The workflow editor presents the workflow schema elements in menus on the Schema tab. You can use the schema elements available in the Schema tab to build a workflow.

Table 1. Schema Elements and Icons
Schema Element Name Description Icon Location in Workflow Editor
Start Workflow The starting point of the workflow. All workflows contain this element. A workflow can have only one start element. Start elements have one output and no input, and cannot be removed from the workflow schema.
A workflow schema start element.

Always present on the Schema tab 
Scriptable task General-purpose tasks you define. You write JavaScript functions in this element.
The icon for a scriptable task in a workflow schema.

The Generic workflow palette
Decision A boolean function. Decision elements take one input parameter and return either true or false. The type of decision that the element makes depends on the type of the input parameter. Decision elements let the workflow branch into different directions, depending on the input parameter the decision element receives. If the received input parameter corresponds to an expected value, the workflow continues along a certain route. If the input is not the expected value, the workflow continues on an alternative path.
The icon for a decision element in a workflow schema.

The Generic workflow palette
Custom decision A boolean function. Custom decisions can take several input parameters and process them according to custom scripts. Returns either true or false.
The icon for a custom decision schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Decision activity A boolean function. A decision activity runs a workflow and binds its output parameters to a true or a false path.
The icon for a custom decision schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
User interaction Lets users pass new input parameters to the workflow. You can design how the user interaction element presents the request for input parameters and place constraints on the parameters that users can provide. When a running workflow arrives at a user interaction element, it enters a passive state and prompts the user for input. You can set a timeout period within which the users must provide input. The workflow resumes according to the data the user passes to it, or returns an exception if the timeout period expires. While it is waiting for the user to respond, the workflow token is in the waiting state.
A workflow schema user interaction element.

The Generic workflow palette
Waiting timer Used by long-running workflows. When a running workflow arrives at a Waiting Timer element, it enters a passive state. You set an absolute date at which the workflow resumes running. While it is waiting for the date, the workflow token is in the waiting-signal state.
The icon for a waiting timer workflow schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Waiting event Used in long-running workflows. When a running workflow arrives at a Waiting Event element, it enters a passive state. You define a trigger event that the workflow awaits before it resumes running. While it is waiting for the event, the workflow token is in the waiting-signal state.
The icon for a waiting event workflow schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
End workflow The end point of a workflow. You can have multiple end elements in a schema, to represent the various possible outcomes of the workflow. End elements have one input with no output. When a workflow reaches an End Workflow element, the workflow token enters the completed state.
A workflow schema end element

The Generic workflow palette
Thrown exception Creates an exception and stops the workflow. Multiple occurrences of this element can be present in the workflow schema. Exception elements have one input parameter, which can only be of the String type, and have no output parameter. When a workflow reaches an Exception element, the workflow token enters the failed state.
A workflow schema exception element

The Generic workflow palette
Workflow note Lets you annotate sections of the workflow. You can stretch notes to delineate sections of the workflow. You can change the background color of the notes to differentiate workflow zones. Workflow notes provide only visual information, to help you understand the schema.
The icon for a workflow note element.

The Generic workflow palette
Action element Calls on an action from the Orchestrator libraries of actions. When a workflow reaches an action element, it calls and runs that action.
A workflow schema action element.

The Generic workflow palette
Workflow element Starts another workflow synchronously. When a workflow reaches a Workflow element in its schema, it runs that workflow as part of its own process. The original workflow continues only after the called workflow completes its run.
A workflow element

The Generic workflow palette
Foreach element Runs a workflow on every element from an array. For example, you can run the Rename Virtual Machine workflow on all virtual machines from a folder.
Workflow for each element

The Generic workflow palette
Asynchronous workflow Starts a workflow asynchronously. When a workflow reaches an asynchronous workflow element, it starts that workflow and continues its own run. The original workflow does not wait for the called workflow to complete.
The icon for an asynchronous workflow schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Schedule workflow Creates a task to run the workflow at a set time, and then the workflow continues its run.
The icon for a scheduled workflow schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Nested workflows Starts several workflows simultaneously. You can decide to nest local workflows and remote workflows that are in a different Orchestrator server. You can also run workflows with different credentials. The workflow waits for all the nested workflows to complete before continuing its run.
The icon for a nested workflow schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Handle error Handles an error for a specific workflow element. The workflow can handle the error by creating an exception, calling another workflow, or running a custom script.
The icon for an error handler schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Default error handler Handles workflow errors that are not caught by standard error handlers. You can use any available schema elements to handle errors.
The icon for a default error handler schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Switch Switches to alternative workflow paths, based on a workflow variable or parameter.
The icon for a switch schema element.

The Generic workflow palette
Pre-Defined Task Non-editable scripted elements that perform standard tasks that workflows commonly use. The following tasks are predefined:
Basic
  • Sleep
  • Change credential
  • Wait until date
  • Wait for custom event
  • Send custom event
  • Increase counter
  • Decrease counter
Log
  • System log
  • System warning
  • System error
  • Server log
  • Server warning
  • Server error
  • System+Server log
  • System+Server warning
  • System+Server error
Network
  • HTTP post
  • HTTP get
The Basic, Log, and Network workflow palettes