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How to Configure Tasks on the Canvas

03 May 2024

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How to Configure Tasks on the Canvas

Updated on 03 May 2024

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Task Panel

To configure a task on the new canvas, double-click a task on the Canvas to display information on that task in a panel on the right. Each Task panel will contain a Data, Advanced, and Details tab.

The Data tab contains input and output variables.
The Advanced tab contains the Access Control, Run Window, and Retry Task configurations.
The Details tab contains a description of the task that can be edited as well as a link to the API Documents page.

Tasks from the Canvas make calls to actions that perform specific and discreet activities to implement business logic. They take input arguments and return output variables. The inputs and outputs for the task are visible in the Edit dialog under the Incoming and Outgoing tabs (Figure 1) of the dialog. In the event an error occurs, the task may return an error variable, which is visible under Error.

Figure 1: Task Configuration Panel
01_Task Properties_2023.1

Configuring Task Properties

Use the information presented in the following sections to configure a task.

Incoming Parameters

Task information is split between three tabs.

Data: Input variables for the task.
Advanced: Configurable options not directly related to input.
Details: The task description.

Figure 2: Task Parameters
02_Task Parameters_2023_1

Label	UI Element	Description
1	Incoming (Tab )	Required (mandatory) parameters are marked with an asterisk. - Variable: The argument name. - Type: Data type (boolean, string, number, array, object). - Reference task: Defines the data source. Options include: job, static, a prior task. - Reference variable: Value is assigned from the defined Reference task.
2	Actor (for Automatic Tasks only)	Execute automatic tasks by the system or a user by setting the Actor field. -Itential (Pronghorn): The system executes the automatic task. -job: Execute the automatic task as the user that started the job. - Any previous manual task: Execute the automatic task as the user that worked a previous manual task.
3	Run Window	Restrict when an automated task will run by specifying a schedule.
4	Description	Enter a brief task description in the optional Description field.

Note:

Avoid changing to another task's input variable, which could create variable type mismatch and other errors.

Reference Task Options

Option	Description
job	A global variable. Job variables are set at the time a job is started or when a task's outgoing data is copied to a job variable. Job variables are visible to all tasks defined in the automation. Job variables are mutable. Some job variables are always present; others are defined by the collection of input job variables between all tasks in the automation.
static	A constant; a value defined within the task properties.
any prior task	Present in the current automation (listed by name in the dropdown).

Reference Variables

Reference Task	Reference Variable
job	Defaults to same name as the task's parameter. Dropdown shows all job variables, including input arguments for every task whose reference task is the job. To set a custom job variable name, click EDIT and type the new name in the Reference variable field. Job Variable names must adhere to the IAP Naming Conventions provided in the developer guide.
static	Static value entered in Reference variable field.
a prior task	Name of an output variable or error from selected prior task.

Manual Tasks & Access Control

For Manual tasks only, use Groups, located under the Advanced tab and in the Access Control drop down, to restrict who is authorized to work the task by assigning one or more groups.

Type "Administrators" in the Groups field. Matching group names will appear in a list after you begin typing.
Click the correct group name to add that group to the task's groups. The group will not be added unless it is selected from the list.
Add as many groups as desired.

Figure 3: Manual Task (Groups)
03_Groups_2023_1

Outgoing Parameters

Configurable options in the task output are referenced below (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Outgoing Tab
04_outgoing_2023_1

Label	Ougoing Parameter	Description
1	Variable	The task's return variable; the variable which is made available to any subsequent task in the workflow. Outgoing variables are immutable.
2	Job Variables	To promote the task's return variable to a job variable, check the Store Output as Job Variables box. This copies the outgoing variable's value to a job variable. Job variables are similar to global variables; they are available to every task in the job.
3	Job Variable Names	Defaults to the same name as the task's return variable. To set a custom name for the return variable, type the new name in the Job Variable Name field. Job Variable names must adhere to IAP Naming Conventions.

Error Parameters

Task error variables are referenced below (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Error Tab
05_outgoing_Error_2023_1

Label	Error Parameter	Description
1	Variable	The task's error variable, which is returned in the event of an error.
2	Job Variables	To promote the task's error variable to a job variable, check the Store Output as Job Variable box. This copies the error value to a job variable. Job variables are similar to global variables; they are available to every task in the job.
3	Job Variable Names	To set a custom name for the error variable, type the new name in the Job Variable Name field. Job Variable names must adhere to IAP Naming Conventions.

Masking Variables

Users can mask certain variables; masking will hide the result in Operations (Job) Manager when the workflow is run. If a variable is a reference variable, or a job variable, the factor that determines whether that variable is masked is by where the variable originated.

To enable masking, open the Task dialogue and toggle Mask to on.

Figure 6: Masked Checkbox
06_Mask_2023_1

Masking JST Tasks

For JST tasks, you must mask all outgoing variables, or none of them (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Masking JST Tasks
07_Transformation_Masking_2023_1

JSON Schema for Schedule Value in Run Window

{
    "type": "object",
    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
    "properties": {
        "window": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "sun": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/sun",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Sunday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    false
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "mon": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/mon",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Monday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    false
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "tues": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/tues",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Tuesday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    false
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "wed": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/wed",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Wednesday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    true
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "thur": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/thur",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Thursday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    true
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "fri": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/fri",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Friday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    false
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            },
            "sat": {
            "$id": "/properties/window/properties/sat",
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Schedule details for day of the week Saturday.",
            "properties": {
                "enable": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Will task run this day of the week?",
                "default": false,
                "examples": [
                    false
                ]
                },
                "time": {
                "type": "object",
                "description": "When can task run this day of week.",
                "properties": {
                    "from": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's beginning inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        200
                    ]
                    },
                    "to": {
                    "type": "integer",
                    "description": "Time in 24-hour format (HHMM) and in the Itential server's time zone that identifies the time window's ending inside which the scheduled task is allowed to run.",
                    "default": 0,
                    "pattern": "[0-9]{1,4}",
                    "examples": [
                        229
                    ]
                    }
                }
                }
            }
            }
        }
        }
    }
    }

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What's Next

How to Modify Tasks on the Canvas

Table of contents

Task Panel
Configuring Task Properties
JSON Schema for Schedule Value in Run Window