Create an activity definition

Specify the action or subflow you want an activity to run. Configure the inputs you want playbook designers to set when adding the activity to a playbook. Select the experience you want end users to have when the activity runs.

Before you begin

• Create a Flow Designer subflow or action that you want to use as the automation plan for your activity. For example, see Create an action as an activity automation plan.
• Make sure to set your current application to the application that you want your activity to run in. For more information, see Application picker.
• Role required: admin, pd_admin, or pd_content_author

Procedure

1. To start creating a new activity definition, do one of the following:
   • Navigate to Process Automation > Process Automation Administration > Activity Definitions. Then in the context header, select New.
   • Follow the steps to Create a playbook. Then in the Playbooks activity design space, select Add an activity > Create a new activity.
   The Activity Definition form view appears.
2. On the form, fill in the fields.

   Field	Action
   Label	Enter a unique name for your activity. This name appears in the playbook in both the Workflow Studio Playbooks builder as well as during playbook runtime.
   Table	Select a table whose records the activity can access as inputs. When adding inputs to your activity in the Workflow Studio Playbooks builder, you can dot-walk to dynamic record data from this table. See Dot-walking to data in related tables. Note: The table specified for a playbook's triggering input record overrides the activity definition table at design time. See Triggers
   Description	Optionally, enter some descriptive details about your activity.
   Accessible From	Choose one of the following options: All application scopes - You can add this activity to a playbook in any application scope. This application scope only - You can only add this activity to playbooks within the same application scope specified in the Application field.

3. Under the Automation Plan section next to the Flow or Action field, select the lookup documents using list icon ().
   The Select the document screen appears.
4. In the Table Name list, select one of the following options:
   • To use a Flow Designer subflow to automate your activity, select Flow.
   • To use a Flow Designer action to automate your activity, select Action Type.

   Note:

   You can only use published actions or subflows for an activity definition's automation plan.
5. Next to the Document field, select the lookup documents using list icon ().
   The Flows or Action Types screen appears.
6. From the list, select the subflow or action that you want to use to automate your activity, then select OK.
7. From the list, select an experience type for the properties and components that you want your activity to use when it renders in a user-facing view of your playbook.
   For more information, see UI Layouts.
8. Select Submit to save and create your activity definition record.
   The Activity Definitions list view appears.
9. Under the Label column in the list, select your activity definition.
   The Activity Definition form view appears.
10. Select the Automation Plan section.
    The system displays the available variables for the action or subflow. The Workflow Studio Playbooks builder displays a variable for each action or subflow input.
11. For each variable, configure the default value you want each variable to have.
    Leave a variable blank when you want a playbook designer to configure the value when adding the activity to a playbook.
12. For each variable, select where it’s visible.

    Visibility	Description
    Include in standard modal	Only displays the variable as an input from the Advanced properties modal.
    Include in standard modal and configuration panel	Displays the variable as an input in the properties panel and the Advanced properties modal.
    Admin visibility only	Only displays the variable as an input from the Advanced properties modal to users that have the admin or pd_admin roles.

    Playbook designers can only set values for variables that they have access to.
13. Select the Activity Experience section.
14. For Experience Type field, select the lookup documents using list icon ().
    The Activity Types list appears.
15. Under the Associated Record section, select values for the Associated table and Associated record fields.
    These values are typically Record and Table Name outputs for the Flow Designer subflow or action specified in your activity's automation plan. For example, you can select the data pill picker icon () next to the Associated record field and dot-walk to the Table Name output by selecting VL > My Activity > Outputs > Record.
    The system associates a record with your activity so that, when the activity runs, it knows which record's data to output.

    

16. If you want to set up the default activity data that renders in your playbook during runtime, enter the values for that data in the other sections under Activity Experience.
    The sections and fields that appear under Activity Experience vary depending on the experience type that you select. For more information, see UI Layouts.
17. Select Update to finish creating your activity definition.

Result

You can now select your custom activity from the activity picker in the Workflow Studio Playbooks design environment. Select the appropriate application scope for your activity to view it in the picker.

Related concepts

• UI Layouts

Related tasks

• Create an action as an activity automation plan