Terms Glossary

Updated on 08 Aug 2024
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The table below defines terms commonly found in Decisions documentation.

Term	Definition
Account	A registered user in the portal.
Action Visibility Rule	A property on all Entity Actions that sets the conditions for whether the Action is visible.
Administrator	A managerial user group that possesses executive power over its Decisions server and its subordinate user groups.
Agent	A client-side application that allows intuitive integration with other servers or machines.
Annotation	These Flow design elements are used to create comments, boxes, arrows, Swim lanes, etc., to clarify how a Flow works.
App Store	A public repository of published demo applications created in Decisions.
Assignment	A property of a Task that assigns the task to a User or Group.
Async Flow	A Sub-Flow that doesn't pause the primary Flow while it executes.
Branching	Splitting a Flow into concurrent threads using the Branch Step (see also "Merging").
Configuration Folder	A Folder created by default for a User Defined Type that allows configuration such as adding Entity Actions (see also "Folder" and "User Defined Type").
Constant	A Mapping Type that requires a designer to set a definite value for the data in question (see also "Mapping Type").
Converter Flow	A Flow that runs specifically to convert data from one type to another. For example, a Converter Flow might parse number data from a string.
Dashboard	A type of Page designed to display data from multiple perspectives (charts, tiles, graphs, etc.) that lets users take action directly from the display (see also "Page").
Data Flow	A Flow connected to a Form runs in the background to process data related to the Form. Data Flows are most commonly used to create dynamic data that refreshes on a Form without the user having to leave or click a button.
Debugger	The built-in Decisions testing tool helps identify errors during design.
Designer Folder	A container in the Designer Studio that holds the entities (for example, Flow, Form, User Defined Type) of a given process.
End-user	A user who interacts with processes built by developers. They cannot create or edit a process but may interact with the process, e.g., entering data in a Form when prompted.
Entity	One of the broadest terms in Decisions, in a non-technical sense, "Entity", refers to any discrete thing in a folder (e.g., Flow, Task, another folder, etc.). As a technical term, "Entity" refers to a specific data structure in Decisions.
Entity Action	Any actions can be taken on an entity of a given entity type.
Entity Extension	A custom data structure in Decisions that creates an object that extends the existent Entity type.
Entity Folder ID	A property that uniquely identifies the containing Folder of an Entity.
Event	Some changes in an external system that Decisions can monitor (e.g., watch an inbox for emails). Processes can be configured to kick off an action (e.g., a Job) in response to an event occurring (see also "Job").
Event Watcher	A Flow specifically designed to monitor an external system for a change, for example, watching a given email inbox for any new email.
Expression	A mathematical statement that can be evaluated in a single Step in a Flow (e.g., the Evaluate Expression Step).
Execution	An individual and complete iteration of a workflow stored in event logs for Decisions Process Mining.
File References	A way of managing data that allows large files to be saved in the file system rather than memory but still be usable in the Portal.
Flow	A process made in the Flow Designer using individual steps that does some kind of work and/or returns an outcome.
Flow Behavior	An interface definition for a flow. It can enforce expected inputs and outputs as well as create the expected inputs when the behavior is assigned.
Flow Data	All the data used in a Flow, including data created in the Flow (e.g., by a Create Data step) or passed into the Flow as input data.
Flow Engine	The underlying technology and services are responsible for creating and executing Flows in Decisions. This is distinct from the Flow Designer, the graphical workspace used to design Flows.
Flow Execution Data Extension	A custom data structure in Decisions that enables the default Flow data to be extended to include other process data.
Flow Structure	A data structure that is used to create an entity that lives in a Flow. It is simply a data structure that cannot be stored. Its limitation is that it can't perform actions on itself or others. For further information, please refer to the Differences Between Data Structures article.
Folder	A way to organize entities in Decisions. A basic Folder is distinct from a Designer or Process Folder because it doesn't imply any logical relationship between the entities it contains.
Folder Extension	A custom data structure in Decisions that acts like a folder. Folder extensions can be generated with a default set of Create, Edit, Get and Delete methods and configured with custom actions using flows.
Folder ID	A property that uniquely identifies a folder.
Form	A web form created in the Form Designer lets users interact, input data, view information, etc.
Form Control	An element of a Form (for example, a Button control).
Group	A collection of user accounts related in some way.
Group Actions	Action-based outcomes can be resolved together and simultaneously.
GUID	Global Unique ID - hexadecimal value used in multiple places in Decisions (for example, as Entity ID values).
Ignore	A Mapping Type that tells Decisions to disregard the value of the data altogether. Commonly confused with Null (see also "Mapping Type").
Inline	Refers to the position of a field as it appears in a grid (e.g., a data grid or Report). Often used in the context of taking action on data where it appears, for example, filtering data in a Report.
