Additionally, running AE Workflow Tasks display the status of the inner AE job which is being executed at that point in time. If the AE job is in status "finished" or "failed", only the task status is displayed. To know more about AE Workflow Tasks read the following topics:

• Monitoring Workflows
• System Return Codes of Executable Objects

Viewing Tasks

The "My tasks" view shows a complete list of tasks assigned to the current user or to the groups the user belongs to.

To View Tasks

1. Open the Release Planner Perspective.
2. Click the My tasks tab. A list of pending manual tasks assigned to the current user is shown. Tasks are sorted by date, with the oldest listed first.
3. Alternatively, click the Assigned to my groups tab to display all tasks assigned to the groups the current user belongs to.

   If a manual task is assigned to a user group the current user belongs to, he/she can claim the task to become the actual assignee. The task assignment can be later revoked, in which case the task will be reassigned to the group. Claim/revoke actions can be triggered if the task has the status waiting or running.

   To filter down the list of assigned tasks by status, click the Show dropdown list and select one of the following options:

   • Todo (default): tasks with status waiting/running.
   • Completed ok: tasks finished successfully.
   • Failed: tasks which could not be completed due to an error.
   • Draft: default state after the creation of a new task.

   Click a task to close it (if you are the owner) or to see more details (if the task is assigned to other user).

To View Task Details

1. Open the Release Planner Perspective.
2. Open a Release Plan from one of the three views: Pipeline/List/Calendar. The Release Board view is displayed.
3. Double-click a Task. The View Details dialog is shown.

   The information displayed depends on the Task type.

To View the Task History

1. Open the Release Planner Perspective.
2. Open a Release Plan from one of the three views: Pipeline/List/Calendar. The Release Board view is displayed.
3. Right-click a Task and select History. The list of changes made to the Task is displayed in a new window.

Creating Release Tasks

A new Task can be added to any place of the Release Plan when this is not in running mode. If the plan is paused or failed, Tasks can only be added (or deleted) after the last successfully finished Task.

To Create a Release Task

1. Open the Release Plan. The Release Board view is displayed.
2. Click Add Task to add a new Task to the Release Plan. The Create Manual Task dialog is shown.

3. From the type dropdown list select the type of Task you want to create: manual (Manual Task) or automatic (ARA Deployment Task, ARA Provisioning Task, Automation Engine Workflow, Email Notification). Depending on the type selected, a different dialog is displayed.

4. Enter the following information:

   • Email Notification (automatically sends an email using the AE's mail configuration).

     SMTP must be configured in the AE for the current client. To know more see the following topics:

     • Email Connection
     • UC_CLIENT_SETTINGS - Various Client Settings
     • SEND_MAIL

     

     • General tab:

       1. Enter a name for the task.

          Please note that the name can only contain . Task names can consist of from 3 to 255 characters and don't need to be unique.

       2. Optionally, add a description to better identify the purpose of the Task.
       3. Select an owner from the dropdown list. Only existing/active users/groups can be selected.

     

     • E-mail tab:

       1. At least one recipient must be entered/added either in the To or in the Cc field. To do so:

          1. Click Edit next to the appropriate field to open the Edit Recipients dialog.

             

          2. Select one user or user group as recipient of the e-mail or manually enter an e-mail address.
          3. Click Add.
          4. Optionally, add/enter more users/addresses and add them to the recipients list.
          5. Click OK.
       2. Enter a subject to the e-mail.
       3. Enter the message that will be sent.

     • Optionally, click the Notification tab to define when to notify users about changes in the Release Task. When the owner is a user group, all members will be notified. Select one or more of the following checkboxes and add the user(s)/user group(s) you want to be notified:

       • Notify on Start: a message will be sent when the Release Task is started.
       • Notify on Error: a message will be sent when the Release Task fails.
       • Notify when Finished: a message will be sent when the Release Task finished successfully.
       • Notify when Delayed: a message will be sent when a Task did not start in the specified time.

       Message notifications are sent to the Notification bar. To know more see: Notification Object (CALL).

   • Manual Task (E.g.: preparation steps: collect artifacts from various sources, validation steps: analyze test reports, third-party activities: activities performed by an outsourced team, approvals).

     

     1. Enter a name for the task.

        Please note that the name can only contain alphanumeric characters, blanks, ".", "-", "_", "@", "$", "#". Task names can consist of from 3 to 255 characters.

     2. Optionally, add a description to better identify the purpose of the Task.
     3. Select an owner from the dropdown list (user or user group responsible for the Task). Only existing/active users/groups can be selected. The default owner is the user who creates the Task.

     4. Enter the duration of the Task. Default time: 30 minutes.

        The value must be in the following format: M/d/yyyy HH:mm.

