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Lookup Workflows Component

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Lookup workflows are a VXL Live feature. The provider workflow must contain an M3 Fetch step.

A lookup lets people pick a value from a list instead of typing it. For example, when a user starts a workflow that needs a customer number, they can open a lookup, search for the customer by name, select the row, and have the customer number filled in for them. This saves typing and prevents mistakes in fields that must match data in M3.

A lookup uses two workflows:

  • The provider is a workflow with an M3 Fetch step. It reads the data and offers it as a list to pick from.
  • The target is the workflow the user actually runs. Its input fields are filled in with the row the user picks.

The user opens the run form of the target workflow and clicks the lookup icon. The provider workflow runs its M3 Fetch step and returns a list of rows. The user picks a row, and the chosen values are fed back into the input fields of the run form. When the user clicks Run, the target workflow runs with the filled-in values.

Set it up​

1. Create the provider workflow​

  1. Add a Trigger component.
  2. Add an M3 Fetch component configured with the transaction to query.
  3. Set the input fields the user will search by to Client source. These become the search fields in the lookup window.
  4. Tick the output fields to offer as lookup results. Each transaction needs at least one.
  5. Save the workflow and make sure it is active. Only active workflows without errors that you can edit can be picked as a provider.

2. Add the lookup to the target workflow​

  1. Open the Trigger component in the target workflow.
  2. Click Configure lookups.
  3. Click Add lookup, give it a unique name, and select the provider workflow.
  4. Save.

3. Map the provider to the target​

  1. In the lookup configuration, select Mappings → Outputs.
  2. For each provider output field, select the input field of the target workflow that should receive it.
  3. Save.

Optionally, select Mappings → Inputs to link the provider's search fields to input fields of the target workflow. The search form is then pre-filled when the lookup opens.

Example​

You have a workflow that creates customer orders and asks for a Customer number. Instead of typing it:

  1. Build a provider workflow with an M3 Fetch step on a customer list transaction. Set Customer name to Client (the search field) and tick Customer number and Customer name as outputs.
  2. In the order workflow's Manual trigger, add a lookup called "Customer", pick the provider, and map the output Customer number to the Customer number input.

When a user runs the order workflow, a lookup icon appears next to Customer number. They click it, search for part of a customer name, select the row, and the number is filled in.

How it works when the workflow runs​

  1. A lookup icon appears next to the mapped input fields.
  2. Clicking the icon opens the provider workflow's execution screen.
  3. The user searches and selects a record.
  4. The mapped values are filled into the target workflow's input fields.

Tips and limits​

  • You can configure several lookups on one target workflow, each linked to a different provider workflow.
  • A lookup is not available if its provider workflow was removed or made inactive.
  • M3 Fetch: the step that makes a workflow usable as a lookup provider
  • M3 API: the editor M3 Fetch shares, with all input sources and settings
  • Manual Trigger: where lookups are configured on the target workflow
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