Exposing workflows

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You can quickly make workflows available for use in external systems, such as IBM Concert, by exposing them. When you expose a workflow, it also becomes discoverable and callable via external API requests.

Exposing a workflow is simpler than deploying a workflow. To deploy a workflow, you must first configure an API, stage, and endpoint, and link them to the workflow. None of these steps are required to expose a workflow. You can expose it directly in the workflow list or the workflow editor.

Note:
  • Exposing a workflow enables access to its metadata. For example, if you add tags to a workflow and then expose it, external systems can use these tags to categorize and filter the workflow. For more information about adding tags, see Creating workflows or Using workflows.
  • Like tiled, scheduled, and deployed workflows, exposed workflows are considered to be active and are counted in the total number of active workflows in your instance. They are also included in system performance tracking metrics.
  • Only a workflow's owner or the system administrator can expose a workflow.

Exposing a workflow in the workflow list

  1. Open the Workflows page.
    1. If you are connected to another application, click Workflows.
    2. In the IBM® Concert Workflows® sidebar, click Workflows.
  2. In the workflow list, select the workflow that you want to make externally available.
  3. In the Actions menu, click Automate > Expose externally.
  4. In the dialog, in the Exposure path field, specify a unique path to identify the workflow. The path must start with a slash (/).
  5. Optional: To ensure that the workflow is run asynchronously by the external request, click Asynchronous execution.
    • By default, the workflow is run synchronously, that is, the external request to run the workflow does not receive a response until the workflow's execution is completed.
    • In asynchronous execution, a successful response to the external request is sent instantly. This response includes an ID that can then be used to fetch the state of the workflow's execution.
  6. Click Expose.
    • The workflow is now available for external systems to discover and run.
    • In the workflow list, an Exposed tag is shown for the workflow. When you hover over this tag, the unique exposure path is shown.
  7. Optional: List all exposed workflows via an external API request.
    • Use this API endpoint to list exposed workflows: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api/v1/exposures/search

      Replace <host_IP_or_FQDN> with the IP address or (FQDN) of the host where IBM Concert Workflows® runs.

    • In the API request, to filter the returned results, you can specify filter parameters for the workflow's exposure path and its tag values. For more information, see the Swagger API documentation that is available on your instance at: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api
    • In the API response, take note of the parameters that are returned for any workflows that you might want to run.
  8. Optional: Run an exposed workflow via an external API request.
    • Use this API endpoint to run an exposed workflow: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api/v1/exposures/trigger
    • To run a workflow via this API, you must include the workflow's exposure path and required parameters in the API call. For more information, see the Swagger API documentation that is available on your instance at: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api
  9. Optional: Update the path of the exposed workflow.
    1. In the Actions menu, click Edit exposure.
    2. In the dialog, in the Exposure path field, update the unique path of the exposed workflow.
    3. Click Save.
  10. Optional: Remove external access to the workflow.
    1. In the Actions menu, click Edit exposure.
    2. In the dialog, click Remove exposure. The workflow is no longer externally available.

Exposing a workflow in the workflow editor

  1. Open the Workflows page.
    1. If you are connected to another application, click Workflows.
    2. In the IBM Concert Workflows® sidebar, click Workflows.
  2. In the workflow list, click the workflow that you want to make externally available. The workflow is opened in the editor.
  3. In the workflow editor, click Workflow actions > Expose externally.
  4. In the dialog, in the Exposure path field, specify a unique path to identify the workflow. The path must start with a slash (/).
  5. Optional: To ensure that the workflow is run asynchronously by the external request, click Asynchronous execution.
    • By default, the workflow is run synchronously, that is, the external request to run the workflow does not receive a response until the workflow's execution is completed.
    • In asynchronous execution, a successful response to the external request is sent instantly. This response includes an ID that can then be used to fetch the state of the workflow's execution.
  6. Click Expose.
    • The workflow is now available for external systems to discover and run.
    • In the workflow list, an Exposed tag is shown for the workflow. When you hover over this tag, the unique exposure path is shown.
  7. Optional: List all exposed workflows via an external API request.
    • Use this API endpoint to list exposed workflows: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api/v1/exposures/search

      Replace <host_IP_or_FQDN> with the IP address or (FQDN) of the host whereIBM Concert Workflows® runs.

    • In the API request, to filter the returned results, you can specify filter parameters for the workflow's exposure path and its tag values. For more information, see the Swagger API documentation that is available on your instance at: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api
    • In the API response, take note of the parameters that are returned for any workflows that you might want to run.
  8. Optional: Run an exposed workflow via an external API request.
    • Use this API endpoint to run an exposed workflow: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api/v1/exposures/trigger
    • To run a workflow via this API, you must include the workflow's exposure path and required parameters in the API call. For more information, see the Swagger API documentation that is available on your instance at: https://<host_IP_or_FQDN>/api
  9. Optional: Update the name of the exposed workflow.
    1. In the workflow editor, click Workflow actions > Edit exposure.
    2. In the dialog, in the Exposure path field, update the unique path of the exposed workflow.
    3. Click Save.
  10. Optional: Remove external access to the workflow.
    1. In the workflow editor, click Workflow actions > Edit exposure.
    2. In the dialog, click Remove exposure. The workflow is no longer externally available.