        The planned start date/time is calculated based on the end date/time of the previous Task or the start date/time of the Release Plan (if the Task you are creating is the first to be executed).

     5. Assign the task to yourself, another user or a user group. The assignee is the user or user group responsible for the execution of the Task.

   • Automation Engine Workflow (enables the user to set up which AE workflow should be triggered):

     

     • General tab:

       1. Enter a name for the Task.

          Please note that the name can only contain alphanumeric characters, blanks, ".", "-", "_", "@", "$", "#". Task names can consist of from 3 to 255 characters and don't need to be unique.

       2. Optionally, add a description to better identify the purpose of the Task.
       3. Select an owner from the dropdown list. Only existing/active users/groups can be selected.
       4. Enter the duration of the Task. Default time: 30 minutes.

          The value must be in the following format: M/d/yyyy HH:mm.

          The planned start date/time is calculated based on the end date/time of the previous Task or the start date/time of the Release Plan (if the Task you are creating is the first to be executed).

     

     • Workflow tab:

       All the fields below allow expression values. See also Using Variables in Release Plans.

       1. Select the AE Workflow that will be executed.
       2. Select an AE user. If you have previously created another Automation Engine Workflow task, the user to whom the first task was assigned will be selected by default.
       3. Enter the user password. If the default user has not been changed, the password will be automatically entered.

     

     • Prompts tab. Lists all Prompts with their default values.

     • Optionally, click the Notification tab to define when to notify users about changes in the Release Task. When the owner is a user group, all members will be notified. Select one or more of the following checkboxes and add the user(s)/user group(s) you want to be notified:

       • Notify on Start: a message will be sent when the Release Task is started.
       • Notify on Error: a message will be sent when the Release Task fails.
       • Notify when Finished: a message will be sent when the Release Task finished successfully.
       • Notify when Delayed: a message will be sent when a Task did not start in the specified time.

       Message notifications are sent to the Notification bar. To know more see: Notification Object (CALL).

   • ARA Deployment (defines which ARA Workflow should be triggered to deploy an Application).

     

     • General tab:

       1. Enter a name for the Task.

          Please note that the name can only contain alphanumeric characters, blanks, ".", "-", "_", "@", "$", "#". Task names can consist of from 3 to 255 characters and don't need to be unique.

       2. Optionally, add a description to better identify the purpose of the Task.
       3. Select an owner from the dropdown list. Only existing/active users/groups can be selected.
       4. Enter the duration of the Task. Default time: 30 minutes.

          The value must be in the following format: M/d/yyyy HH:mm.

          The planned start date/time is calculated based on the end date/time of the previous Task or the start date/time of the Release Plan (if the Task you are creating is the first to be executed).

     

     • Deployment tab:

       1. Select the entities for the ARA deployment execution:

          These fields allow expression values. See also Using Variables in Release Plans

          • Application
          • Workflow
          • Profile
          • Package

       2. Select the installation mode. The Skip existing components option is selected by default.

          All the above fields allow expression values.

       3. Select an ARA user.
       4. Enter a valid password.

     • Optionally, click the Notification tab to define when to notify users about changes in the Release Task. When the owner is a user group, all members will be notified. Select one or more of the following checkboxes and add the user(s)/user group(s) you want to be notified:

       • Notify on Start: a message will be sent when the Release Task is started.
       • Notify on Error: a message will be sent when the Release Task fails.
       • Notify when Finished: a message will be sent when the Release Task finished successfully.
       • Notify when Delayed: a message will be sent when a Task did not start in the specified time.

       Message notifications are sent to the Notification bar. To know more see: Notification Object (CALL).

     Dynamic Properties: Prompt on Execution is not supported for this Task.

   • ARA Provisioning (provisions a new ARA Environment)

     

     • General tab:

       1. Enter a name for the Task.

          Please note that the name can only contain alphanumeric characters, blanks, ".", "-", "_", "@", "$", "#". Task names can consist of from 3 to 255 characters and don't need to be unique.

       2. Optionally, add a description to better identify the purpose of the Task.
       3. Select an owner from the dropdown list. Only existing/active users/groups can be selected.

     

     • Provisioning tab:

       1. Select the Blueprint to be used for provisioning a new Environment.
       2. Enter a name for the new Environment.

          This field allows expression values. See also: Using Variables in Release Plans

       3. Select an Environment type from the dropdown list (generic, production, etc...)

          This field allows expression values. See also: Using Variables in Release Plans

       4. Select the folder where you want to store the new Environment.

          This field allows expression values. See also: Using Variables in Release Plans

       5. Select a user with sufficient rights.
       6. Enter the user password.

     • Optionally, click the Notification tab to define when to notify users about changes in the Release Task. When the owner is a user group, all members will be notified. Select one or more of the following checkboxes and add the user(s)/user group(s) you want to be notified:

       • Notify on Start: a message will be sent when the Release Task is started.
       • Notify on Error: a message will be sent when the Release Task fails.
       • Notify when Finished: a message will be sent when the Release Task finished successfully.
       • Notify when Delayed: a message will be sent when a Task did not start in the specified time.

