Publishing a Workflow or Business Process

Workflow and business process definitions must be published to the Workflow Server and assigned a starting rule or business process rule before they become operational.

Both workflows and business processes are published in the same way, with the exception that if Laserfiche client applications are allowed to view and/or start a business process (configured in the Business Process Options property box), then you will be prompted to log in to a Laserfiche repository. Learn more.

Free Training: Publishing and Testing a Workflow in Laserfiche 11 eLearning course in Aspire.

Publish using one of the following methods.

Publishing Wizard

The Publishing Wizard is one of two ways to publish a workflow definition. This method reminds you to create starting rules by default. You can change the default behavior of the publishing process from the Publishing node of the Options dialog box.

Note: The Publishing Wizard is intended for publishing workflows only. The Publishing Wizard is not recommended for publishing business processes. Learn about publishing business processes.

Note: If you re-publish a workflow, the workflow will be published as a new version. You will have a choice to update currently running workflows to the new version or to allow currently running workflows to finish running as the previous version. All future workflow instances will run as the new version.

Using the Publishing Wizard

  1. Ensure the workflow you want to publish is visible in the Workflow Designer.
  2. Under Workflow in the main menu, point to Publish and select Launch Publishing Wizard. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcutCTRL+SHIFT+W.

  3. In the opening screen of the Publishing Wizard, type in a Workflow Name and optionally a Description.

  4. Click Publish.
  5. If your workflow cannot be published, you will see a list of validation errors that need to be fixed in the workflow or receive an error message. If your workflow successfully publishes, you will be prompted to create a starting rule.
    • Select the Create a starting rule after publishing checkbox, and click Next to use the Rule Wizard to create a condition or schedule starting rule.
    • Clear the Create a starting rule after publishing checkbox, and click Finish to publish without creating a starting rule.

      • Note: A published workflow must be assigned a starting rule before it becomes operational unless it is invoked by another workflow.

Publishing with the Toolbar Button

Publishing with the toolbar button is one way to publish a workflow definition. You can also publish workflows using the Publishing Wizard.

Using the toolbar button is the fastest way to re-publish a workflow after you have made changes to it. When you publish with the toolbar button, you will not be prompted to open the Workflow Rule Wizard unless the workflow you are publishing does not have a starting rule. You can change the default behavior of the publishing process from the Publishing node of the Options dialog box.

Note: Unless a published workflow is invoked by another workflow, a published workflow must be assigned a starting rule before it becomes operational.

Note: If you re-publish a workflow, the workflow will be published as a new version. You will have a choice to update currently running workflows to the new version or to allow currently running workflows to finish running as the previous version. All future workflow instances will run as the new version.

To publish using the toolbar button

  1. Ensure the workflow you want to publish is visible in the Workflow Designer.
  2. Select the publish button (a workflow with a green arrow on it) from the toolbar. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcutCTRL+W.
  3. The Publishing Workflow - Please Wait dialog box will appear. When it disappears, your workflow has been published, and you will see a message box telling you your workflow was published successfully.

    4. Note: If you are re-publishing an existing workflow, you will be prompted as to whether you want to replace the existing workflow. Click Yes to continue or No to cancel the publishing process.

    Note: If your workflow cannot be published, you will see a list of validation errors that need to be fixed in the workflow or receive an error message

  4. If you have not configured a starting rule for the workflow, you will be prompted to create a starting rule.

    • Click Condition or Schedule to create a condition or schedule starting rule.
    • Click No to publish a workflow without creating a starting rule. Workflows without starting rules will not run unless they are invoked by other workflows.
    • Check Do not show me again, to no longer see this prompt dialog box when publishing a workflow without a starting rule.

      • Note: You can configure which prompts are shown or hidden in the Prompts node of the Options dialog box.