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Manually Running and Controlling Tasks

Manually Running and Controlling Tasks

Jun 10, 2025

Overview

A number of commands are available on the Activity Monitor and the Task Instances list that allow you to intervene in task processing where needed. Some commands are applicable only to certain task types and others are appropriate only when the task is in a particular status. In addition, commands require appropriate permissions.

Issuing Commands Against Task Instances

You can issue commands against task instances from:

See Commands Supported for Task Instance Statuses for a list of task instances (and their statuses) for which these commands can be issued.

See Task Instance Status Types for a description of each type of task instance status.
 

Command

Description

Command

Description

Cancel

Cancels a running task instance (see Cancelling a Task Instance), including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Clear All Dependencies

Workflow tasks only: Clears all dependencies (predecessors, resources, and exclusive) of a task instance (see Clearing All Dependencies of a Task Instance).

Clear Exclusive

Clears mutually exclusive dependencies of a task instance (see Clearing Mutually Exclusive Dependencies of a Task Instance).

Clear Instance Wait

Clears Previous Instance Wait specifications for this task instance (see  Clearing Previous Instance Wait Specifications of a Task Instance).

Clear Predecessors

Workflow tasks only: Clears predecessor dependencies of a task instance (see Clearing Predecessor Dependencies of a Task Instance).

Clear Resources

Clears resource dependencies of a task instance (see Clearing Resource Dependencies of a Task Instance).

Clear Resources (Return In Use)

Clears filled (currently in use) virtual resource orders of a task instance (see Clearing Acquired Resources of a Task Instance).

Clear Time/Wait Delay

Clears all Wait To Start and Delay On Start specifications for this task instance (see Clearing Time Wait/Delay Specifications of a Task Instance).

Force Finish

Places a task instance into the Finished status (see Force Finishing a Task Instance), including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Force Finish (Halt)

Places a task instance into the Finished status (see Force Finishing (Halt) a Task Instance), including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Force Finish/Cancel

Cancels a task and places it into the Finished status (see Force Finish/Cancelling a Task Instance); including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Force Finish/Cancel (Halt)

Cancels a task and places it into the Finished status (see Force Finish/Cancelling (Halt) a Task Instance).

Hold

Temporarily prevents a task instance from running (see Putting a Task Instance on Hold).

Release

Removes a task instance from being on Hold (see Releasing a Task Instance from Hold).

Release Recursive

Workflow tasks only: Removes a workflow and its task instances from being on Hold (see Releasing a Task Instance from Hold).

Re-run

Not applicable for Workflow tasks: Re-runs a task instance (see Re-running a Task Instance), including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures)

Not applicable for Workflow tasks: Re-runs a task instance (see Re-running a Task Instance) specifying that intermediate failures be suppressed, including a task instance in a completed workflow (status = Success, Finished, Skipped).

Retrieve Output

Retrieves output (Standard Output and/or Standard Error, or in the case of z/OS, the Job Log) for any running or completed task instance, limited to the following supported task types:

  • Application Control

  • IBM i

  • Linux/Unix

  • PeopleSoft

  • Remote File Monitor

  • SAP

  • Universal

  • Universal Command

  • Windows

  • z/OS

Set Completed

Sets a Manual Task instance to the Success status.

Set Priority

Sets the priority of a task instance in Started, Running, or Queued status to High, Medium, or Low (see Changing the Priority of a Task Instance).

Set Started

Resets the Started Time of a Manual Task instance.

Skip

Disregards a task instance (see Skipping a Task Instance).

Skip Path

Disregards a task instance and all of its dependent task instances (see Skipping a Task Instance).

Unskip

Removes the Skip status of a task instance (see Unskipping a Task Instance).

Universal

Grants permission to run Universal Commands on a Universal Task Instance.

Issuing Commands from the Activity Monitor

 

Issue a Command Against a Single Task Instance

Either:

  • Right-click a task instance on the list to display an Action menu of available commands for that task instance.

  • Click the Details icon of a task instance to display the Task Instance Details, and then right-click in the Details to display an Action menu of available commands for that task instance.

