Creating Step Actions
- Former user (Deleted)
- Stonebranch (Deactivated)
- IT Stonebranch
Overview
You can specify actions to take on z/OS tasks in a Workflow based on step condition codes returned for any of the steps in that z/OS task.
Note
Currently, the only step action that you can take on z/OS tasks in a workflow is a System Operation.
Step actions can be defined only at the Workflow level. They apply to one, more, or all z/OS tasks in that immediate Workflow; they do not apply to any z/OS tasks in sub-workflows. (Every task in a Workflow has a unique Vertex ID, which is how you can tell one task from another if the Workflow has more than one of the exact same task.)
When you create a step action for a task in the Workflow, you specify the name of the task in the Task field. If there is more than one of those tasks in the Workflow, the Vertex Id drop-down list shows the Vertex Id for all tasks. So you can apply the step action to all tasks of that name in the Workflow or just the task with that Vertex Id.
In the Workflow Editor, when you right-click a task, there's a View/Edit Run Criteria selection for every task. For z/OS tasks, there's also a View/Edit z/OS Step Actions selection.
Every z/OS task is comprised of one or more steps. Each step in a z/OS task ends in a step condition code. System Operation step actions optionally let you send system notifications based on the outcome of each step action with options for None, Operation Failure, Operation Success/Failure, and Operation Success.
Creating a Step Action
Step 1 | From the Automation Center navigation pane, select Tasks > Workflow Tasks. The Workflow Tasks list displays. |
|---|---|
Step 2 | Select the Workflow for which you want to create one or more step actions. The Workflow Task Details for that Workflow displays. |
Step 3 | Click the Step Actions tab. The System Operation Step Actions list displays. |
Step 4 | Click |
Step 5 | Using the field descriptions, below, as a guide, complete the fields as needed. |
Step 6 | Click the |
Step 7 | If appropriate, repeat these steps for any additional step actions you want to add. |
System Operation Step Action Field Descriptions
The following table describes the fields and buttons in the System Operation Step Action Details.
Field Name | Description |
|---|---|
Step Action Criteria | This section contains criteria for performing the step action. |
Task | Name of a task. In combination with the Vertex Id, it specifies a specific task within the Workflow to which the step action applies; if no task is specified, the step action applies to all z/OS tasks within the Workflow. |
Vertex Id | Numerical ID of the task that identifies it uniquely from other tasks of the same type in the Workflow. In combination with the Task, it specifies a specific task within the Workflow to which the step action applies.
|
Step | Job step name to match. A blank value or an asterisk ( |
Procedure | Procedure step name to match. A blank value or an asterisk ( |
Program | Program name to match. A blank value or an asterisk ( |
Condition Codes | Conditions codes are integer return codes from the program or ABEND codes. Integer return codes are specified as a comma-separated list of integer values or ranges. Ranges are specified with a dash ( |
Description | Description of this System Operation Step Action. |
Step Action Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about the step action. |
System Operation | Specific system operation to perform.
Note For the Suspend Agent and Resume Agent operations, the user must have the following Agent permissions:
For the Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Agent Cluster Membership, and Resume Agent Cluster Membership operations, the user must have the following Agent Cluster permissions:
|
System Notification | Status of the specified system operation that will trigger a system notification.
Note The Controller must be configured for system notifications in order for system notifications to be triggered. |
Agent | If System Operation is Suspend Agent, Resume Agent, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Agent Task Execution Limit; Agent for which the system operation is to be performed. |
Agent Variable | If System Operation is Suspend Agent, Resume Agent, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Agent Task Execution Limit; Indication of whether the Agent field is a reference field for selecting a specific Agent (unchecked) or a text field for specifying the Agent as a variable (checked). |
Agent Cluster | If System Operation is Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit; Agent Cluster for which the system operation is to be performed. |
Agent Cluster Variable | If System Operation is Suspend Agent Cluster, Resume Agent Cluster, Suspend Cluster Membership, Resume Cluster Membership, or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit; Indication of whether the Agent Cluster field is a reference field for selecting a specific Agent Cluster (unchecked) or a text field for specifying the Agent Cluster as a variable (checked). |
Task Execution Limit | If System Operation is Set Agent Task Execution Limit or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit; Specification for whether a Limited or Unlimited number of task instances can be run concurrently on the specified Agent / Agent Cluster. (Default is Unlimited.) |
Virtual Resource | If System Operation is Set Virtual Resource Limit; Virtual resource for which a virtual resource limit is to be set. Note If the Strict Business Service Membership Read Constraints Universal Controller system property is true, the drop-down list displays only Virtual Resources for which the user has explicit Read permission. |
Virtual Resource Variable | If System Operation is Set Virtual Resource Limit; Indication of whether the Virtual Resource field is a reference field for selecting a specific Virtual Resource (unchecked) or a text field for specifying the Virtual Resource as a variable (checked). |
Limit | If System Operation is Set Agent Task Execution Limit or Set Cluster Task Execution Limit, and Task Execution Limit is Limited; Number of tasks that can be run concurrently by the specified Agent / Agent Cluster. |
Command | If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Type of task instance command to run.
