Configuring Business Data (Task Inputs and Outputs)
Task business data typically defines the inputs and outputs of a task, and can be added to a task as an Integration Server document type or as a custom business data field.
You have the opportunity to specify the document types and fields you want to use at any time after you create a task. You can also modify the data passed into and out of the task. For more information, see About the Task Data Envelope and Modifying Task Information in the Task Envelope Data Flow.
You can add business data to a task in the following ways:
- By adding document types and custom fields with the available editors. For more information, see Adding an Integration Server Document Type as Business Data and Adding A Business Data Field with the Editor.
- By creating a new task from an Integration Server document type located in the Package Navigator view. For more information, see Creating a New Task from an Integration Server Document Type.
- By creating step inputs and outputs for a
task activity step using the process editor. For more information, see
IBM webMethods BPM Process Development
Help.
Note: When you add inputs or outputs to a task step in a process, only those business data fields that are marked as In, Out, or InOut will appear in the task business data display on the Overview page of the task editor.
The input fields of a document type (also known as the input signature) define the information that the task expects for input; the output fields (known as the output signature) define the information that is passed on by the task to the next step in the process. A stand-alone task may not require any output elements.
For example, your document type may contain task input elements for "name," "price," and "quantity." Similarly, a document type may define output elements such as "accept" and "escalate." Or, you might include both input and output elements in a single document type.
You can create Integration Server document types in IBM webMethods Designer using the Service Development perspective. For more information about creating a document type, see IBM webMethods Service Development Help.