Tasks

A Universal Controller task executes a process on a machine, either local or remote. The process might be resident on the machine (agent-based process), or the task itself (such as a File Monitor task) might embed the process.

You can launch tasks within Workflows, by way of triggers, or manually.

Task Types

Built-In Variables

Several built-in variables are available for use in all task types; other built-in variables exist for specific task types.

Creating a Task

There are multiple ways to create a task:

1. On the All Tasks list, click the New drop-down list and select a task type. A Task Details pop-up displays that lets you enter / select information for a new task.
2. On the Tasks list for a specific task type, click the New icon. A Task Details pop-up displays that lets you enter / select information for a new task.
3. In the empty (except for default values) Task Details that displays below the task list for a specific task type, enter / select information for a new task. If the Task Details displays information for an existing task, click the New button to clear the Task Details and enter / select information for a new task.
4. Create a copy of a task by clicking the Copy button in the Task Details and renaming the task.

For detailed information on creating a task for a specific task type, click that task type in the Task Types table, above.

All Tasks List

To display a list of all currently defined tasks for all task types, from the Automation Center navigation pane select Tasks > All Tasks. The All Tasks list displays.
 

All Tasks List Information

The following table provides a description of the default columns that display on the All Tasks list.

For information about customizing this list, including filtering, sorting, searching, and other list features, see Record Lists.

<Task Type> Tasks List

If you select Tasks > <Task Type> from the Automation Center navigation pane, a tasks list for that selected task type displays.

For example:
 

<Task Type> Tasks List Information

The default columns that display on a <Task Type> Tasks list are specific to that type of task.

Task Details

When you click a task in a Tasks List, Task Details below the list displays all currently defined information for that task.
 

Use the scroll bar on the right to view more of the Details, or click the Details icon next to the Name of the task to display a pop-up version of the task Details.
 

For more information on viewing Details of any record type, including tasks, see Records.

For information on Details for a specific task type, click the appropriate link in Task Types, above.

Task Instance Details

When you run a task, the Controller create a task instance of that task.

You can view task instance details either by:

• From the Task Details, click the Instances tab and select a task instance of that task.
• Select a task instance from the Activity Monitor.
• Select a task instance from the Task Instances list.
   

Additional Task and Task Instance Details

For information on how to access additional details - such as Metadata and complete database Details - for Tasks and Task Instances (or any type of record), see Records.

Task Instance Status History

The Status History of every task instance is contained in the Metadata and database Details. You also can select to display Status History for every task instance on the Activity Monitor, Task Instances list, and the History list.

User-Defined Fields

You can define two fields that will display in the General Information section of the task Details for every existing and new task and task instance.

To define a user-defined field:

1. Enter a value in either (or both) of the following Universal Controller system properties:
   User Defined Task Field 1 Label
   User Defined Task Field 2 Label
2. To specify whether or not a user-defined field is required, enter a value in the appropriate Universal Controller system property:
   User Defined Task Field 1 Required
   User Defined Task Field 2 Required
3. Re-login or click your browser refresh button to see the field(s) in every task Details. In either case, all unsaved changes will be lost, including any open application tabs.

URLs in User-Defined Fields

You can enter a URL in a user-defined field in any task Details. Format: http://, https://, and ftp:// are supported. For example: https://www.stonebranch.com.

An icon, which links to the URL resource, will automatically display next to the field. If you select that user-defined field as a column in the tasks list for that task type, the URL displays as a link in that column for that task. When you click the field icon or the URL link in the column, the URL resource will open in a new browser tab.

Updating Tasks

To save information that you have changed in a task, you must click the Update button that displays above and below the Task Details.

If the task is contained in one or more Workflows, and the Confirm Update For Tasks In Workflows Universal Controller system property value is set to true, the Confirm Update dialog displays when you click Update.
 

The Confirm Update dialog allows you to see which Workflows could be impacted by the update.

It displays, by default, two columns of information:

You also can display the following additional column by right-clicking either column header and selecting it from Columns on the Action menu:

Click the OK button to update the task, or click the Cancel button.

For information on updating multiple tasks, see Updating Multiple Records.

Deleting Tasks

To delete a task, either:

• Right-click the task in a tasks list and, on the displayed Action menu, click Delete.
• Open the task and click the Delete button.
   

Viewing Task Parents

You can view any parent Workflow information for a task either by:

• Clicking the View Parents button in the Task Details
• Displaying the Action menu from the Task Details or Tasks list and then selecting View Parents.

In either case, a View Parents dialog displays:
 

The View Parents dialog displays, by default, two columns of information:

You also can display the following additional column by right-clicking either column header and selecting it from Columns on the Action menu:

Additional Information

The following pages provide additional information related to the creation of tasks:

• Creating Task Actions
• Copying Tasks
• Setting Mutually Exclusive Tasks
• Creating Notes