Workflow Actions: Streamline Your Processes and Boost Productivity

Mastering Workflow Actions in BMC Remedy AR System: A Deep Dive for IT Professionals

In the intricate world of IT Service Management (ITSM), efficiency and automation are paramount. BMC Remedy AR System, a robust platform for managing IT services, relies heavily on its powerful workflow engine to drive these automations. Understanding the core components of this engine – Active Links, Filters, and Escalations – and the actions they can perform is not just beneficial; it’s essential for any IT professional working with the platform. This article will take a deep dive into the various workflow actions, explaining their purpose, how they are used, and their significance in building sophisticated, automated processes.

The Pillars of BMC Remedy Workflow: Active Links, Filters, and Escalations

Before we dissect the actions themselves, it’s crucial to grasp the foundational workflow objects in AR System:

Forms (Schema): Think of these as the digital tables in your database where all your data resides. They are the blueprints for representing information, much like a spreadsheet with rows and columns.
Active Links: These are the “client-side” workers. They spring into action based on user interactions within the application or information displayed on the current screen. Imagine a user clicking a button or selecting an option – an Active Link can react to that. They are great for immediate visual feedback, data retrieval for display, or triggering server-side processes based on user input.
Filters: These are the “server-side” guardians. They monitor form transactions as data moves through the AR System server. When a request (a record) is submitted, modified, or deleted, a Filter can intercept it, check if certain conditions (qualifications) are met, and then perform actions. They are the workhorses for data validation, updating related records, and enforcing business rules at the server level.
Escalations: Similar to Filters, Escalations operate at the server level but are driven by time. At predefined intervals, they scan the database for requests that meet specific criteria and then act upon them. This is perfect for tasks like sending reminders for overdue tickets, automatically closing inactive requests, or performing periodic data cleanups.

These three components form the backbone of AR System’s automation capabilities, allowing you to streamline processes, enforce policies, and improve user experience.

Unpacking the Arsenal: Workflow Actions in Detail

Workflow objects don’t do much on their own. Their power lies in the actions they can execute. These actions are the building blocks of your automated processes. Let’s explore each one, categorizing them by where they are most commonly, or exclusively, used.

Actions Primarily for Active Links (Client-Side Magic)

Active Links, due to their client-side nature, can perform actions that directly influence the user interface or trigger immediate client operations. Some actions are exclusive to them, offering unique capabilities for interactive applications.

Change Field: This is a staple of Active Links. It allows you to modify attributes of fields on the current form. You can change a field’s visibility (show/hide), editability (read-only/editable), color, or even its display type.
Practical Example: When a user selects “High” priority for an incident ticket, an Active Link can use “Change Field” to make the “Urgency” and “Impact” fields turn red, immediately drawing attention to the critical nature of the request.
Close Window: As the name suggests, this action simply closes the current window. It’s often used in conjunction with other actions to guide users through a process or clean up the interface.
Commit Changes: This action is crucial for saving data entered by the user, especially within dialog boxes. When used with a dialog, it pushes data from the dialog’s fields to the parent form. For regular forms, it initiates the major form action (Submit, Search, Modify). It’s important to note that when used with a dialog, it doesn’t immediately save to the database; it just populates the parent form fields.
Real-world Scenario: Imagine a user initiating a “Request New Hardware” process. An Active Link might open a dialog box for them to fill in specifications. A “Commit Changes” action within that dialog’s submit button would then populate the main incident form with the gathered details, ready for further processing or submission.
Open Window: This action allows you to open new windows. These can be other forms in AR System, external web pages, or even custom dialog boxes. It’s a powerful tool for creating guided user experiences or launching related functionalities.
OLE Automation: This allows you to interact with OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects, enabling integration with other Windows applications. While powerful, it’s less common in modern web-based AR System deployments.
Run Macro: This action allows you to execute macros created within BMC Remedy User. This is particularly useful for automating repetitive tasks within the client application. It’s important to remember this action is tied to the client application and not supported in the web client.
DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange): This is an older Windows technology that allows for data exchange between applications. It’s primarily used in Active Links for client-to-client or client-to-server data transfer.

Actions for Both Active Links and Filters (Versatile Powerhouses)

These actions are incredibly versatile, finding their place in both client-side and server-side workflows. This overlap allows for seamless integration between user interactions and backend processing.

