When Workflow Automation receives an event from a data source, Workflow Automation evaluates the workflows currently in production to find a matching trigger. If a workflow has multiple triggers associated with it, Workflow Automation evaluates the triggers in the order they are specified on the Start of Workflow activity. If the event matches a trigger, Workflow Automation initiates a work item.
If the event matches triggers for multiple workflows, Workflow Automation prioritizes the workflows based on their assigned trigger processing order, and then starts the appropriate workflows based on the event consumption policy assigned to each matching workflow.
When an incoming event matches the same trigger on multiple workflows, Workflow Automation prioritizes the workflows using the trigger processing order setting for each workflow, placing the workflow with the highest setting at the top of the list. Workflow Automation checks the event consumption policy for the first workflow, and then continues as directed. The maximum setting is 100.
WARNING:When setting the trigger processing order for a group of workflows matching the same events, ensure only one has the highest setting. If you configure two workflows to be at the top of the list, Workflow Automation picks the first one it reads from the database, based on database syntax.
The event consumption policy for a workflow determines how the workflow responds to an incoming event that matches its assigned trigger. Each policy marks the event at the time of use, even if the policy prevents the event from matching any workflows lower in the trigger processing order.
To set the consumption policy for multiple workflows that use the same trigger, use one of the following options:
Consume - Use the event and stop. The event will not start any matching workflows lower in the trigger processing order.
Mark and Pass - Use the event and continue. The event may start additional matching workflows lower in the trigger processing order.
To set the consumption policy for multiple workflows that use different triggers, use one of the following options:
Use if Not Marked - Use the event if it has not already started a matching workflow higher in the trigger processing order, and then stop. The event will not start any matching workflows lower in the trigger processing order.
Use if Not Marked and Pass - Use the event if it has not already started a matching workflow higher in the trigger processing order, and then continue. The event may start additional matching workflows lower in the trigger processing order.
You can set the event consumption policy and the trigger processing order for a workflow revision that is under construction.
To set the trigger processing and event consumption policies for a workflow:
In the Navigation pane, click Processes.
In the left pane, select the appropriate process.
In the Workflow Revisions list, select the workflow revision for which you want to set the event consumption policy.
In the Workflow Revision Tasks list, click View Workflow Revision Properties.
On the Workflow Revision Properties window, click the Workflow tab.
Under Policies, provide the appropriate information, and then click OK.