Viewing Task Instances for a Specific Task

Owned by Former user (Deleted)
Last updated: Apr 14, 2023 by Stonebranch
4 min read

Introduction

From the Task Details of any task, you can display a list of task instances for that task and the Details of any specific task instance.

The list will display all task instances for which there has been a status change or a modification to the task instance record within the last 30 days.

You also can display Details of any specific task instance from the:

Displaying Task Instance Details

Step 1

From the Automation Center navigation pane, select the task from the Tasks > All Tasks or Tasks > <task type> Tasks list. The Task Details for that task displays.

Step 2

Click the Instances tab. A list of instances for that task displays.
 
You can change the default time constraint for the display of task instances on the tab via the Task Instances Tab Time Constraint user preference.
 

Step 3

Click the Details icon next to any Instance Name on the list to display the Details for that task instance.

Displaying Additional Task Instance Details

You can display additional Details for a task instance by right-clicking anywhere in the task instance to display an Action menu, and then selecting any of the following options from that menu:

Show Metadata

Displays Metadata for the task instance, including a status history.

Show Details

Displays complete database details for the task instance.

Show Variables

Displays a list of all variables available to the task instance, including any variables inherited from the parent or embedded (sub-Workflow) Workflow of the task instance.

Show Task Instance Variables

The Action menu for every task instance record Details contains a Details sub-menu. If you click Show Variables on this sub-menu, a Show Variables tab opens.

The Show Variables tab lists all variables available to the task instance. Variables inherited from the parent or embedded (sub-Workflow) Workflow of a task instance are listed in their own sections.

Field

Description

Name

Name of the variable.

Value

Value of the variable.
 
If the variable was defined by using the Variables tab on a trigger, task, or workflow (that is, a Local Variable), and it is a composite of other variables and/or functions, it will remain a composite of those variables and/or functions. Each time that variable is resolved, it will produce a dynamic resolution, which could differ from the previous resolution. The Resolved Value field will show what that variable would resolve to now.
 
For example: unique_id=${ops_task_name}-${ops_task_id}-${ops_task_ref_count}-${_date()}
 
If the variable was defined by using a Set Variable action for a task or workflow, and it is a composite of other variables, the value would be fully resolved.

Resolved Value

If the variable is a composite of other variables and/or functions; value that the variable would resolve to now.
 
For example, using unique_id from the Value field, above: unique_id=stonebranch-task-variables-01-15011667358096523778SIEIVG8EX3J9-10-2017-07-27 16:03:38-0400

Inherited

Indication (Yes or No) for whether a variable defined in the workflow hierarchy, or globally, would be inherited by the task instance.
 
For example, if the task instance already has that variable defined within its own scope, or within a more direct workflow scope, the variable would not be inherited.
 
(This field is not applicable for variables defined within the task instances own scope.)

Buttons

This section identifies the buttons displayed below the list of variables.

Print

Allows you to print the Show Variables table.

Refresh

Refreshes the information in the Show Variables table.

Show Global

Shows Global variables in the table.

Hide Global

Hides Global variables in the table.

Show / Hide Global Variables

You can toggle the visibility of Global variables using the Show Global or Hide Global button.

By default (the Show Variables Fetch Global Automatically Universal Controller system property default is No), Global variables are not fetched and displayed automatically in the Show Variables tab, since there could be a large number of Global variables, and only a few (or none) could be relevant to a specific task instance.

Furthermore, you may want to use the Set Variable action on a workflow in Defined status to populate the workflow instance with its own variables generated from Global variables, which often can be date/time related functions that need to be resolved at Trigger/Launch time.

Any user can change the default visibility of Global variables by using the Show Variables Fetch Global Automatically User Preference.

The following constraints apply when viewing Global variables from Show Variables.

  • The task instance can only use (or Read) global variables for which the task instance Execution User has Variable Read permission for, therefore, the report will only display those global variables.
  • If the user running the Show Variables report does not have Variable Read permission for a global variable in the report, the Value field will be masked with *****.
  • If the user must be able to view a global variable value from the report, an administrator must grant the user the appropriate Variable Read permission.