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Best Practices

Process Design​

Keep Processes Focused​

Design each process to accomplish a single, well-defined business objective. Avoid creating monolithic processes that try to handle too many scenarios.

ApproachRecommendation
Single ResponsibilityEach process should handle one business workflow
Sub-ProcessesBreak complex workflows into smaller, reusable sub-processes
Clear BoundariesDefine clear start and end points for each process

Name Things Clearly​

Use descriptive, consistent naming conventions throughout your processes.

ElementNaming ConventionGood ExampleBad Example
Process[Action] + [Subject]"Approve Loan Application""Process 1"
Stage[Action] + [Object]"Review Documents""Stage 2"
Transition[Condition Summary]"If Amount > $50K""Path A"

Design for Failure​

Anticipate what can go wrong and design your processes to handle exceptions gracefully.

  • ✅ Always define a default transition from every non-terminating stage
  • ✅ Include error handling stages for exception scenarios
  • ✅ Configure appropriate timeouts and escalations
  • ✅ Use validation in On Entering to catch issues early

Stage Configuration​

Use Appropriate Assignment Types​

Choose the right assignment type based on the nature of the work:

ScenarioRecommended AssignmentReason
Requires specific expertiseUserEnsures qualified person handles it
High volume, interchangeable workTeamEnables workload balancing
Needs consensus/multiple approvalsTeam MembersCaptures all required sign-offs in parallel
Assignees determined by business rulesCustomA Logic Flow resolves who receives tasks at runtime
Data validation, calculations, integrationsOn Entering / On Exiting Logic FlowsNo dedicated "System" strategy exists - run automation via stage Logic Flows

Set Realistic Due Dates​

Configure due dates that reflect actual business expectations:

  • ✅ Account for business hours and working days
  • ✅ Consider dependencies on external parties
  • ✅ Allow buffer for reviews and rework
  • ❌ Don't set artificially tight deadlines that will always be missed

Leverage On Entering and On Exiting​

Use stage automation strategically:

EventBest Used For
On EnteringNotifications, status updates, data preparation, launching parallel work
On ExitingRecording outcomes, calculating results, triggering downstream processes
Automation Tip

Keep automation logic in reusable Logic Composer Flows rather than duplicating it across stages. This makes maintenance easier and ensures consistency.

Transitions and Routing​

Always Have a Default Path​

Every non-terminating stage should have a guaranteed exit path. If no conditional transitions match, the process will be stuck.

Order Transitions by Specificity​

When using multiple conditional transitions, order them from most specific to least specific:

  1. Most specific conditions first (highest priority)
  2. General conditions next
  3. Default/fallback last (lowest priority)

Use Decision Tables for Complex Logic​

When you have multiple conditions with multiple outcomes, use Logic Composer Decision Tables instead of chaining many simple transitions:

ScenarioApproach
2-3 simple conditionsSimple transition guards
Multiple factors, many outcomesDecision Table
Sequential yes/no decisionsDecision Tree

Versioning and Deployment​

Test Before Activating​

Always validate your process design before deploying to production:

  • ✅ Test all possible paths through the process
  • ✅ Verify transition guards with different data scenarios
  • ✅ Confirm automation executes correctly
  • ✅ Check assignments route to correct users/teams

Use Publish for Review Workflows​

Take advantage of the two-step publishing model:

ActionWhen to Use
PublishWhen stakeholder review/approval is required before going live
Publish & ActivateFor quick deployments of tested, validated changes

Document Version Changes​

Maintain a changelog for your processes:

  • What changed in each version
  • Why the change was made
  • Who approved the change
  • When it was activated

Performance and Scalability​

Enable Tracing Strategically​

Tracing provides valuable debugging information but adds overhead:

EnvironmentTracing Recommendation
Development✅ Always enabled
Test/UAT✅ Enabled
Production (low volume)✅ Enabled for audit
Production (high volume)⚠️ Consider performance impact

Keep Stages Focused​

Avoid putting too much automation in a single stage. If a stage has extensive On Entering and On Exiting logic:

  • Consider splitting into multiple stages
  • Move complex logic into dedicated system-assigned stages
  • Use sub-processes for substantial parallel work

Minimize Loops​

While Logic Process Orchestrator supports non-linear flows, excessive looping can indicate process design issues:

  • ✅ Analyze stages with frequent revisits
  • ✅ Consider adding validation earlier to prevent rework
  • ✅ Review if loop is truly necessary or if process can be redesigned

Security and Governance​

Apply Least Privilege​

Only assign the Process Designer role to users who genuinely need to design processes:

User TypeProcess Designer Role
Process designers/architects✅ Yes
Business analysts (designing)✅ Yes
End users (completing tasks)❌ No
Managers (viewing reports)❌ No

Separate Design and Runtime​

In production environments, install only the Logic Process Orchestrator runtime solution:

  • ✅ Reduces attack surface
  • ✅ Prevents accidental modifications
  • ✅ Smaller solution footprint
  • ✅ Enforces change management through proper deployment

Use Projects for Organization​

Group related processes and artifacts into Flowon Projects:

  • Easier to manage permissions
  • Simplified deployment (deploy entire project)
  • Better organization for large implementations
  • Enables reuse of Logic Flows across processes

Monitoring and Maintenance​

Review Process Metrics Regularly​

Use trace data to monitor process health:

MetricWhat to Look For
Average DurationIncreasing times may indicate bottlenecks
Overdue RateHigh rates suggest unrealistic due dates or capacity issues
Rework FrequencyFrequent loops indicate quality or clarity issues
Fault RateRising faults need immediate investigation

Archive Completed Instances​

For high-volume processes, establish a retention policy for completed instances:

  • Keep recent instances readily available
  • Archive older instances for compliance
  • Document retention requirements

Plan for Process Evolution​

Processes change over time. Plan for it:

  • ✅ Use version control (Logic Fabric artifacts in source control)
  • ✅ Maintain documentation alongside process definitions
  • ✅ Review and optimize processes periodically
  • ✅ Gather feedback from process participants