Configuring the Time Properties of a Task in a Workflow

Usually, tasks in Workflows start as soon as their predecessors have finished. However, you can define multiple parameters in their properties that affect the task sequence in the Workflow. In the Time properties tab you can define additional time parameters that determine when the task will actually start, regardless of the status of its predecessor. You can define the following:

  • Earliest start time

    The task does not start executing before the specified time.

  • Latest start time

    If the task has not started executing at this time, it is not executed at all.

  • Latest end time

    As soon as a task starts, its estimated duration is calculated. If the calculated end time is after the time specified in this field, it is not executed anymore.

Note: The earliest/latest start/end times are calculated based on the Real Date of a Workflow, which is its activation date.

Using Live Estimated Runtime (ERT) with Time and Dependencies

ERT only considers the Earliest Start Time for evaluation and not the Latest End Time.

Example:

Consider the following linear Workflow with three tasks:

  • Task 1 with an ERT of 30 minutes
  • Task 2 with an ERT of 30 minutes and the Earliest Start Time: 12:00
  • Task 3 with an ERT of 30 minutes and Latest End Time: 13:00

If the Workflow starts at 11:00 am, the ERT should be 120 minutes and not 90 minutes. This is because Task 2 can only start at 12:00. If Task 2 is delayed, the estimates will not be adjusted, therefore Task 3 will not meet its Latest End Time. However, the estimate will not be adjusted if Task 2 has a delay and Task 3 cannot meet its latest end time of 13:00.

To Define Time Settings

  1. In the Workflow editor, right-click the task, select Properties and open the Time tab.

  2. In the Earliest Start Time section you specify time conditions to prevent the task from starting to execute before a specific time, regardless of the status of predecessor task in the Workflow.

    1. Select the Define Earliest Start Time checkbox to activate this function.

    2. In Real Date + you can define that the selected task should start either on the real date (Real Date + 0 day(s)) or a number of days after it.

      Possible values: 0 (default) to 99.

    3. Enter the Time. If the task is ready to start before this time, its status changes to Waiting for start time.

      Note: You can always start tasks manually from the Workflow Monitor, regardless of your definitions here.

      Possible values: 00:00:00 to 23:59:59

    4. If necessary, select a Time Zone object. You can use variables here.

    Example: A Workflow is activated on May 20. It contains a task in which Real Date + 1 day(s) at 15:00 has been specified as the earliest start time. This task does not start before May 21 at 15:00.

  3. The chronological execution of a Workflow can be monitored with time checkpoints. Checkpoints are the points in time in which you want to check whether the task has started at the designated time. To define one, select Evaluate Checkpoint. You specify the date and time for checking and, optionally, a different task to be executed if the original one could not start.

    Checkpoints become active when the Workflow is activated.

  4. In the Latest Start/End Time section you specify time conditions to prevent the task from executing if its start time/estimated end time are later than your definition here.

    • Latest Start time

      If the task is not started by this time, it is not executed at all.

    • Latest End time

      As soon as a task starts, its estimated duration is calculated. If the calculated end time is after the time specified in this field, it is not executed anymore.

  5. Save your changes

If the task cannot be executed, its end status is set to ENDED_TIMEOUT.

See also: