Start workflow

The Start Workflow task in Zeroplat allows you to trigger a predefined BPM workflow (Business Process Management flow) as part of your event logic. This is typically used when user actions (like submitting a form or clicking a button) should initiate an approval process, request flow, or any workflow defined in your BPM module.

Purpose

• Start an existing workflow (designed and published in Zeroplat BPM).
• Pass data or parameters into the workflow.
• Automate approval flows, business rules, and long-running processes.
• Integrate UI actions (e.g., button click) with back-end business processes.

Anatomy

1. Canvas Block
   • Shows the Start workflow step in the event flow.
   • Can be connected to other tasks (e.g., notifications, close page).
2. Properties Panel (right side)
   • Step name → Rename the step for clarity (e.g., Start Salary Request Flow).
   • Select workflow → Dropdown listing all available workflows (e.g., SalaryRequestFlow).
   • Show success message → Toggle to display a confirmation toast when workflow starts successfully.
   • Success message → Custom message (default: “Your transaction send to approval.”).
   • Use if state for response → Enables conditional logic based on workflow response (used for branching).
3. Flow Connections
   • onSuccess → Path taken when the workflow starts successfully.
   • onFailure → Path taken when the workflow fails (e.g., due to validation, missing data, or server errors).

How It Works

1. Workflow Creation
   • Workflows are designed separately in the BPM engine.
   • Each workflow has a unique name (e.g., SalaryRequestFlow, LeaveApprovalFlow).
2. Triggering a Workflow
   • In the Event Designer, add the Start Workflow task.
   • Select which workflow should be triggered.
3. Execution
   • When the event is triggered (e.g., a button click), Zeroplat calls the workflow engine to start the selected workflow instance.
   • Parameters can be passed (if supported by the workflow design).
4. Result Handling
   • If the workflow is started successfully → onSuccess path runs.
   • If an error occurs → onFailure path runs.

Example 1: Start Salary Request Workflow

• Button → onClick → Start Workflow (SalaryRequestFlow) → Show notification (“Your salary request has been sent for approval.”)

Properties

• Workflow: SalaryRequestFlow
• Show success message: enabled
• Success message: “Your transaction send to approval.”

Example 2: Workflow with Success & Failure Handling

• Execute: LeaveApprovalFlow
• onSuccess → Close page + Show notification “Request submitted successfully.”
• onFailure → Show notification “Error submitting request.”

Property Reference

Step name

• Optional label for identifying the task.
• Example: Start Leave Approval Flow.

Select workflow

• Dropdown of available workflows in the BPM engine.
• Must select one to proceed.

Show success message

• Displays a toast on successful workflow initiation.
• Example: “Your request was sent for approval.”

Success message

• Customizable confirmation message.

Use if state for response

• Enables branching logic depending on the workflow’s initial response.
• Useful for workflows that return a status (e.g., approvedImmediately, queued, error).

Best Practices

• Always show user feedback (use success/failure notifications).
• Use clear workflow names so non-technical users can understand the process (e.g., “Leave Request Flow”).
• Chain with UI tasks (close modal, reset form, navigate to dashboard).
• Handle errors gracefully using onFailure → Show notification or redirect.
• Use state binding for complex workflows (capture response data into variables for later steps).

Example Use Cases

1. Approval Request

• User clicks Submit Request → Start workflow (ApprovalFlow) → Notify “Request submitted.”

2. Expense Reporting

• Button → Start workflow (ExpenseApprovalFlow)
• onSuccess → Navigate to My Requests page
• onFailure → Show error notification

3. Multi-Step User Flow

• Start workflow (OnboardingFlow)
• Save returned workflow instance ID into a variable
• Use it later to poll for progress

AQ

Q: Can workflows accept parameters?
A: Yes. If the workflow is designed to accept input, you can pass variables or component values into it.

Q: What happens if the workflow fails to start?
A: The onFailure path runs, allowing you to show an error or retry.

Q: Does the workflow run immediately or async?
A: Workflow initiation is immediate, but the process itself may be long-running (depending on the BPM design).

Q: What’s the difference between Execute Query vs Start Workflow?

• Execute Query = runs a direct SQL/API/JS query.
• Start Workflow = initiates a BPM process (approval flow, multi-step business logic).

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👉 In summary: Start Workflow is the bridge between user interactions and Zeroplat’s BPM engine. It lets you trigger complex approval or process flows from UI actions, with full support for success/failure handling and user feedback.