Creating a workflow

To create a workflow, use the Create Workflow action that is provided in the Workflows table.

1. From the Actions menu, select Create Workflow. The Create Workflow dialog is displayed.
   1. Select a workflow definition file from the list, or type the name of a workflow definition file that resides on the z/OS system on which z/OSMF is running.
      Observe the following considerations:

      • If the workflow definition file resides in a data set member, enter or select the fully qualified data set name, including the member name. Ensure that this data set is cataloged. It is not necessary to enclose the data set name in single quotation marks; z/OSMF ignores the quotation marks if you include them.
      • If the workflow definition file resides in a z/OS UNIX file, enter or select the fully qualified path name of the file, beginning with the forward slash (/) and including the file name.
      For example: /usr/lpp/zosmf/samples/workflow_sample_basic.xml
   2. If a workflow variable input file is available for the workflow, select the workflow variable input file from the list, or type the name of the file as it resides on the z/OS system on which z/OSMF is running. If no workflow variable input file is available, leave this field blank.
      Observe the following considerations:

      • Usually, a workflow variable input file is provided by the workflow provider, or is produced as output from another step in the workflow, or from another workflow. To obtain the name of the workflow variable input file, refer to the workflow documentation or contact the workflow provider.
      • If the workflow variable input file resides in a data set member, enter or select the fully qualified data set name, including the member name. Ensure that this data set is cataloged.
      • If the workflow variable input file resides in a z/OS UNIX file, enter or select the fully qualified path name of the file, beginning with the forward slash (/) and including the file name.
   3. In the System field, select a system for creating the workflow.
      This field is a pull-down selection of the systems that are defined to z/OSMF. You cannot type over the system names. This field defaults to the z/OS system on which z/OSMF is running.

      Any jobs or scripts in the workflow are run on this system. Similarly, any work that you perform manually for the workflow is done on this system.

   4. To continue, click Next.
      If z/OSMF detects a conflict in the inputs variables file, a dialog is shown to prompt for a user selection. For more information, see Resolving a conflict in variable definitions.
   5. Complete the following steps:
      1. In the Workflow name field, enter a descriptive name for the workflow. If the workflow definition specifies a default name for the workflow, it is shown here. Otherwise, the Workflows task initializes this field to a predetermined name for the workflow, based on the following convention:

         <workflow-description>–Workflow_<number>

         Where:
         • workflow-description is the description from the workflow definition file
         • number is the first available number, beginning at 0. If you later delete this workflow, its number can be reused by the Workflows task.
         You can accept this name, or enter a name of your own choosing. The workflow name:

         • Must be unique in the Workflows task.
         • Can contain up to 100 alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, #, $, and @).
         • Must not contain the characters for ampersand ('&'), forward slash ('/'), greater than ('>'), or less than ('<').

         The workflow name is not case-sensitive; for example: MyWorkflow and MYWORKFLOW are the same workflow.

      2. In the Owner user ID field, specify the user ID of the person who holds the overall responsibility for completing the workflow. Select a user ID from the list, which contains up to 10 previously specified user IDs. Otherwise, type the user ID as it is defined to your z/OS security management product, such as RACF. A valid user ID consists of 1 to 8 alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, #, $, and @).

         This field defaults to your user ID.

      3. In the Comments field, you can enter any information that you want to associate with this action (up to 500 characters). Your comment is added to the existing comments in the workflow history.
      4. Optionally, specify an access type for the workflow. For more information about access type, see Workflow access type.
      5. Select Open workflow on finish if you want to go to the Steps page for the workflow on completion of create workflow action. Otherwise, clear this option. By default, this option is selected.
      6. Select Assign all steps to owner user ID if you want all of the steps to be assigned to, and accepted by, the workflow owner on creation of the workflow. Otherwise, leave this check box cleared (the default).
      For your reference, this window includes the following details about the workflow to be created, which z/OSMF obtains from the workflow definition file:

      Description

      Description of the function that the workflow provides.

      Vendor

      Name of the vendor that provided the workflow definition.

      Version

      Version of the workflow definition.

      Is Callable

      Indicates whether the workflow can be called by another workflow, and, if so, the callable range for the workflow. One of the following values is displayed:

      In the same system

      When called by another workflow, one instance of this workflow is used in the local system. If an existing instance of the called workflow is not already active, the Workflows task creates a new instance of the called workflow for the system.

      In the same sysplex

      When called by another workflow, one instance of this workflow is used in the sysplex. If an existing instance of the called workflow is not already active, the Workflows task creates a new instance of the called workflow for the sysplex.

      Cannot be called by another workflow

      This workflow cannot be called by another workflow.

2. Click Finish to create the workflow.