Call Guide: Guides are sequences of Active Links or Filters that are executed in a defined order. This action allows you to jump into a guide, effectively starting a sub-workflow.
Exit Guide: This action allows you to exit the current guide and return to the workflow that called it.
Go to Guide Label: Within a guide, you can place “labels.” This action allows you to jump to a specific label within the guide, creating modularity and enabling the reuse of workflow steps. Think of it as setting bookmarks within your workflow.
Example: You might have a guide for incident resolution. A “Go to Guide Label” could direct the workflow to a “Handle Hardware Issue” label or a “Handle Software Issue” label, depending on the incident type.
Goto: This action allows you to execute another Active Link or Filter in a specified order, overriding the default execution sequence. You can specify a static or variable execution order. This is useful for creating loops or branching logic within your workflow.
Interview Question: “Can you explain the difference between ‘Goto’ and ‘Goto Guide Label’?”
Answer: “While both control workflow execution order, ‘Goto’ jumps to a specific execution order number, potentially executing any Active Link or Filter at or after that number. ‘Goto Guide Label’, on the other hand, specifically directs execution to a predefined label within a guide, maintaining the structure and modularity of the guide itself.”
Log to File: This action is invaluable for debugging and auditing. It writes messages to a specified log file on the server. You can log field values, status messages, or any other relevant information to help trace workflow execution.
Troubleshooting Tip: If a workflow isn’t behaving as expected, strategically placing “Log to File” actions can quickly reveal where the process is deviating or what values are being processed.
Message: This action displays a message to the user. It can be an information message, a warning, or an error. This is a direct way to provide feedback to the end-user during workflow execution.
Run Process: This is a powerful action that allows you to execute external commands or scripts on the client or server. This opens up a world of possibilities for integration with other systems, performing system administration tasks, or triggering complex custom logic.
Real-world Example: A Filter might use “Run Process” to execute a PowerShell script that restarts a specific Windows service when an incident ticket related to that service is submitted.
Service: This action is used to trigger filters that have an “Execute On” condition of “Service.” It can interact with AR System web services or consume internal AR System services via Set Fields actions, allowing for complex data retrieval and manipulation without direct database operations in some scenarios.
Set Fields: This is one of the most fundamental actions. It allows you to set the value of a field on the current form or another form. You can set static values, values from other fields, or the result of calculations.
Common Use Case: In a Filter, after validating user input, “Set Fields” can be used to populate a “Status” field to “Assigned” or calculate a “Due Date” based on a start date and a SLA timeframe.
Push Fields: This action is a cornerstone of data integration and synchronization between forms. It allows you to transfer values from selected fields in the current request to another request in the same or a different form. You can push data to update existing records or even create new ones.
Example: When a new asset is created in an Asset Management form, a “Push Fields” action in a Filter can automatically create a corresponding entry in a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) form.
Distributed Server Option (DSO): This action facilitates data transfer between AR System servers, especially in distributed environments. It’s used for replicating or synchronizing data across different AR System instances.
Direct SQL: This action allows you to execute arbitrary SQL commands against non-AR System databases. It’s primarily for integration purposes and should be used with extreme caution, as direct modification of AR System’s own database tables is unsupported and can lead to data corruption.
Important Note: BMC strongly advises against using “Direct SQL” to modify AR System’s native tables. Stick to pushing data to external databases for integrations.

Actions Primarily for Filters and Escalations (Server-Side Orchestration)

These actions are deeply integrated with server-side processing and database interactions, making them essential for robust backend logic.

Notify: While also available in Active Links, the “Notify” action in Filters and Escalations is more about server-initiated communication. It can send emails, page users, or trigger other notification mechanisms based on server-side events. This is a core component for alerting users about critical issues or status changes.
Change Field: (Covered earlier, but worth noting its server-side application). In Filters and Escalations, “Change Field” can modify field attributes on the server. This is often used to update status fields or highlight critical data programmatically.
Distributed Server Option (DSO): (Also covered earlier). Its server-side application is for managing data distribution between AR System servers.
Direct SQL: (As discussed previously). Its server-side use is for executing SQL on external databases.
Push Fields: (As discussed previously). Its server-side use is for moving data between forms and records.
Run Process: (As discussed previously). Its server-side use is for executing commands on the AR System server itself.
Service: (As discussed previously). Its server-side use is for triggering other server-side processes.
Set Fields: (As discussed previously). Its server-side use is for updating field values.

Actions Exclusive to Filters (Server-Side Transaction Handling)

Filters have a unique role in handling transactional data on the server. Some actions are specifically designed to work within this context.

Log File: While “Log to File” is available in Active Links, having this explicitly in the table for Filters and Escalations emphasizes its server-side logging capabilities. It’s a vital tool for debugging server-side workflows.
Notify: (As discussed previously). Its server-side nature is crucial for unattended alerts.

Understanding Filter Execution Options

Filters are triggered by specific operations on a form. The Execution Option defines which operation will cause the filter to run:

Submit: Triggers when a new request is submitted to the server.
Modify: Triggers when an existing request is modified.
Delete: Triggers when a request is deleted.
Get Entry: Triggers when a request is retrieved or displayed.
Merge: Triggers when data is imported or merged into the database (e.g., using Data Import).
Service: Triggers when a “Service” action is performed by an Active Link. The filter then accesses the request with passed field values and returns output.

Understanding Escalation Execution Triggers

Escalations operate on a time-based schedule:

At a Predetermined Time Interval: They run on a recurring schedule (e.g., every hour, every day).
At a Specific Time: They can be configured to run at a precise time on a given day.

Crucially, unlike filters which act on the *current* request if it meets a qualification, escalations find and act on *all* requests in the database that meet their qualification when they execute.

Audit Log Actions: Tracking Workflow Triggers

The audit trail for workflow actions often categorizes the triggering event. These categories are represented by numerical values:

1 – GET ENTRY: An action triggered by retrieving an entry.
2 – Set: An action that sets a field’s value.
4 – Create: An action that creates a new entry.
8 – Delete: An action that deletes an entry.
16 – Merge: An action that merges data (e.g., via import).