Interceptor Rule	A specialized kind of Rule that you can design "on the fly" to react to unexpected changes in your process. It lets you design rules based on changing data situations rather than predictable ones. Interceptor Rules "intercept" data to deal with it in a new way as it changes. For example, Interceptor Rules might be used in quickly changing inventory management applications.
Job	A Flow or a number of Flows that run on a schedule you set (e.g., to check a given email inbox once an hour) or on certain events (e.g., startup) (see also "Event").
Mapping	Connections between data across Steps or Flows. Mapping tells Decisions on how to identify or transform data as it moves through a process.
Mapping Type	A property for all input/output data that lets a designer set how data is handled. For example, setting a value to "Rename" lets you assign a new name without changing the data itself, whereas "Converter Flow" lets you change the data itself (e.g., convert the string to decimal).
Merging	Rejoining the branches of a Flow into a single thread using the Merge Step.
Message Queues	Asynchronous communication between Decisions and external services (e.g., AWS) is used. Messages are stored in the queue until they are processed and deleted.
Messaging	The integration of Decisions with different messaging systems.
Modules	Add-on features in Decisions, such as Active Directory, AWS, or HL7. You can add modules under System > Administration > Features.
Multi-Tenant / Clustering	Multiple Decisions servers share the same primary database, but each retains its own file system.
Named Session	A web session that uses a specific account when invoking Flow via REST without needing to expose the user account information.
Null	A Mapping Type that sets the value to empty. For example, a Boolean value must be either true or false by default. Commonly confused with Ignore (see also "Mapping Type").
Page	Created in the Page Designer, a Page displays data (often from a Report) in a way that makes it easy for users to understand and take action (see also “Dashboard").
Portal Base URL	The URL assigned in IIS that navigates to the Decisions Portal.
Process Folder	A data storage option within the portal designed to save persistent Flow data (such as flow states and files) (see also "Flow Execution Data").
Process State	A property of a running Flow that describes where it stands at a given point. Process States do not exist on a Flow by default; they are set entirely by the designer. The Example Process States might include "Started", "Pending Review", or "Approved".
Relation	Business relationships between Users and Groups. By Default, Decisions include a Manager Relation, but you can create any kind of Relation you want in the System Folder Tree.
Report	Created in the Report Designer, a Report is a way to use data sources, filters, groups, and views to fetch and organize data.
Report Filter	Narrows report data according to customizable parameters (e.g., filtering by a certain date range).
Repository	File host that supports collaboration, backup, and versioning of Decisions projects.
Rule	A discrete piece of logic created in the Rule Designer that takes in one or more inputs and returns one or more outputs.
Rule Engine	The underlying technology and services are responsible for creating and executing Rules in Decisions. This is distinct from the Rule Designer, which is the graphical workspace used to design Rules.
Rule Engine Extension	A Rule Behavior that allows you to embed a Rule in another Rule.
Rule Set	A set of rules designed to be re-used; that is, they can be parameterized or customized based on context without the need to copy or rewrite them.
Run Converter Flow	A Mapping Type that tells the Flow to run another Flow to convert the data (usually from one data type to another) (see also "Mapping Type").
Runtime	Refers to the time span in which execution takes place, for example, when a Flow or Report is run.
Select Value [From Flow]	A Mapping Type that lets the Flow designer use a variable from all available data at that point in the Flow (see also "Mapping Type").
Service Host Manager	SHM is a Windows Service responsible for foundation services to define Decisions platform functionality. Examples of these services would include Flow Edit Service, which defines Flow Designer functionality, or Flow Execution Service, which is responsible for Flow Execution processes. Sometimes it is necessary to restart SHM.
Snapshots	Images of Reports you can easily capture and share.
Step	A single point of action within a Flow (for example, the Send Email Step).
Sub-Flow	A Flow that is invoked in the course of another Flow. The invoking Flow may be called the "primary Flow" or the "parent Flow." (Sub-Flows may also be referred to as "child Flows" or "Linked Flows").
Sync Flow	A Sub-Flow that pauses the primary Flow while it executes.
Task	A discrete piece of work assigned to a User or Group in Decisions. Most commonly, a Task is added to a Flow using the Add Task step.
Text Merge	A way to combine multiple text sources (e.g., constant values + variable values) into a single text value. A common application is to form the body of an email by merging template text with variables such as a name or DOB.
Tiles	A display mode is used in multiple places in Decisions: for example, Tile View for entities in a Designer Folder.
Trigger	A property of Steps and Form Controls, a Trigger is a way to launch some action when that Step or Control executes.
Truth Table	A kind of Rule that compares combinations of multiple inputs to decide a single outcome.
Unit Test	A saved bit of input data is used in the debugger for testing (eliminating the need to enter data for each test).
User-Defined Type	A custom data structure created by a designer.
Value List	A custom data structure that builds an enumerated list of values.
Visibility Rule	A property on all Form Controls that sets the conditions for whether the Control is visible.

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