Ant Organisation Ltd

Workflow

Action: Web service

Action which allows web services to be invoked

Path: N/A

This action allow predefined web services to be invoked. It is used slightly differently from other actions, see this how to for details, because you must first create a web service action in the hierarchy.
This web service action is then dragged in to the workflow editing view.

The parameters for the web service method are retrieved from the case, and the return value from the web service can be mapped back to the case.

Common uses

Integration	Allows external systems to be integrated in to a workflow
Additional functionality	Allows additional functionality to be added to the workflow engine without an in depth knowledge of the workflow engine architecture

Properties

Paramters

For each parameter required by the web service method, you are required to specify a field (or XPath) from your case, these values are sent as parameters to the web service when it is invokes.

Return value

Defines a field, or XPath, in the case to which the return value is mapped.

Calling method

The calling method is:

		Synchronous, the web service is activated in the workflow engines thread and it must finish before the workflow engine can continue with any other activity. Should only be used when the web service will be fast to respond;
		Aynchronous, the web service is activated in a background thread, good for cases where the web service might longer;
		Detached expect response, the web service is activated, but the return value is ignored. The web service must post a response in to the workflow engine itself;
		Detached no response, the web service is activated, and immediately the Next transition is fired from this activity. The web services return value is ignored.

Transitions

Next

Fired once the web service has been started or waits for the web service to finish based on the calling method

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