Lifecycle Definition Designer

Menu Path: None

To use Lifecycle Definition Designer, select a workflow definition and click the Definition Designer button in Lifecycle Definition Maintenance.

Purpose

Design workflow definition diagrams.

Overview

Use Lifecycle Definition Designer to set up a diagram of the tasks, sections, tabs, and flow of a workflow definition. Each workflow definition diagram can be set up to assign a product lifecycle management team to tasks, and can be set up to define the links between tasks. These links determine which tasks are prerequisites for other tasks, and which settings are used to link tasks.

Note Assigned users can perform data entry for any tasks in a workflow regardless of the links set up between tasks in the workflow definition. However, users can only mark tasks as completed if all required tasks are completed.

For more information on setting up workflow definitions, see Creating Product Lifecycle Management Workflow Definitions.

Note If you update the design of an existing workflow definition, changes only appear for new workflows. Existing workflows do not reflect the changes.

Ribbon Home Tab Buttons

Button	Description
OK	Click this button to close the Lifecycle Definition Designer window, and save the workflow definition diagram.
Cancel	Click this button to close the Lifecycle Definition Designer window without saving any changes.
Task Maintenance	Click this button to display Lifecycle Task Maintenance, which allows you to set up tasks for product lifecycle management.
Ribbon Links	Click this button to display Ribbon Link Maintenance, which allows you to set up ribbon buttons so users can launch programs. Note The ribbon buttons will appear for all tabs in the workflow. If you want to set up ribbon buttons to appear for a single tab, access Ribbon Link Maintenance from Lifecycle Task Maintenance. The icon for this button includes a check mark if ribbon links are set up for the workflow.

Main Tab Fields and Buttons

Field or Button	Description
Workflow Type	This field displays the workflow type for the selected workflow definition.
Workflow Level	This field displays the workflow level for the selected workflow definition.
Definition Code	This field displays the workflow definition code for the selected workflow definition.
Tasks	This pane lists the tabs set up for the workflow type and workflow level. Click the right-arrow to the left of a tab name to expand it and view the sections set up for the tab. Click the right-arrow to the left of a section to expand it and view the tasks set up for the section. Drag a tab, section, or task to the Definition Diagram pane (to the right of the Tasks pane) to add it to the workflow definition. For information on setting up tabs, sections, and tasks, see Creating Product Lifecycle Management Tasks. Double-click a task to display Lifecycle Task Maintenance, which allows you to view and update information for the task.
Definition Diagram	Use this pane to set up the tasks for the workflow definition. Drag tabs, sections, or tasks that you want to include in the workflow definition from the Tasks pane. Each dragged tab, section, or task appears as a Tab, Section, or Task box. If the status of a tab, section, or task is a prerequisite for other tabs, sections, or tasks, right-click it, select Add Status, and select the appropriate status. You can then drag the status to a tab, section, or task to draw a prerequisite arrow that indicates the process flow. You can right-click a box, select Assign Team, and select a team to which to assign each tab, section, or task. You can select Rule Based instead of a team if you want to assign teams based on team rules set up in Lifecycle Rule Maintenance. Team assignments can also be set up to default for tasks in Lifecycle Task Maintenance. If you want to set up security for a tab, section, or task, right-click it, and select Set Security. The Workflow Definition Security window appears and allows you to set up a security level for the task. If a task can be skipped by users, right-click the Task box, and select May Skip. The Task box appears in gray to indicate the task can be skipped. To add an alert for a tab, section, or task, right-click it and select Add Alert. The Lifecycle Rule Entry window appears, and allows you to set up the alert. To change the order of tabs, sections, or tasks that will display in data entry windows for the workflow definition, right-click, and select Override Order. The Screen Build Order Override appears and allows you to change the order. Note The order is set up automatically based on the relationships between tasks. The Override Order option is only available if Simplified mode is disabled. If you want to create a new tab, right-click a blank space in the pane, and select New Tab. The Lifecycle Task Maintenance window appears, and allows you to enter settings for the new tab. If you want to create a new section, right-click a tab, and select New Section. The Lifecycle Task Maintenance window appears, and allows you to enter settings for the new section. If you want to create a new task, right-click a tab or section, and select New Task. The Lifecycle Task Maintenance window appears, and allows you to enter settings for the new task. If you want to copy an existing task, right-click a task, and select Copy. The Lifecycle Task Maintenance window appears, and allows you to enter settings for the new task. For more detailed information on using this pane, see Using Lifecycle Definition Designer.