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Dependencies

🕙  4 minute read

Dependencies determine the order that tasks are executed within a Workflow instance by defining what actions need to be completed (or skipped) before a given task should be activated. Together, dependencies and conditions form the order and logical flow of actions in a Workflow.

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This is an example of adding dependencies to a task.

How dependencies work

If tasks and actions in a Workflow had no dependencies, they would all start simultaneously at the start of an instance. Dependencies create the order of actions in a Workflow and the way you configure each action to begin at the right time.

By default, when you add new actions, they will start after the previous action is completed or skipped. This means that for the majority of actions, you won’t need to change dependencies at all. If you drag-and-drop the action to reorder it in the actions list, the dependencies for that action will automatically update.

You will still have the option to set more complex, manual dependencies. The example below helps explain how dependencies work.

Manual dependency types

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The example above is an illustration of a Workflow with 6 actions. A is the first action, B1 and B2 start after A finishes, C starts after B1, and so on. To create this specific sequence of tasks, we utilize the three dependency types:

  • All must be completed: All selected tasks must be completed before the next task will begin. If any of the selected tasks are skipped, then this task will also be skipped.
  • At least one must be completed: Any one of the selected tasks must be completed before the next task will begin. If all of the selected tasks are skipped, then this task will also be skipped.
  • All must be completed or skipped: All of the selected tasks must be resolved in some way (either completed or skipped). This is useful for tasks that are dependent on two different conditional branches of the Workflow.

The next few illustrations show each dependency type in use:

All must be completed

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For to start, must complete. To set this relationship, we add a dependency on task :

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At least one must be completed

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For to start, either or must complete and it doesn’t matter which. To set this relationship, we add a dependency on task :

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All must be completed or skipped

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For to start, both and must be completed or skipped. We want it so if one were to finish first, wouldn’t start until the other also finished. To set this relationship, we add a dependency on task :

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How to set a dependency

By default, when you add new actions, they will start after the previous action is completed or skipped based on the Starts after previous step is completed or skipped dependency type.

  1. Select Workflows from the top navigation bar.
  2. Choose a Workflow, this will open the Workflow detail page
  3. Select in the upper-right corner to get to the Workflow Builder.
  4. Click an action to configure it, then select the drop-down in the Dependencies & Conditions section next to Starts.

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  5. Select the dependency type. Select After previous step is completed or skipped to start the action after the previous action.
  6. For more complex dependencies, select When dependencies are met from the new drop-down that appears.

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    1. Select the dependency type that works for you
      • All must be completed
      • At least one must be completed
      • All must be completed or skipped
    2. Select the steps that will be evaluated. You can select multiple steps.
    3. Optionally, add or remove a dependency. Select to remove the dependency. Select Add a Dependency to add another dependency.
  7. Select

In most cases, only one dependency type is needed. When setting up a sequence of tasks that should activate one after another, each task only needs a dependency on the prior task (not all previous tasks). In other words, in a linear process with 5 steps, step 5 is only dependent on step 4, not step 1-4.

💡   Tip: Review your Workflow structure carefully and only add dependencies when necessary. This will reduce any chance of bottlenecks within a Workflow instance.

Get help with a problem or question

If something’s not working as expected, or you’re looking for suggestions, check through the options below.

How can I quickly set steps to start one after another, in order?

By default, when you add new actions, they will start after the previous action is completed or skipped based on the Starts after previous step is completed or skipped dependency type. This means that for the majority of actions, you won’t need to change dependencies at all.

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If you drag-and-drop the action to reorder it in the actions list, the dependencies for that action will automatically update.

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