Time Catch Event - Based on a Variable problem

asked on June 15, 2017

Hi everyone,

It seems like one of my forms is having a big problem with the Time Catch Event. Typically I use "Wait For" in my setup but for this form I decided to use "Wait Based on a variable", here is the setup:

Note that "Date_issued" is simply a date field that is configured to be a read-only, self-populating field, that uses "current_date" as a Default Value.

The way I expect it to behave:

24 hrs (1 day) after the "Date_issued" the form should notify the User that their task is still pending. Then remind again every 2 days, except for weekends.

The way it is behaving:

At midnight, the form starts notifying the User that the task is ready, about 7 times, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on a task. It is set to not interrupt, yet now there are repeat user tasks, for example the Devices Checklist User Task now has 7 of the same forms to process. Why is it creating duplicates?

Here is that sub process diagram (there is another User Task above, it just didn't fit, it is the same as all others):

The "Wait until Deadline" is just there to pause the process until the deadline date is reached.

My question is why is the form behaving this way? Has anyone else encountered a similar problem with "Based on a Variable"?

Thank you in advance! I have switched my Time Catch Event to "Wait For" until I can resolve this problem.

1 0

replied on June 15, 2017

You have unintentionally created a loop by having the timer event loop back into the task itself. I'm actually surprised you don't have more than 7 tasks! What you want to do is send the path from the timer catch event into an email task, and then to an end event.

When you have a timer event (or a signal event) attached to an activity, how it behaves depends on the "interrupt" setting you chose. If you do not interrupt the activity, Forms creates a branch (kind of like a parallel gateway) where now the original activity is still running and an additional branch is being executed as well. If you were to close this loop back into the original activity, you now have 2 copies of the activity running. If you choose to interrupt the activity instead, then the original activity is cancelled, and you are now just following the timer event branch. This wouldn't do what you are asking either, because the original activity gets cancelled and has no way to continue with the 2 day notifications.

1 0

View 2 previous replies

replied on June 15, 2017

So something like this would be more appropriate? (Email after the task tho, and can't the email task be connected to my "Wait until Deadline" Time task or does it have to be an end event?)

0 0

replied on June 15, 2017

That still forms a loop the way you have it. You need something like this:

0 0

replied on June 15, 2017

Gotcha, but in this case because it is an email and not a user task they User won't have the direct link to the form they have to approve, correct?

Is there any way around it?

2 0

replied on June 15, 2017

How is it possible that this setup isn't creating loops:

0 0

replied on August 24, 2017 • Show version history

Scott's screenshot solution assumes that you have a static email address or variable storing the email address to reference in the email service task. This doesn't work when the previous user task is assigned to a team/role.

I am looking for the same functionality the original poster needs; a simple user task reminder solution that provides them the link to the task in the reminder email. This is beneficial to users who aren't as familiar with working from their Forms inbox. With all the improvements that have been made to the Forms application I am very surprised this isn't currently possible. Hopefully someone has a solution and I am wrong.

The closest solution I've found is to have a timer attached to the user task and set it to interrupt and loop it back to the same user task. This is not a practical solution because the original task isn't persisted over time as it should be. Interrupting and repeating the entire task as a new unique task isn't the same as reminding someone of an existing task.

As a feature request I think the reminder functionality should be built into the user task itself.

4 0

Question

Question

Time Catch Event - Based on a Variable problem

Replies

Sign in to reply to this post.