       Message notifications are sent to the Notification bar. To know more see: Notification Object (CALL).

5. Click Create.

You can create as many Tasks as you want and edit or delete them at a later point in time. To reorder the Tasks simply drag-and drop them.

After adding a new Task to the Phase, the duration of the Release Plan and Phase is automatically updated. The start & end date/time of all subsequent Tasks and Phases are updated as well.

Editing Release Tasks

You may want to edit Release Tasks if, for example, you want to assign a manual Task to a new owner or if you want to update the Deployment Task properties after changing the password of the deployment user.

You can edit Tasks in Releases with status "running" or "paused" that have not started yet or did not already finish. You can also edit the last failed task of a Release with status "failed".

To Edit a Release Task

1. Open the Release Planner perspective. The Releases list is displayed.
2. Double-click a Release Plan.
3. Right-click a Task and select Edit.

Claiming/Revoking Release Tasks

1. Open the Release Planner perspective.
2. Navigate to My tasks > Assigned to my groups to display all tasks assigned to the groups the current user belongs to.
3. Select the task you want to claim and click the Assigned to me button to become the actual assignee.

   The task assignment can be later revoked, in which case the task will be reassigned to the group.

   Claim/revoke actions can be triggered if the task has the status waiting or running.

Restarting Release Tasks

A failed Task can be restarted to resume the execution of a Release Plan.

To Restart a Task

1. Open the Release Plan. The Release Board view is displayed.
2. Right-click the failed Task and do one of the following:
3. Right-click the failed Task and do one of the following:
   • Select Edit to update the configuration of the task, save it and right-click it again to select Restart.
   • Select Restart and confirm the action.

   The statuses of both the Task and the Release Plan will change to "Running".

Skipping Release Tasks

The execution of a Task can be skipped once if the Release Plan is in status "running", "pausing", "paused" or "error" and the Task has not started yet.

To Skip a Task

1. Open the Release Plan. The Release Board view is displayed.
2. Right-click a Task and select Skip.

   The status of the task will change to "Skipped".

   Skipping a Task doesn't affect the expected start/end date/time of the subsequent Tasks.

Testing Release Tasks

Users can test single Tasks to check their performance before running the Release Plan.

Tasks can be run in test mode only when both the Release Plan and the Release Task are in status "draft".

Only one Task can be tested at a time.

To Test a Task

1. Open the Release Plan. The Release Board view is displayed.
2. Right-click a Task and select Test.

   Once the test is completed, a Test Run Details link (for AE and ARA Tasks)/ View Details link (for other Task types) is shown. Click it to get further information on the Task performance.

Note that running Tasks in test mode will create/execute real data (Defining Application Deployments).

Closing Release Tasks

A task can only be executed if all the previous tasks have been closed.

To Close Release Tasks

1. Open the Release Planner perspective.
2. Do one of the following:

   • From the Release Plan:

     1. Right-click the Task you want to close.
     2. Select Close.

   • From the My tasks tab:

     1. Select one task and click the Close Task icon in the toolbar (or double-click it). The Close Task dialog is displayed.
     2. Select the status you want to assign to the Task after closing it: Done or Failed. See: Release Task Statuses.

        Note that if you close a Task with status "failed" the subsequent Task will not be executed.

     3. Enter a comment to provide further information on the Task. (Mandatory if Task is to be closed with status "Failed")

     To set one of the Tasks assigned to a group you belong to as closed, you must claim the task first. See Claiming/Revoking Release Tasks.

Deleting Release Tasks

Unstarted Tasks can be removed from Releases with status "draft", "failed" or "paused".

To Delete a Release Task

1. Open the Release Planner perspective. The Releases list is displayed.
2. Double-click a Release Plan.
3. Right-click the Task and select Delete.

Aborting Release Tasks

Only running Release Tasks can be aborted.

To Abort a Release Task

1. Open the Release Planner perspective. The Releases list is displayed.
2. Double-click a Release Plan.
3. Right-click the running Task and select Abort.

   The following actions will be triggered:

   • The Task status will be changed to "failed".
   •  Manual Task:
     • All requests sent to the assignee will be revoked.
     • The Task will be removed from the My Tasks menu.
   • AE Workflow, ARA Deployment, ARA Provisioning:
     • The underlying Workflow triggered by the Task will not be affected. It must be handled separately.

See also:

• Working with Release Phases
• Working with Release Plans