditions as reusable configuration
Conditions are defined independently of specific pipelines or process steps. After it is defined, a condition can be referenced in multiple workflows.
Because of this reuse:
- A single change to a condition can affect multiple process flows.
- Understanding where a condition is used is important before you modify or delete it.
- Impact analysis is a key part of managing condition changes safely.
Relationship to other configuration areas
Conditions work closely with other configuration elements:
- Pipelines use conditions to control flow and branching.
- Transactions rely on conditions to determine whether they run.
- Statuses often change as a result of conditional paths and are evaluated by conditions.
Together, these elements form the control layer of order processing. Conditions determine which path is taken, while transactions and actions determine what work is completed on that path.