Issue a Command Against Multiple Task Instances

Press Ctrl and right-click each task instance that you want to issue a command against to display an Action menu of available commands that can be issued against all of the selected task instances.

(You also can press Ctrl and right-click a single task instance and then press Shift and right-click another task instance to select the group of task instances between the first and second task instance, inclusive.)

Issuing Commands from the Task Instances List

 

Issue a Command Against a Single Task Instance

Either:

  • Right-click a task instance to display an Action menu of available commands for that task instance.

  • Click a task instance to display the Task Instance Details below the list, or click the Details icon to display a Details pop-up for the task instance, and then right-click in the Details to display an Action menu of available commands for that task instance.

Issue a Command Against Multiple Task Instances

Press Ctrl and right-click each task instance that you want to issue a command against to display an Action menu of available commands that can be issued against all of the selected task instances.

(You also can press Ctrl and right-click a single task instance and then press Shift and right-click another task instance to select the group of task instances between the first and second task instance, inclusive.)

Issuing Commands from the Workflow Monitor

From the Workflow Monitor, you can issue a command against a single task instance within the workflow or against the workflow task instance itself.

Command Confirmation

If you want to receive a confirmation message after issuing a command but before the command is performed, set the System Default Confirm Task Instance Commands Universal Controller system property to Yes (the default is No).

For example:

Issue a Command Against a Task Instance within the Workflow

Step 1

Right-click the task instance to display a pop-up menu of commands appropriate for the selected task instance.

Step 2

Click Commands and then click the command that you want to issue against the selected task instance.

For example:
 

Issue a Command Against the Workflow Task Instance

Step 1

Right-click the Workflow Monitor canvas to display a pop-up menu of commands appropriate for the workflow task instance.

Step 2

Click Commands and then click the command that you want to issue against the workflow task instance.

For example:
 

Commands Supported for Task Instance Statuses

The following table identifies all possible task instance statuses, the task types they are valid for, and the commands that you can issue against a task instance in each status.

For a description of each status, see Task Instance Status Types.

For a description of each command, see Issuing Commands Against Task Instances.

For details and instructions on issuing these commands, see the specific section (below) on this page.

Status

Task Type

Supported Commands

Status

Task Type

Supported Commands

Action Required (60)

Manual

  • Cancel

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Force Finish/Cancel

  • Force Finish/Cancel (Halt)

  • Set Started

  • Set Completed

Cancel Pending (99)

Agent-based

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Retrieve Output

Cancelled (130)

All

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Re-run - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures) - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Retrieve Output

Confirmation Required (125)

z/OS

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Re-run - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures) - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Retrieve Output

Defined (0)

All

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Clear Predecessors

  • Clear Time Wait/Delay

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

Exclusive Requested (22)

All

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

Exclusive Wait (23)

All

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Clear Exclusive

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

Execution Wait (33)

Agent-based

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

Failed (140)

All (except Workflows)

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Re-run - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures) - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Retrieve Output

Finished (190)

All

  • Re-run - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures) - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Retrieve Output

Held (20)

All

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Clear Time Wait/Delay

  • Clear Predecessors

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Release

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

In Doubt (110)

Agent-based

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Re-run - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Re-run (Suppress Intermediate Failures) - Not applicable for Workflow tasks.

  • Retrieve Output

Instance Wait (17)

All 

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Clear Time Wait/Delay

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

Queued (40)

Agent-based

  • Cancel

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Set Priority

Resource Requested (25)

All tasks using Virtual Resources

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

Resource Wait (30)

All tasks using Virtual Resources

  • Clear All Dependencies

  • Clear Resources

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Hold

  • Skip

  • Skip Path

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

Running (80)

All

  • Cancel

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Force Finish/Cancel

  • Force Finish/Cancel (Halt)

  • Release Recursive - Workflow tasks only.

  • Retrieve Output

  • Set Priority

Running Problems (81)

Workflow

  • Cancel

  • Clear Resources (Return In Use)

  • Force Finish

  • Force Finish (Halt)

  • Force Finish/Cancel

  • Force Finish/Cancel (Halt)