Request save point and last-pages mechanism

Application save point

Application save point is a key element of the form flow in the Eximee system. It defines the moment when the application data is transferred to the form repository and related actions are triggered – such as starting a BPMN process, saving data in an external system, or displaying final informational pages to the user. It is configured in the tab Steps of the application editor and appears as one of the items in the form step sequence. It is most often placed as the last step of the application. All pages located in steps below the Application save point are treated as completion pages.

Figure 1. View of the application save point in the "Steps" tab

When the application is being progressed, crossing this point causes the application to be saved to the form repository along with all data filled in on it.

Properties of the Application save point step

Step Application save point has the following properties:

• can be moved in any way drag & drop using the mechanism

• cannot be deletedbecause it is an integral part of the template,

• pages cannot be placed in it – it serves a technical, not visual, function.

Configuration of the application save point

When the save point is crossed, the system performs a data save action. If a BPMN process is to be started at that moment, in the section Application save point add the element EximeeRouter2.

Configuration of this element includes:

• Process name – the BPMN process definition key (consistent with the process identifier in EximeeBPMS).

• Case number (Business key) – the business identifier of the application. It may point to a form component or a session variable containing a unique case number. If the field is not filled in, the system will automatically use the application number as the business key.

Figure 2. View of the application save point with the EximeeRouter2 process attached

Example XML configuration in the Source form tab:

<saveActions>
  <action xsi:type="eximeeWorkflow">
    <processDefinitionKey>process_name</processDefinitionKey>
    <businessKeyMapping>case_number</businessKeyMapping>
  </action>
</saveActions>

Setting these parameters causes the system, after crossing the application save point, to:

1. Save the form data in the repository (FormStore),

2. Initiate the BPMN process in the engine EximeeBPMS,

3. Pass the form data to the process according to the mapping in the tab Data model.

Mechanism of final pages

After crossing the application save point, the system displays the so-called last application pages – final screens visible after submitting the form. If there are no completion pages, the system automatically displays the standard thank-you page defined at the Forms application level.

Completion pages can be used to:

• display a message confirming the application submission (e.g. thanks, reference number),

• provide information about the further course of the process,

• invoke additional services or validators.

Characteristics of the last pages:

• data from completion pages are not saved in the repository together with the data collected from the full-fledged application pages,

• components on completion pages work like ordinary components, they can perform validations, services, or display dictionary data,

• after submitting the application and moving to the completion pages, the user cannot return to the previous pages,

• it is not possible to park the application after submission,

• after going through the completion pages, the application does not go to the pool of abandoned applications,

• completion steps work analogously to ordinary steps and we can define their basic properties according to the instructions.

Defining the last pages of the application

The process of creating the last pages is analogous to defining ordinary form pages. The only difference is their position – they should be placed in the step below the Application save point.

The illustration below shows the steps of an example application template. This template has:

• three application pages placed in steps Step1 and Step2

• Application save point indicating the location of the thank-you page,

• one completion page located in step Step3.

Figure 3. Example steps with a thank-you page

All pages placed in steps located below the Application save point are treated as completion pages.