|
Instance Lookup Option | If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Specification for how to search for the task instance to run a command against.
|
Instance Name | If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name or Instance Name/Task; Name of the task instance to run the command against. |
Instance Criteria | If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name, Instance Name/Task, or Task; Additional criteria for selecting a specific task instance if multiple task instances have matching names.
(An Active task instance is an instance that is not in any of these statuses: Skipped, Finished, Success.) Note An Unskip command can use only the Newest Instance and Oldest Instance criteria; an active instance cannot be unskipped. |
Task Reference |
|
Task Reference Variable | If Instance Lookup Option is Instance Name/Task or Task, or if System Operation is Launch Task; Indication of whether the Task Reference field is a reference field for selecting a specific Task (unchecked) or is a text field for specifying the task as a variable (checked). For a variable, use the format: |
Instance ID | If Instance Lookup Option is Instance ID; ID of task instance to run the command against. The instance ID (sysid) is a 32-character universally unique identifier. You can use the |
Trigger Reference | If System Operation is Trigger Now, Enable Trigger, or Disable Trigger; Name of the trigger. |
Trigger Reference Variable | If System Operation is Trigger Now, Enable Trigger, or Disable Trigger; Indication of whether the Trigger Reference field is a reference field for selecting a specific Trigger (unchecked) or is a text field for specifying the trigger as a variable (checked). For a variable, use the format: |
Override Variables | If System Operation is Launch Task or Trigger Now; Variables to override. |
Override Variables Resolution Disabled | If System Operation is Launch Task or Trigger Now; Indication of whether or not Override Variables resolution should be disabled to allow for passing unresolved variable values.
|
Override Trigger Date/Time | If System Operation is Trigger Now, Indication of whether or not to override the date/time of the trigger. |
| Override Date Offset | If Override Trigger Date Time is selected; Override date offset. |
| Override Time | If Override Trigger Date Time is selected; Override time. |
Workflow Instance Name Condition | If System Operation is Run Task Instance Command; Optional. Type of condition for the name of the parent workflow task instance that contains the task on which to perform the specified action.
For the selected condition (the default is Equals), a corresponding field displays (see below) that allows you to enter a value for that condition. |
Workflow Instance Name Equals | If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Equals; Exact name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported. |
Workflow Instance Name Starts With | If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Starts With; Character string at the start of the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported. |
Workflow Instance Name Contains | If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Contains; Character string in the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported. |
Workflow Instance Name Ends With | If Workflow Instance Name Condition = Ends With; Character string at the end of the name of a parent workflow task instance containing the task. Variables are supported. |
Metadata | This section contains Metadata information about this record. |
UUID | Universally Unique Identifier of this record. |
Updated By | Name of the user that last updated this record. |
Updated | Date and time that this record was last updated. |
Created By | Name of the user that created this record. |
Created | Date and time that this record was created. |
Buttons | This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Step Action Details that let you perform various actions. |
Save | Saves the new System Operation Step Action Details record in the Controller database. |
Save & New | Saves a new record in the Controller database and redisplays empty Details so that you can create another new record. |
Save & View | Saves a new record in the Controller database and continues to display that record. |
Update |
Saves updates to the record. |
Refresh | Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details. |
Delete |
Deletes the current record. |
Close | For pop-up view only; closes the pop-up view of this task. |