Document Creator FAQs

Frequently asked questions for the Document Creator guide.

Purpose and Core Functions

Purpose

The Document Creator object is used to create a new instance of a form and assign it to a Document object within a workflow.
Once the process step passes through the Document Creator, the defined document is automatically generated in the system and becomes available for subsequent workflow steps.

Key Functions

• Form Creation
  Generates a new form instance linked to a Document object.
• Document Assignment
  Assigns the created or selected document to the appropriate workflow step.
• Flexible Integration
  Can be connected to other workflow components such as Positions, Position Groups, and Notification objects.
• Supports Existing Documents
  Allows linking of already created forms from the Document Management System (DMS).

Old vs. New Workflow Templates

Aspect	Old Workflow Template	New Workflow Template
Document Creation	Performed when passing through the Document Creator node	Automatically triggered when a document is attached to the Flow Start object
Database Record	A database entry is created immediately	No database record is created until the process starts
Use Case	Preferred when branching workflows or creating documents at specific steps	Recommended default behavior for standard workflows

Usage Scenarios

• Generating dynamic documents for specific workflow steps
• Assigning forms to multiple workflow components simultaneously
• Reusing existing forms without creating duplicates
• Delaying document creation until a certain branch of the workflow is reached

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Events and Error Handling

Events Overview

The Document Creator object provides several events in the Events tab that can be used to customize behavior:

• OnBeforeCreate → Triggered before a document instance is generated.
• OnAfterCreate → Triggered after the document has been successfully created.
• OnError → Triggered when a document creation error occurs.

To add custom code:

1. Open the Events tab in the Properties panel.
2. Double-click the desired event.
3. The system automatically creates a method in the workflow’s .cs file.
4. Add your custom logic inside the generated method block.

Error Handling

• The system automatically validates mandatory properties like Document, Form, and Path.
• If a required property is missing, the object is highlighted with a red exclamation icon.
• Hovering over the icon shows which properties are incomplete or incorrect.

Tips

• Always handle the OnError event to provide better user feedback.
• Use event hooks to integrate custom logging or tracking mechanisms.
• Validate document paths early when working with dynamic variables.

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Configuration and Properties

Configuration Modes

1. Create New Form
   Creates a new form instance during workflow execution.
   Key properties:

• Creator → Defines which Position or Flow Starter will be the owner of the document.
• Project → Selects the project where the form belongs.
• Form → Specifies the form to be generated.
• View → Determines which view of the form will be used.
• Create Id → Automatically assigns a form ID without requiring a “Set Document Number” object.
• Panel Size → Controls how the form is displayed in the web interface.

2. Add Existing Document
   Links an existing form that has already been created.
   Key properties:

• Path Type → Defines whether the document is linked via Full Path or Form ID.
• Path Source Type → Determines where the path information comes from:
  • Constant Path → Select the form manually via DMS.
  • From Variable → Use a dynamic form path from a variable or function.
• Value → Stores the form path or ID based on the selected source.
• Panel Size → Sets the document panel width for display.

Relations Management

• Upper Document → If the current document is related to a parent document, you can link the corresponding Document object here.
• Caption → Sets a custom title for the related doc