These flags help in understanding what happened and when, especially when reviewing audit logs for troubleshooting or compliance.

Advanced Workflow Concepts and Considerations

Cache Modes and Their Impact

BMC Remedy AR System has different cache modes that affect how workflow is loaded and processed, particularly during administrative operations.

Production Cache Mode: Designed for high-volume user environments. Administrative operations create a temporary copy of the cache, allowing regular users to continue working without interruption. This is the default and recommended mode for production servers.
Development Cache Mode: Administrative operations lock the shared cache, preventing other users from accessing it until the changes are complete. This can lead to significant delays if long-running tasks like escalations or integrations are active. Use this mode cautiously in production.

The `arsignal` Utility: Forcing Workflow Reloads

Sometimes, after making significant workflow changes or encountering unexpected behavior, you might need to force the AR System server to reload its configurations. The `arsignal` utility is your tool for this:

-a: Updates internal Alert user information.
-b: Recaches and reloads archive definitions.
-c: Reloads the server’s configuration file (ar.conf or ar.cfg).
-e: Recaches and reloads escalation definitions.
-g: Reloads group and data dictionary information from the database.
-l: Reloads license information.
-m: Reloads computed group information.
-p: Transfers the signal to an application process.
-r: Recaches definitions from the database.
-u: Reloads user information.

For example, to force a reload of escalation definitions on a server named “MyRemedyServer”, you would use:

arsignal -e MyRemedyServer

This utility is powerful for ensuring that your deployed workflow changes are actively used by the server.

Understanding Filter Phasing and Email Engines

Filter phasing is a concept related to how filters execute, especially in complex scenarios. The E-Mail Engine and its configuration, like the Email_Notification web path, are critical for ensuring that email notifications sent via workflow contain correct links back to the AR System application.

For DSO (Distributed Server Option), firewall configurations are often necessary, and enabling placeholder mode from the DSO tab can help manage communication between servers.

The `Commit Changes` vs. `PERFORM-ACTION-APPLY` Distinction

This is a nuanced point often encountered during debugging or when optimizing workflow performance. While both can result in saving a request in modify mode:

Commit Changes (Action): This is a direct workflow action. When executed, it’s visible in the AR System logs. It’s generally more straightforward for simple save operations.
PERFORM-ACTION-APPLY (Run Process argument): This is an argument you might pass to the `Run Process` action to simulate a user-initiated “Apply” or “Save” action. It’s often used when you need to generate dynamic workflow or trigger actions based on field values. “Commit Changes” is written to logs, but the specific “Run Process” action used with “PERFORM-ACTION-APPLY” might not be as granularly detailed in the logs.

For dynamically generated workflows, using `Run Process` with `PERFORM-ACTION-APPLY` offers more flexibility.

Troubleshooting Workflow Action Issues

Workflow can sometimes behave unexpectedly. Here are some common troubleshooting steps:

Enable and Review Logs: The most crucial step. Ensure “Log to File” actions are strategically placed. Also, review the AR System server logs (typically `arerror.log` and `arsystem.log`) for errors.
Check Execution Order: For Filters, the execution order (500 is the default for most) is critical. Filters with lower numbers execute before those with higher numbers. For Active Links, the order within the Active Link definition matters.
Verify Qualifications: Ensure the conditions set in your Filter or Escalation qualifications are accurate and that the data in your requests meets them.
Test Incrementally: Build and test your workflow in small, manageable steps. Don’t try to create an entire complex process at once.
User Permissions: Ensure the user account executing the workflow has the necessary permissions on the forms and fields involved. Filters run with administrator permissions, which can sometimes mask permission issues that might arise with specific user actions.
Cache Reloads: If changes aren’t reflecting, use `arsignal` to reload the relevant definitions.
Client vs. Server: Differentiate whether an issue is occurring on the client (Active Link) or server (Filter/Escalation). This will narrow down your troubleshooting focus significantly.
Web Client vs. Thick Client: Some actions (like DDE or Run Macro) are client-specific. Ensure compatibility with your deployment.

Interview Relevance

A strong understanding of workflow actions is a frequent topic in AR System administrator and developer interviews. Be prepared to discuss:

The differences between Active Links, Filters, and Escalations.
Specific use cases for various workflow actions.
How to troubleshoot common workflow problems.
The impact of cache modes.
The role of `arsignal` in managing server configurations.
The importance of qualifications and execution order.

Being able to explain these concepts clearly and provide practical examples will set you apart.

Conclusion

Workflow actions are the dynamic engine that powers automation within BMC Remedy AR System. By thoroughly understanding the capabilities of Active Links, Filters, and Escalations, and by mastering the diverse array of actions they can perform, IT professionals can build highly efficient, intelligent, and responsive IT Service Management solutions. Whether you’re validating data, automating notifications, integrating systems, or providing a seamless user experience, the power of these workflow actions is at your fingertips. Continuous learning and hands-on practice are key to unlocking their full potential.