Simple Workflow Priority

Hi,

I have created 2 simple workflows, they both do the same thing. Listen to a fileshare for doc, copy done to the title field and end. They each listen to a different fileshare location.

One workflow has all the activities set to HIGH priority the other set to LOW.

They both have 5 ftp processes and a listening interval of 1 minute.

A 1000 docs are staged for in each fileshare location.

My expectation is that all the HIGH workflows will finish before the LOW workflows. I am discovering that the HIGHs finish later or at the same time.

Can anyone explain why that is happening?

Thanks,

Dennis

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DCTM_Guru

Are you using Process Builder or Workflow Manager? I believe the priority is used for the workitems in the same inbox/queue. It doesnt compare it across the various queues.

badams

I'm using Process Builder.

DCTM_Guru

In PB User guide:

For automatic activities, you designate a priority value that determines the order in which the server

runs the activity relative to other actions in its queue.

When an automatic activity is started, the activity is placed on the execution queue for a server facility

that runs periodically. The server facility executes the activities in order of priority. By default,

it executes all queued automatic activities each time it is invoked, but a system administrator can

limit the number of activities handled each time the facility runs.

badams

Johnny,

thanks for the reponse, still not sure I understand.

This is my process with the priority on all activities = LOW

This is my process with the priority on all activities = HIGH

I staged 100 docs in each of the NAS directories.

Ran the following query.

Workitem queue...

select all r_object_id, r_workflow_id, r_runtime_state, r_creation_date, r_priority

from dmi_workitem

where r_runtime_state in (0,1) and

r_auto_method_id != '0000000000000000'

and r_exec_launch = 0

order by r_priority desc, r_creation_date desc

the top 42 were HIGH priority

after everything was loaded I was expecting to see more of the P-High docs loaded before the P-Low.

Thoughts?

DCTM_Guru

Your desired results would only happen if you combined the two workflows into one. The priority is used to proritize activities for a queue or workflow; it does NOT compare the values across workflows.

badams

Johnny,

Just to confirm what you are saying, this diagram illustrates the workflows I plan to implement. The eRPC and CRC are considered HIGH priority workflows and the listen to dropzone from Kofax LOW priority. If the LOW priority workflow is processing a 1,000 docs and a HIGH priority doc comes in we want to be assured that the HIGH priorities are processed before the LOW's are finished. Based on what you have said previously this cannot be assured.

DCTM_Guru

How is high priority doc determined (eg by different dropzone location)? Or does all the docs come through same dropzone and you use metadata to determine if doc is low or high value?

badams

Different dropzone location and workflow.

DCTM_Guru

Here's a thought:

1) Simplify the two workflows to assign docs to one work queue (with different priorities defined).

2) Create a third workflow that actually removes doc from the work queue and processes accordingly depending on custom priority attribute. Since the third workflow actually does the processing, it can look for high priority ones and process them first.